In order to have more structured practice sessions with measurable goals, I've decided to keep a practice log. The log will contain the goal/schedule for the practice session followed by a review of the session.
Below is the schedule I made for my practice routine and a review of the practice itself.
I. Warmup:
1. (Right Hand) String Crossing - Play alternating i & m up and down the 6 strings, 4x per string, then 3x per string, then 2x per string, then 1x per string.
2. (Left Hand) Spider crawl over whole neck, saying note names as they are played.
3. (Left Hand) Chromatic scale in first position.
II. Music Theory/Technique Development:
1. Picado 51bpm 2npb open position C, D, G, A, E, F Major Scales (w/ and w/o passing notes)
Note: Work on keeping legato w/ pinky
2. Tremolo PAMI single string.
III. New Repertoire:
1. Go over Bourree by Bach first 13 measures.
IV. Repertoire Review:
1. Etude in C Major
2. Por Carolina
3. Mauro Giuliani A minor Piece
4. Mauro Giuliani C major piece
==
Review of Session
Warmup (Took about 10 mins)
- Struggled with ascending alternative fingers on ascension for 1x
- Forgot to do thumb ascending/descending
- Had to look at fretboard for spider crawl, could not name notes at the same time. (hard to say the flats/sharps, maybe just say the notes mentally.)
- Chromatic scale: struggled with not looking at fret, + normal trouble with pinky placement.
Music Theory/Technique Development
Picado on Paco De Lucia Major Scales:
- Pinky can avoid touching bottom strings by lifting the hand and having more of an arch.
- The A major has no passing note
- Passing note for both D and G major is 3rd fret G string (i.e. A#)
- E Major passing note is 1st fret B string.
- F Major passing note is 2nd fret B string (also, high E string is 0 1 3, i kept accidentally playing 0 2 3)
- Tremolo practice went well.
- I rotated accents but I did not practice moving the thumb up and down the other strings while playing tremolo on the E string yet.
- Potentially should reach out to Beckman for lessons.
New Repertoire
-I was tired and kept spacing off playing random rifts.
-I learned that in measure 2 I can preemptively place my pinky finger on the D# fret.
Repertoire Review
-I realize I don't understand the tempo of Por Carolina