Practice Log - 8/17/09 | Part I

Warm Up:

1. harmonics on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   10 min
2. long tone exercise on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min
3. harmonics on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60 bpm
   10 min
4. long tone exercise on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min

Practice Log - 8/16/09 | Part II

I didn't get to work on technical stuff today. But, one thing I did get to work on is "ear training" of sorts and general musicianship.

Today I had a duet performance with blues/jazz artist Gail Storm. We played 3 sets together, with the overwhelming majority of the tunes being ones that neither her nor I have ever done before. It was a great exercise in listening and making sure to do what's needed, musical, and appropriate for each tune specifically, and the gig in general. The tunes that we did that I had zero familiarity with encompassed about 2 hours worth of material.

So, even though I don't normally consider a gig as a practice session, I will consider this one to be a practice session simply because it was really a good work out for my ears, understanding of music harmony and theory, and general musicianship.

Practice Log - 8/16/09 | Part I

I have realized that I've been rather naughty by not posting my practice routine in a bit. No excuses other than I've been too lazy to bring my laptop down to my practice room with me and then bring it back upstairs to my home office and internet connection.

So anyway, here's what I've done for this morning:

Warm Up:

1. harmonics on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   10 min
2. long tone exercise on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min
3. harmonics on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60 bpm
   10 min
4. long tone exercise on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min

Self Evaluation

Now that the tour is over with the Gail Storm Blues Band, I really need to concentrate on salvaging the practice routine I have tried to embark upon but have failed miserably at keeping consistent.

Thus far, I haven't achieved a single thing. Not a good admission considering that I'm a full time musician, and I am keeping my practice log in a public domain. But, if anything, I think it helps to illustrate the point that musicians lead very busy lives and the stereotype of partying all day and night can basically be thrown out of the window. The past couple of months have been so busy for me with gigs, prep for the tour I just came home from, household responsibilities, fatherhood, trying to book gigs for my quartet, learning music for other artists' projects, and what have you, that practice time to improve my diminished skills has been difficult if not nearly impossible to find.

So, in any case, I will jump back onto the wagon and try again...starting TODAY!

Practice Log - 4/7/09 | Part II

This entry is for the practice session that I did on 4/7/09 late at night. I went straight to bed afterwards and so didn't get to make the entry then.


Vocabulary:

1. Bebop Pivot Points in all 12 keys. Pivots on 5 and 4 in cycle of 4ths with 2 beat - 1 beat - o beat rest in between keys. 8th notes and then 16th notes with metronome @ 100pbm
   15 min
2. worked on ii-V7-I's (all 12 keys) out of Aebersold volume 3. Did tritone substitutions and diminished relations over them as well.
   20 min

Improv:

1. Took a simple song with ii-V7-I's in it ("Ladybird" from Aebersold volume 36) and applied what I did during my practice time with ii-V7-I's earlier.
   40 min

Transcription:

1. started working on the head on alto sax solo on "Mel's Minor" by Dick Oats. Completed the head and the first chorus.
   1hr

Practice Log - 4/7/09 | Part I

This is, unfortunately, the first time I have actually had the time to practice in about a month. It took me this long to try and figure out a new daily schedule for myself because some things have shifted in my day to day operations.

Anyway, I'm praying that I have no further interuptions because I need to sharpen my playing back up and then exceed the level that I had achieved a few years ago.

Both my alto and soprano saxes are in terrible need of an overhaul. But, my soprano is in a little better shape, so I will use that to practice longtones and harmonics.

Warm Up:

1. harmonics on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60 bpm
   10 min
2. longtone exercise from "Top Tones" book, with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   10 min
   

Technique:

1. Major scales in thirds (up, down, up-down, down-up variations) 6 keys ( C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db). 16th notes with metronome @ 100bpm
   15 min
2. Bebop Pivot Points in all 12 keys. Pivots on 5 and 4 in cycle of 4ths with 2 beat - 1 beat - o beat rest in between keys. 8th notes and then 16th notes with metronome @ 100pbm
   15 min

Practice Log - 3/6/09 | Part I

This entry is for the practice session I did late last night before I went to bed. The past few days I have been working on the tunes that I will have to perform later today.

Tunes:

1. Head and changes of "Surely" (an original composition by Kenny MacKenzie)
   used Band-in-a-Box and also went over changes on the piano
   1 hr
2. Head and changes of "Sing a Song of Song (by Kenny Garrett)
   used Band-in-a-Box and did comparison with Kenny Garrett's CD recording

Practice Log - 3/5/09 | Part II

This log entry is to make note of the practice session I had last night but forgot to note in this online practice log.


Tunes Continued:

1. Head and changes of "Hope" for a second time (one of my original tunes)
   10 min
2. Head and changes of "Ro" (an original tune by my friend Nick Russo)
   20 min

Misc:

1. Sight reading with metronome at 100 bpm
   10 min

Practice Log - 3/5/09 | Part I

Warm Up:

1. harmonics on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   10 min
2. long tone exercise on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min
3. harmonics on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60 bpm
   10 min
4. long tone exercise on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min

Technique:

1. Major scales in thirds (up, down, up-down, down-up variations)
   6 keys ( C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db).
   16th notes with metronome @ 100bpm
   15 min
2. Bebop Pivot Points in all 12 keys
   Pivots on 5 and 4
   cycle of 4ths with 2 beat - 1 beat - o beat rest in between keys
   8th notes and then 16th notes with metronome @ 100pbm
   15 min

Tunes:

1. Head and changes of "Hope" (one of my original compositions)
   10 min
   

Self Analysis 3/4/09

Lately, I've noticed that I'm a little sloppy with my execution of certain things. Also, my sight reading has dropped quite a bit along with my endurance. Not to mention, my altissimo range seems a bit compromised.

I guess to put it another way, I'M A MESS! I recently told one of my students that I estimate that I'm only playing at about 65% of my previous peak level of roughly three and a half years ago, which pretty much coincides with when I bought my house. The past few years have seen the most erratic practice routine of my career and I have to reign it in now, before even more damage is done. Being a home owner, and now a father, takes up a lot of time, but I need to work out some time to practice on a more consistent basis again.

I think it's important to do a periodic self analysis like this.

At any rate, I've decided on starting a "Back to Basics" practice routine for myself. I will go over the things that are fundamental that I haven't touched in at least 7 years or so.

On the one hand I feel like I'm going backwards. But that's my ego talking. I know that in order to get back to the level I was at a couple of years ago, I need to get back to basics for a month or two - or how ever long it takes for me to get back to where I was at. From there I can then move on and try to surpass the level I feel I was at when I was at my previous peak.

Practice Log 3/1/09 | Part I

Warm Up:

1. harmonics on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   10 min
2. long tone exercise on alto sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min
3. harmonics on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60 bpm
   10 min
4. long tone exercise on soprano sax with tuner + metronome @ 60bpm
   5 min