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The Art of Practice:
An Excerpt from "Steve Smith: Drumset Technique/History of
the U.S. Beat" (Hudson Music DVD)
 Developing
good practice skills can be an art form in itself. What we
practice and how we practice are very important to
one’s development as a musician.
What do you practice? This will be different for
everyone depending on your stage of musical development and what
you currently need in order to move forward. Here are some ideas
and recommendations:
1. Practice whatever you need to do a better job on the gigs
you are currently playing. You will have some relevant ideas to
work on by remembering what songs or feels you had trouble with,
listening to a recording of the gig or by using feedback from the
other band members.
2. I recommend studying with a good private teacher to learn
how to read music, develop good technique, be exposed to
interesting ideas and approaches, and to get clear and instant
feedback on your progress. By studying with a teacher you can also
develop good practice discipline because you’ll need to prepare
a weekly lesson.
3. Use your practice time to work on and develop your own
ideas.
4. Use your practice time to learn music and prepare for an
upcoming gig, session or audition.
5. Work on an idea that interests you that you read about in a
magazine or that you hear someone play on a CD, a live gig/clinic
or an educational DVD/video.
How do you
practice? Here are some practicing principles I use that have
helped me continue to grow as a player.
1. Practice Every Day with an occasional day off.
2. Be Organized and Consistent - know what you are going to
practice each day and stick to the plan.
3. Use Patience and Take Your Time.
4. Practice Quietly and Slowly. By doing this you gain control
at many Volumes and Tempos.
5. Figure out the Stickings and Hand/Foot combinations. With
this process you gain an understanding of the information in the
idea. With Consistent, Slow and Relaxed practice you allow the
information to enter your subconscious.
6. Slowly work out the motions necessary to play the ideas and
eventually allow the motions start to "play themselves."
7. Breath slowly, relax and use the practice as a meditation.
Develop the habit of playing relaxed, don’t hold tension in your
body. Use a mirror to watch your motions.
8. Eventually "hear" the idea in your head and allow
your body to respond and play it effortlessly.
9. Practice with Musical Form (e.g. 4 & 8 bar phrases, 12
bar blues, 32 bar AABA song form) , play along with CDs, and
practice both with and without a click track.
10. Warm up before the practice session, stop when fatigued.
For information
about instructional, documentary and performance DVDs (including
Steve's Drumset
Technique and History of the U.S. Beat),
videos and books, please visit www.hudsonmusic.com |
