| Subject: |
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Practice |
| Name: |
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Cap'n Jackson |
| Date Posted: |
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Feb 5, 06 - 8:10 AM |
| Email: |
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actionjackson06de@hotmail.com |
| Message: |
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Alright guys, our winter season is in full swing now with the first competition behind us. I want you all to realize that when i say the words "work on that at home" i dont say that to make mr guess happy. I mean it. The only way this drumline is going to improve and have a chance at doing well at state is if we all pull our own weight by personal, individual practice. Rehearsal is NOT practice. If it was, then we would just call it practice. The point of rehearsal is to combine each person's individual practice to form one sound.
But then again, if you practice inefficiently it does little good. Try to be constructive with your practice time. A common thing for people to do is to "practice" a part that is very easy (and probably doesnt need practice)over and over and use that as an excuse for practicing. Focus closely on passages that you struggle with. Dont waste YOUR time on pointless practice.
Even if you can get through it up to tempo doesnt mean you stop there. The BEST WAY TO PRACTICE is to play the subject passage at a certain constant tempo set by a metronome (or what i like to do sometimes is find a song that is the same meter and about the same tempo and play the passage along to the song). If: (1)you feel the need to rush AT ALL, (2)you feel yourself tensing up, (3)you begin using poor or improper technique, (4)you symply cannot make it through the passage without making a mistake, or (5)you are in any way not perfectly comfortable, slow it down about 8 or 10 beats per minute. Try it again, if you cant do it while being perfectly comfortable, slow it down again. Keep slowing it down until you can play the passage with total confedince and both mental and physical relaxation. This will probably be very very slow. Play the music at that tempo 2 or 3 times and then bump up the metronome 4 to 6 BPM and play it over and over until you are as confident and comfortable as before you sped it up. Make sure you do not become impatient and speed up the metronome before you are ready. Continue increasing the speed untill you are at the desired speed, and THEN work the tempo a little more, perhaps 4 or 8 BPM over the desired tempo to solidify your comfort at playing at the initial tempo.
I know this sounds like a lot to do, but trust me. Once you practice something like this correctly, you will be amazed at how easily you can breeze through the music.
Drum on! |
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