Dedicated Practice Routine

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Dedicated Practice Routine - Technique

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heavymellow

Posts: 52
Joined: Nov. 18 2004
From: Santa Barbara, California

Dedicated Practice Routine - Technique

Hello Foro -
I have devoted each morning (around 1.5 hours) to strictly technique practice, and was wondering if anyone can share their practice routine,exercises, thoughts....
I have searched the Foro, and read some great advice, but I am after actual exercises.
I think devoted practice time is essential, and I have a 9 month old daughter so time is VERY valuable ( and limited..).
Any youtube vids, links, etc would help tremendously as I cannot, at this time, sit with a teacher to develop a regiment.

Thanks so much!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 17 2014 18:33:45

koenie17

Posts: 438
Joined: Feb. 25 2011
From: España

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

These are some nice excercises! I think I´ve got them from an old thread at this foro. Take a look at these videos to see how to do them correctly, and to see some killer players with great technique and machine gun picados

http://www.academiadelentri.es/#!videos-guitarra-flamenca/c10tw

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 17 2014 19:15:28

machopicasso

Posts: 973
Joined: Nov. 27 2010

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

Gerardo Nunez's instructional DVD is an excellent resource for exercises, explanations, and some of his own compositions.

https://www.lasonanta.eu/en/la-guitarra-flamenca-de-gerardo-nu-ez-dvd-book.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2014 9:47:58

oc chuck

Posts: 32
Joined: May 22 2013

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

The routine I follow (sometimes)
is from Tom Prisloe's site.

http://www.pavanguitars.com/tips-tricks.html

Click on: Read the rest.

It's a good outline and I can add and change
particular exercises as I see fit.
He also lists some sources.

Also check out flamenco strumming rasqueado techniques
on youtube.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2014 0:20:46

heavymellow

Posts: 52
Joined: Nov. 18 2004
From: Santa Barbara, California

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

Thanks so much. I was mostly interested in the members routines and what this community does for dedicated practice.
I appreciate the input and thanks!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 23 2014 19:27:50

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

1.5 hours for tecnique is quite alot, but remember that the quality is more important than the amount. It's always about very fine muscle movements that are the ones that make difference between a good technique and bad technique, therefore just playing repeatedly picado or pulgar isn't necessarily the best way to improve the tecnique but it's also necessary to observe what can be improved and seek out parts that create difficulty. I used to to more practice, but now I do maybe around 1-5min before playing some arpeggios with open strings, then just basic 1,2,3,4...fret pulgar and picado to get fingers warmed up. I've noticed that it's more productive to practice tecnique with a falseta as there's the rhythm and musicality included, not just muscle movements without music, that's why I don't do much "tecnique only" excercises any more. Especially when the point is to play music and in good rhythm.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 23 2014 19:38:54

tommyberre

Posts: 24
Joined: Feb. 26 2013
From: Oslo, Norway

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

I am not a big fan of doing scales and exercises, I prefer to find a musical piece that I want to learn. If I have problems with any part, I will work on those parts until I´m happy.
So if you want to work on tremolo, just find a piece that features tremolo and learn the whole piece, or large chunks anyway.
That way you will also learn to swap between different techniques, plus you will work on something musically interesting instead of scales etc.
Btw, I do believe it is good to know a bit about scales and music theory, so if you don´t know much, I would look into it. But if you only play scales, I think you will end up sounding like a guy that plays scales, not music, if that makes sense...

I usually transcribe from videos, because you can see what is going on with both right and left hand. I have Logic Pro running with a video in normal tempo, then I have VLC on slower speed (with the same video), so I can swap fast between slow and fast. Also, when working in Logic, I just set it in loop, so every time I hit space it will start from the loop start point. Big time saver for me.

Cheers
Tommy

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 23 2014 20:25:07

Nahuel03

Posts: 24
Joined: Mar. 25 2014
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

Hi heavymellow.
People here have already told you enough, but let me give you 4 or 5 more lines.

I started to study Flamenco on guitar, approx two years ago. At that moment my "technique studying" consisted on boooooring exercises, to be played one after another for hours, without correlation between them (I mean, first a Picado scale, then a tremolo, etc). Now I found it useless, because, mainly, it’s completely discouraging, and also you do not get better regarding to the “aire” that a well-played flamenco piece, must have.
My advice is: take 2 or 3 falsetas for every technique (or whatever you want to improve), start playing SLOW, and STRONG, every day. After weeks, you will start to enjoy your toque.

I hope this words help you.

Abrazo grande.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 24 2014 12:50:53

ric

Posts: 84
Joined: Dec. 27 2010

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

My two cents are when I drive and it's safe enough to have one hand on the wheel (freeway not crowded) I practice rasqueado's anchoring my thumb on my upper thigh. I can practice slowly or fast, depending on my mood. If you or others think it is too dangerous while driving, don't do it, but it works for me.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 24 2014 15:38:01

jg7238

Posts: 2869
Joined: May 11 2009

RE: Dedicated Practice Routine - Tec... (in reply to heavymellow)

This is one of many routines that I do. Just thought about sharing a bit... I like to practice picados at superslow to medium tempo first then when I'm warmed up and everything feels right I'll go a bit faster....Ascending is trickier than descending which is why I chose it. THe arpeggio exercise is a good one because you're skipping strings(going from 6th to 4th, 3rd to 1st).. Hope it helps