wrist/hand strength.

[Hector]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1387885478' post='2316782']
In relation to this, how do you get the right balance in practice time between the various demands?

I'm terrible for getting things out of kilter, so a few weeks on scales and my right hand speed goes to pot. Partly stubbornness I think. I'm inclined to battle at a thing until time runs out.

Any suggestions about how to balance out practices so that strength, dexterity, musicality, ear, reading etc all get attention but don't get spread too thinly either?

Not too far from the OP I hope, as we need all of the above and more. And if anybody has got a tip for living to be 120, please include in your reply.
[/quote]

One of those questions without any specific "right" answer, probably quite dependent on how individual players feel like approaching it! But instead of just leaving at that, I'll tell you my thought process at least.

The general idea is I prefer a little bit of everything often, rather than a lot of some things less often. However, my practise routine is broken into lots of little chunks, and I can then throw these chunks into a particular session when I see fit, and shift the balance in favour of some things over others. I'm constantly tweaking it. Sometimes, very rarely, I will even practise focusing on just one thing, and try to leave a practise session with a concrete sense of achievement in a specific domain. It might be small, but they all add up eventually. I typically practise only harmonic concepts or licks in a limited manner - absorbing something well enough to improvise with it.

I try in the practise room to cultivate a strong awareness of my own playing as I do it - the movements of my body in relation to the instrument, my sound, any tension in my body. I will often spend a little time without playing, just sitting and thinking about how I interact with the instrument, and try to critically assess what I'm doing in relation to what I would like to do. I don't do this when I actually practise though, I do this sort of thinking on the bus etc. and come to the next session with ideas of what I want to practise. Lots of micromanaging! My typical practise session isn't predetermined, but typically comes from the targeting specific weaknesses in this manner. I also try to do visualisation practise as much as I can, and this can sometimes make me aware of things I want to address. It also helps with learning the fingerboard etc. Using these ideas keeps my practising fresh and challenging, rather than a bit stale (which it has been in the past).

As a result of this awareness, I am able to pinpoint things that need special attention in my musicianship or technique, and adjust my practise sessions accordingly. I find that sort of hyper-aware headspace is also a good one to get into when playing live, but instead allowing myself to "autopilot" all the things about my own playing that I previously focused on, and transfer awareness to the sound of the band, my (musical) relationship with the drummer etc.

I know this sounds a bit new-agey, I promise I'm not aligning my Chakras or anything.....

Edited December 24, 2013 by Hector

[fatback]

Thanks Hector, that was very useful. I'd even go with the chakras, if it helped.

[timbo1978]

Hector, that sounds good. My new years resolution is definitely to get my practicing in order, and I think a longer session made up of 20 minute stints on the various areas might work best. Definitely with an overview on awareness of tension, posture etc, as I am learning from the Alexander technique book.

[timbo1978]

Might even go for a bit of yoga!