Standard Practice Routine

[MMCOGICboy]

I've come up with a practice routinue finally after have all these chord, scales, etc.

hey i want to show you this practice regime i have came up with. Well here it is:

Title: Musical Focus and Chord Retention

I. Musician's Prayer
II. Song of Meditation - Total Praise
III.Basic Chord
    a. 3 Part Harmony
    b. Diatonic Chord Exercise from the CCF
IV. 2nd Important Chords to Hear and Understand
    a. Half Diminished (m7b5) Chords
    b. Diminished Seventh Chords
V. Important Primary Scales
    a. Major Scales
    b. Minor Scales
    c. Blues Scales
    d. Melodic Minor Scales
    e. Harmonic Minor Scales
    f. Alternative Blues "run" 1 from "Unlocking the Keys"
    g. Alternative Blues "run" 2 from "Unlocking the Keys"
VI. Major Movements (Chord Progressions)& etc
    a. 2-5-1 in Major
    b. 2-5-1 in Minor
    c. Circle of Fourths
    d. Circle of Fifths
    e. Major Chords
    f. Minor Chords
    g. Suspended Chords
    h. Quartal Chords
    i. Dominant Chords
    j. Passing Chords from "Unlocking the Keys"
       i. Major 9th add 6
       ii. Polychord
       iii. Diminished 7th Polychord
       iv. Infinite Chords
       k. Left Hand Arpeggios
       l. Foundational Preacher Chords from "Unlocking the
          Keys"/ "Deceptive Cadence"
       m. Cluster Chords
VII. Songs for Choir
      a. Music
      b. Choir Parts
VII. Learn Music From Personal Musical Library
IX. Musical Flow in Various Keys with Chords from the
     Contemporary Chords Finder. After Completing Musical
      Focus Continue to the Music to be learned.
X. Ending Prayer
 

Please Let me know what you think and if you can what is your usual daily practice routine?

[4hisglory]

Here is a practice routing I've been working on.  This the "master" list and then I take items from it to make up about 3, 30 minute practice sections

Practice Routine
I.   Scales                     20 min
a.   Blues
b.   Minor
c.   Mixalydian
d.   Major
II.   Chords   Voicing               10 min.
a.   Major 7
b.   Minor 7
c.   Dominant 7
d.   Minor7b5
III.   Progressions                  20 min.
a.   Major 2-5-1
b.   Minor 2-5-1
IV.   Bass Lines                  10 min.
V.   Shuffle                     10.min.
VI.   Technique                  10 min.
VII.   Repertoire                  20 min
VIII.   Evening Up the Keys               30 min
IX.   Ear Training                  20 min
X.   Review   

[sjonathan02]

I've come up with a practice routinue finally after have all these chord, scales, etc.

hey i want to show you this practice regime i have came up with. Well here it is:

Title: Musical Focus and Chord Retention

I. Musician's Prayer
II. Song of Meditation - Total Praise
III.Basic Chord
    a. 3 Part Harmony
    b. Diatonic Chord Exercise from the CCF
IV. 2nd Important Chords to Hear and Understand
    a. Half Diminished (m7b5) Chords
    b. Diminished Seventh Chords
V. Important Primary Scales
    a. Major Scales
    b. Minor Scales
    c. Blues Scales
    d. Melodic Minor Scales
    e. Harmonic Minor Scales
    f. Alternative Blues "run" 1 from "Unlocking the Keys"
    g. Alternative Blues "run" 2 from "Unlocking the Keys"
VI. Major Movements (Chord Progressions)& etc
    a. 2-5-1 in Major
    b. 2-5-1 in Minor
    c. Circle of Fourths
    d. Circle of Fifths
    e. Major Chords
    f. Minor Chords
    g. Suspended Chords
    h. Quartal Chords
    i. Dominant Chords
    j. Passing Chords from "Unlocking the Keys"
       i. Major 9th add 6
       ii. Polychord
       iii. Diminished 7th Polychord
       iv. Infinite Chords
       k. Left Hand Arpeggios
       l. Foundational Preacher Chords from "Unlocking the
          Keys"/ "Deceptive Cadence"
       m. Cluster Chords
VII. Songs for Choir
      a. Music
      b. Choir Parts
VII. Learn Music From Personal Musical Library
IX. Musical Flow in Various Keys with Chords from the
     Contemporary Chords Finder. After Completing Musical
      Focus Continue to the Music to be learned.
X. Ending Prayer
 

Please Let me know what you think and if you can what is your usual daily practice routine?

How long does this take? 

[Fenix]

How long does this take? 

Same question i had when i saw that. You will need to set aside no less than 2 hours to get through all that.

I just do the major scales and triad arpeggios. I will take your suggestion and start with my own devotional song and then jump into practice.

[musallio]

Eish, you guys put me to shame with your practice routines.

[Fenix]

Eish, you guys put me to shame with your practice routines.

In short you don't practice...

[Casioman]

My current Daily Routine-:

1) Major/natural Minor Scales + Chord Inversions (major/minor triads,+7,+9) in all 12 keys( currently alternating Daily with Hanon exercises)
2) Other progressions and voicings, currently 1451, 251, 736 in all 12 keys.
3) Practice 4 known Songs/Hymns without stopping to fix mistakes.         
4) Learn a new song from hymnal/sheet music includes sight reading + modification (number system or to make it easier to play)

This is Happening Monday to Friday (ish), I usually know what I will be playing on Sunday by then so I practice what is needed. 

I am looking to maximise time spent at the piano & I will be looking to incorporate some study on piano technique + hoping to study from a series of DVD's I have had since last Christmas & still haven't opened.

Same question I had when I saw that. You will need to set aside no less than 2 hours to get through all that.

                 
Of course everyone is different & has different priorities, but If you want to be good, you got to aim to put at least 2 hours or more in daily.My problem is not a lack of practice material, Its simply a lack of time I can spend at the piano.

VIII.   Evening Up the Keys               30 min

What does this mean ?


Be Blessed

Casioman

[berbie]

I practice, but I can't approach that schedule.  I think I wish I could.  I know that it would lead to improvements(or to quitting practice altogether).
I understand Mus's statement. (Ref. MMCogicboy's schedule)

I still have trouble with the sustain pedal.  I know that I underuse it, but I can't seem to internalize its use.  I would welcome any suggestions or study material on that.  Geez, I guess I learn something from all the posts.

My hat is off to MMCogicboy for maintaining such a schedule. It seems that he would reap great benefits.

berbie

[Fenix]

I still have trouble with the sustain pedal.  I know that I underuse it, but I can't seem to internalize its use.  I would welcome any suggestions or study material on that.  Geez, I guess I learn something from all the posts.

berbie

I find this very fascinating. A friend of mine also does not use the sustain pedal. I have been trying to get him to at least try and use it.

I use the sustain pedal to fill-up my sound. I suppose the easiest way to explain it would be that it is used to create a continuous sound in the music. For example, in worship music, the sustain pedal is, IMO, very key in maintaining a flow from one chord to another without having a space in between the sounds.

Of course a balance is needed. You don't want to over-use it and have your sounds running into each other and sounding all muddy.

[sjonathan02]

I practice, but I can't approach that schedule.  I think I wish I could.  I know that it would lead to improvements(or to quitting practice altogether).
I understand Mus's statement. (Ref. MMCogicboy's schedule)

I still have trouble with the sustain pedal.  I know that I underuse it, but I can't seem to internalize its use.  I would welcome any suggestions or study material on that.  Geez, I guess I learn something from all the posts.

My hat is off to MMCogicboy for maintaining such a schedule. It seems that he would reap great benefits.

berbie

When I'm practicing, I tend to over use it, so my chords sound muddy, at times. 

[4hisglory]

What does this mean ?


Be Blessed

Casioman

Just trying to become proficient in all 12 keys.  I just take one song at a time that I am fimilar with and learn to play that song in all the keys "without hesitating".  Then just move on to another song.

[Fenix]

Y'know i am starting to doubt the usefulness of learning one song in every key. I think it is a waste of time. If you know your nu,ber system, yu should be able to play that song in any key.

Either that or just yell at the choir to sing in the proper key. My old MOM did that once. The choir went off key. The dude just waited for them to finish acapella, then he started the song again in the proper key.

Gangsta

[sjonathan02]

Y'know i am starting to doubt the usefulness of learning one song in every key. I think it is a waste of time. If you know your nu,ber system, yu should be able to play that song in any key.

Either that or just yell at the choir to sing in the proper key. My old MOM did that once. The choir went off key. The dude just waited for them to finish acapella, then he started the song again in the proper key.

Gangsta

I stopped a choir, once, when they started a song off key. It was gonna be brutal otherwise. 

[under13]

Y'know i am starting to doubt the usefulness of learning one song in every key. I think it is a waste of time. If you know your nu,ber system, yu should be able to play that song in any key.

Gangsta

Soon yall gonna be at a level where you wont have to learn a song in every key, and you wont have to really rely on the number system. When your ear is right, you will just feel/hear the intervals, and play the song whether or not you practiced it in that key or not. Think aout it. There are hundreds of songs that we have to know. I think its impossible to remember all of the moves to that many songs.
---------
As for a practice routine, I just play whatever. I usually just play along with the radio or recordings of other organist. Sometimes I'll break down some of the dvds I have. But i've been lazy this past year. I used to practice like 20 hours a week. I'm too ashamed to say how much practice i get in nowadays.

[Fenix]

Soon yall gonna be at a level where you wont have to learn a song in every key, and you wont have to really rely on the number system. When your ear is right, you will just feel/hear the intervals, and play the song whether or not you practiced it in that key or not. Think aout it. There are hundreds of songs that we have to know. I think its impossible to remember all of the moves to that many songs.
---------
As for a practice routine, I just play whatever. I usually just play along with the radio or recordings of other organist. Sometimes I'll break down some of the dvds I have. But i've been lazy this past year. I used to practice like 20 hours a week. I'm too ashamed to say how much practice i get in nowadays.

Tell your girlfriend to leave you alone. Don't she know you gotta practice?

As for the first part, that is TROOF! I don't bother practicing songs in another key, i just try and learn the number system and try and listen out for the changes.

[JazzJunkie]

Do any 1 have any suggesting for the musicians that are busy learning choir and Praise Team songs for the week that dont have time to practice what they want because they have deadlines they have to meet before Sunday.

[musallio]

Do any 1 have any suggesting for the musicians that are busy learning choir and Praise Team songs for the week that dont have time to practice what they want because they have deadlines they have to meet before Sunday.

Make time to practice the songs that you have to play for that week or 2 coming weeks--no other way my man

To come back to you Fenix, I actually practice--alot
I have fun--always craving to practice..

1)I always do my minor 11ths around the circle (that vintage jazzy sound )..
I normally start off in Gb, but today i started in D. Sometimes I start in A.

2)I then play a random, sweet/ cool chord , eg, B/ A-C#-D-F# (DM13) then I try to form a cool progression around it:
i) From there I can come up with a  good song quality progression
ii) I also expand on the chords I'm holding: so that DM13 becomes  B-D#-G#/ A-C#-D-F# (DM13,b9#11);
iii) I try to play a decent progression with similar chords or play this around the circle. This normally leads me to quartals: so I find myself playing: A-D-G/ C-F
                                             G-C-F/ Bb-Eb-Ab
                                             F-Bb-Eb/Ab-Db-Gb    etc..

3) From there I sing any song that's in my head: I try to play it with different tones & rhythms in one key..I also try to see what new fill-ins I can add to it..if I find a fill-in that fits, I assess how I can generically use that in all my playing..the fill in could be any of the chords I was practicing or a run I just made up.

4) I would then play that song in all the keys, if it's a song I play all the time, maybe play it in few, random keys just to get over it & start something else.

5) I search for songs I have difficulty with (that I don't normally play or something that might have given me trouble at church).. I start the song in keys that most people dread (A, E, D, G etc),  then I play it in all the keys..if I'm pressed for time, I just play a portion in each key & move on..

6) Oops, I forgot to mention that I play the chords that people like MrAndrew might have posted here 1st..

7) I try to go over the "correct" fingering with both LH & RH in all the keys--about 5 minutes a day

Might try out a scale I'm unfamiliar & see how I can apply it to my playing..

9) I freestyle with anything that comes up on my mind..

10) try to play independently with my LH while my RH plays melody..

11) Freestyle again & go back to jazzy chords.

12) Look at the time & realize that 5 hours have passed, switch off the board, pack my bags & rush to school to study the whole night

[Fenix]

^^^

Dawg, seriously, where do you get the time to type up all that? 

[Casioman]

I still have trouble with the sustain pedal.  I know that I underuse it, but I can't seem to
internalize its use.  I would welcome any suggestions or study material on that.

Me too! I'm afraid that this area has also been overlooked in my playing, I am learning to
use it, but I tend to make a lot of mistakes when using it especially when I am
concentrating on more than one area i.e. playing+(singing) or reading. I think the study of
the pedal comes with the study of legato (playing smoothly connected notes) .
It shouldn't be to hard to incorporate the pedal into your playing but I think the longer you leave it out is the harder it is to learn new behaviour, Which is why I will be studying piano teqnique very soon. so not to pick up too many bad habits.

Y'know i am starting to doubt the usefulness of learning one song in every key. I think it
is a waste of time. If you know your nu,ber system, yu should be able to play that song in
any key.

I am in agreement with you on this. I usually learn the song in the key I get the song in,
If the song is in the wrong key for the worship team, I will relearn it in the new key, but
as for playing it in every key! I don't have the time (see that word time crops up again).

Casioman

 

[MMCOGICboy]

  wow! Im surprised at the response to this post. This is the first post i've had that i actually had a responce to in a while. Somebody asked how long it takes to go through that practice regime, really i don't know yet. I just recently put this practice regime together after i got the Kevin "KC" Conley DVD "Unlocking the Keys". That DVD opened my eyes to how much better i can be playing. So i eventually put this system together. Also i was at my churches Choir Workshop and musical. And the guest clinician bought his organist with him. And that boy was bad!!!! And that was just another great dose of inspiration to get busy about my music plus we got a raise at church because each year the musicians get a monetary gift and it was double what it was in years gone by. So today will be the first day i will go through the practice regime and i will let you know how long it takes. Rememeber Psalm 33:3 says Sing unto the Lord and new song and PLAY SKILLFULLY WITH A LOUD NOICE. Be Blessed my LGM family!!!