Practicing something faster than where you can play it accurately in a consistent manner is too hard for the brain to process properly--it's a simple fact; it's also very frustrating which leads to emotional fatigue a loss of motivation. When I see this in my students the first thing I make them do is slow way down, using a set tempo (and/or using a metronome to pace your progress). Mastering fine motor movements (especially stringed instruments) and mastering ears on the instrument takes a lot of patience. But you'll get a lot more out of an hour of even, methodical practice than you will with hours of hurried, non-relaxed pacing. This is good stuff here. Thanks for the video!
Only take what you need. When reading a book, checking a video I always stop to think or write stuff down or practice. We need to process info. I guess this is also the point of my videos. They are maybe supposed to be watched with an instrument on the side
Thank you so much. That's a phrase I made up, I believe I wrote it down in the lesson manual if you want it in all keys and check it out for yourself. www.patreon.com/sorenballegaardsaxophonelessons Let me know if this helps you
I think you’re glossing over something important. I think when Joel says ‘go slow’ he’s really talking about the tempo of your playing. I would not try to play anything as fast as you’re playing to start with. When you play at a slow tempo, not only are you taking the time to learn something, but because your not overwhelmed by trying to play faster than you can handle, you can notice potential finger glitches that need to be addressed. Also, very slow practice, gets you to really learn the note details in a passage so much better. If you’re reading a composition and you’re making different mistakes, you’re giving your brain the idea that there are different versions of that piece, when in reality, what is on the page is basically set in stone. If you’re learning jazz licks, your goal can be to figure out the lick you want to play and then play slow enough for your brain to really get all the details, so you can repeat it correctly, over and over again. My whole point is that most people play as if they’re in a fire-fight situation, where they’re barely hanging on as far as understanding what they play. That’s why people will have trouble trying to play a lick in a different key. They might repeat a lick in a certain key for say a song, and they get quite fast in that key, but when they try to do it in a different song, that’s in a different key, they’re not capable, because they only really understand half of what they’re doing. When you play very slowly, you really ‘get’ how that lick is supposed to sound as far as actual sound and rhythm and that makes it easier to replicate it in another key. If you screw up, in the other keys, and you’ve done your slow homework, you’ll be able to catch your errors right away, because it won’t sound ‘right’. In the end, it’s the sound that you’re playing is what you’re going for when winding through chord changes in an improvisation. You don’t really want to be thinking, ‘Oh. I’ll play this lick hear because I know it works.’ Your playing will be very predictable and quite frankly, boring if you go in with that attitude. Your idea of trying different resolution notes for a pattern is great, but once you get the pattern so you like the sound of it, you should try to master that one way in all keys, before you decide to work on a variation of that pattern. Chris Potter talking about ‘just playing a tune’, is something I understand. Playing through a tune, over and over again, gives you a chance to try different chord substitutions and patterns that hopefully, you’ve learned with extreme detail, and the experimentation part of that is what in the end, gives us our own voice. Your decisions will be different than mine on the same tune.
@michaelcaldwell7107 we are saying the same, master it slow to play faster. It is all muscle memory, which needs time to settle. With the understanding of the brain, music theory, and sound that should all fit into your system, set of rules, no rules. Take you time and let it settle, in all keys preferably. And there is no way that I can get around all aspects of this so important matter in a 8 min video. There is so much to be said here and understood. Well said
Your videos always get me excited to practice!
Thanks Soren, always great lessons!
Glad you like them! It's always great to hear, thank you
Thank you thank you thank you
Simon Rigter in the back!
Practicing something faster than where you can play it accurately in a consistent manner is too hard for the brain to process properly--it's a simple fact; it's also very frustrating which leads to emotional fatigue a loss of motivation. When I see this in my students the first thing I make them do is slow way down, using a set tempo (and/or using a metronome to pace your progress). Mastering fine motor movements (especially stringed instruments) and mastering ears on the instrument takes a lot of patience. But you'll get a lot more out of an hour of even, methodical practice than you will with hours of hurried, non-relaxed pacing. This is good stuff here. Thanks for the video!
Joel is a MONSTER player❤
He is totally awesome 👍😎
I wish I read your description's a while ago haha I've been translating to bass clef!
Sorry man, should maybe have been more clear. Everything in the lesson manual is in all 12 keys included bass clef
i have a hard time getting through these without stopping in the middle and getting a practice session in 😂
Only take what you need. When reading a book, checking a video I always stop to think or write stuff down or practice. We need to process info. I guess this is also the point of my videos. They are maybe supposed to be watched with an instrument on the side
Hey! Great video! From where is the phrase in 01:32 ?
Thank you so much. That's a phrase I made up, I believe I wrote it down in the lesson manual if you want it in all keys and check it out for yourself.
www.patreon.com/sorenballegaardsaxophonelessons
Let me know if this helps you
1st....
Amazing Video❤ thanks a lot...
So nice of you, is always inspiring to hear
@sorenballegaardmusic Your the One Who is inspiring... Keep it up your doing well. All the best sir👌
@legatoflipax269 thank you and thank you again
I think you’re glossing over something important. I think when Joel says ‘go slow’ he’s really talking about the tempo of your playing. I would not try to play anything as fast as you’re playing to start with. When you play at a slow tempo, not only are you taking the time to learn something, but because your not overwhelmed by trying to play faster than you can handle, you can notice potential finger glitches that need to be addressed. Also, very slow practice, gets you to really learn the note details in a passage so much better. If you’re reading a composition and you’re making different mistakes, you’re giving your brain the idea that there are different versions of that piece, when in reality, what is on the page is basically set in stone. If you’re learning jazz licks, your goal can be to figure out the lick you want to play and then play slow enough for your brain to really get all the details, so you can repeat it correctly, over and over again. My whole point is that most people play as if they’re in a fire-fight situation, where they’re barely hanging on as far as understanding what they play. That’s why people will have trouble trying to play a lick in a different key. They might repeat a lick in a certain key for say a song, and they get quite fast in that key, but when they try to do it in a different song, that’s in a different key, they’re not capable, because they only really understand half of what they’re doing. When you play very slowly, you really ‘get’ how that lick is supposed to sound as far as actual sound and rhythm and that makes it easier to replicate it in another key. If you screw up, in the other keys, and you’ve done your slow homework, you’ll be able to catch your errors right away, because it won’t sound ‘right’. In the end, it’s the sound that you’re playing is what you’re going for when winding through chord changes in an improvisation. You don’t really want to be thinking, ‘Oh. I’ll play this lick hear because I know it works.’ Your playing will be very predictable and quite frankly, boring if you go in with that attitude. Your idea of trying different resolution notes for a pattern is great, but once you get the pattern so you like the sound of it, you should try to master that one way in all keys, before you decide to work on a variation of that pattern. Chris Potter talking about ‘just playing a tune’, is something I understand. Playing through a tune, over and over again, gives you a chance to try different chord substitutions and patterns that hopefully, you’ve learned with extreme detail, and the experimentation part of that is what in the end, gives us our own voice. Your decisions will be different than mine on the same tune.
@michaelcaldwell7107 we are saying the same, master it slow to play faster. It is all muscle memory, which needs time to settle. With the understanding of the brain, music theory, and sound that should all fit into your system, set of rules, no rules. Take you time and let it settle, in all keys preferably. And there is no way that I can get around all aspects of this so important matter in a 8 min video. There is so much to be said here and understood.
Well said
Keep practicing 😂
This is not very well explained...