Music Practice Tips

One thing I've always thought about practicing is that if you do the slower tempo first with a metronome, really nail it, and be accurate, you will develop the faster tempos without hesitation.

Key Concept:

• Practice things slowly and accurately, and the faster tempos will take care of themselves.

Example: C Major Scale

Let's take the C major scale, C Ionian, the most simple scale on an instrument like the piano.

Here's how to practice:

1. Use a Metronome:

   • You can use an app for a metronome on your phone.
   • Set it to a slow tempo, for example, 60 beats per minute.

2. Practice the C Major Scale:

   • Try playing this scale with:
     • Two strokes per note
     • Three notes per stroke
     • Four notes per stroke
     • Double it up
     • Five notes per stroke, etc.

If you take care of these slower tempos and work on things at the base tempo, when it comes to playing fast, these things will take care of themselves.

Learning a Piece

If I was learning a piece such as Scarred for Life and I wanted to incorporate my reggae playing and my scar playing, I might go like this:

• Work on each individual phrase at a slow, methodical tempo.
• When you reach my stage in the development of your playing, you'll be able to just look at the sheet music, read it off, and produce sounds that are accurate, musical, and clear straight away.

Final Thoughts

So just enjoy yourselves, take your own time, don't rush things, and let yourself develop at a musical and natural pace.

Have fun!