Technical Practice Routines

[Asho]

How do you guys usually practice on your choosen instruments (keys or whatever)? And how do you think i can improve mine.

I usually do a load of Hanon exercise to warm up (im a pianist obviously), whatever number im up to, and play scales as fast as my hands can till i get cramp (not my idea, my teachers). Im trying to build my speed and accuracy up. Its pretty good as it, but it can always be better.

Then i usually launch into whatever pieces im doing. I usually practice for about 1 to 3 hours, depending on when i have time.

How about you?

Any suggest or ideas to improve, or general comments?

[St0rMl0rD]

You should pick up Jordan's new instructional DVD, Keyboard Madness, it has plenty of warm up exercises, and these are really good ones, too! Not only for warming up, but also for pushing your limits in a technical sense...Other thing I would say is, explore!


Peace out,
JJ

[Staccato]

About the Hanon exercises my piano teacher recommends that you don´t do to many of them.. there more like musclebuilding.. and they are good, but only short periods, and some of the exercises. About the scales I don´t think the speed up and down is the most important.. to accent different notes and to play in various rhythms is in my opinion more challenging and more developing.. And to be precise all the time is surely a good way to start. And in the beginning you will always have tensions in your hand when playing new measures.. but try to eliminate it as much as possible, pratice slowly until you feel that it´s only the fingers you are using for the keys that is doing the work and the other fingers are relaxed all the time. That is how I try to work.. hope that helped a bit anyway..

[Asho]

Thanks Staccato. i did help.

I'm trying to pick up a copy of Keyboard Madness but its a little rare in these parts so im gonna have to order it eventually.

[Staccato]

If your more into the exercises I would recommend Keyboard Wizardry instead.. the video it´s great, and it´s very motivating.. but for exercises, buy the book!

[Asho]

I have Keyboard Wizardry actually. I thought the technical exercises themselves were rather easy, however the accent changes and the different feels were interesting.

The harmony, improvisation and leads really freaked me! Some of them are pretty crazy.

[Staccato]

Yeah, I know.. then technical exercises isn´t hard at all at that tempo, but with higher tempo it´s more challenging.. and you can laways develop the exercises further yourself(I usually do that) and put more focus on the weaker fingers. Haha, they sure are.. and I really love how Jordan put his technique things into the etudes on a really smart way!:smile: