Building Stamina |
if you get my idea. |
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Mar 19 2012, 09:49 PM
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My biggest discoveries, regarding this topic, in the last 1-2yrs....
1. Keeping up the strength!! I never used to practice consistently enough to keep the strength built up! Most of us here don't have that problem, and it's easy to solve! 2. Stretches/Warmups EVERY time!! Every, every, every time....even if the project/material isn't that tough. I won't even pick up an acoustic at a buddy's house and play a note, without a warmup/stretch!! 3. Knowing to relax. There are about 4-5 difficult runs during EMULATOR shows, which I just mentally "remind" myself to relax...if I don't relax the hands coming into it, I tend to play stiff and just slightly off time/feel. For me, it comes down to repetition and knowing my material. 4. Practice Efficiency....I still need to do this! But, in order to eventually play more "relaxed" all around, I think I'll need to work on both picking hand efficiency, and also the movements of my fretting hand/fingers. GMC instructors/lessons/collabs have been my best help thus far! --------------------   Check out my awesome Nintendo Cover-band, EMULATOR!! http://www.reverbnation.com/emulator Now.....go practice!! |
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Mar 20 2012, 06:19 PM
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Ben, I find it interesting to learn that you don't stretch....although, getting the muscles warm and loose is really the most important.
I also found a trick, for gigs, when you have cold hands right before a show. As we all know, it's important to sit down and warm up, but some gigs are literally COLD, or circumstances just don't give you the time/space to warmup pre-gig. Anyway, if you can get to a sink, just run your hands under hot/warm water for about 1-2 mins, while alternately squeezing, then extending your fingers. The heat from the water, mixed with hand movement, will warm you to the bone very quickly. Tell your keyboardist!! I've changed a few lives with this "secret"!!  QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 20 2012, 08:13 AM)  derper's thought about being conscious of the moment when the difficult parts come in when playing live, can be a two edged sword - last Mozart Rocks gig, I was so aware of the moment that I managed to screw up 2 arpeggios and it seemed to last forever to get back in the flow... Well, it usually is good to be aware, but this time, it seems it was just a bad moment for me  Ha! Well.... 60% of the time, it works EVERY time!! I've certainly "over thought" a run coming into it, and screwed it up before. Now, I have to focus AND tell myself to relax....it's very "zen" and in the moment, but it's been working better for me with EMULATOR runs. Also, when I make a mistake with EMULATOR, often times it's only because I let my mind wander for just a split second, and then I just miss a tight change. It's a personal battle. -------------------- Check out my awesome Nintendo Cover-band, EMULATOR!! http://www.reverbnation.com/emulator Now.....go practice!! |
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Mar 20 2012, 07:28 PM
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I do speed drills ~ I'm not very fast, but I've seen a marked increase in my overall speed (for the lick below anyways) over the past 3 months by doing repetitive licks to a metronome and going for burnout about 2x a week - by burn out I mean setting the metronome at the highest speed I can play and "barely keep up with", for up to a minute - then rinse and repeat several times. Petrucci says bursts are very important and perhaps I'll work those in as well, but at the moment I've just been working on these sustained exercises.
About 3 months ago, I could only do this lick at 110 bpm. Over the course of 3 months, I worked my bpm on this lick up to 130, and can sustain it on one string for about a minute. This doesn't mean I increased the speed at which I can do scales though! It just means (I think), my reflexes are increasing to keep up with the demand (on this particular lick?) Also, I think a contributing factor is that my motor skills have adopted the pattern so I can play it without thinking about it ~ instead of thinking about the pattern now, I can think about how lightly I can fret, and how best to minimize the motion of my picking hand (just gliding over the top of the string). Also, I've found that my hands actually get the most tired after just jamming to backing track ~ exercises like the above don't really fatigue my hands like a 5 minute jam to a backing track. The more I jam, bending strings, and getting to positions in time, really seem to build strength and the next time I play, my hands feel stronger than if i had not jammed the prior week. Just what I've noticed lately about my playing. Chris -------------------- The more I practice, the more I wish I had time to practice!
My Band Forum: http://passionfly.site/chat  |
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Mar 20 2012, 08:38 PM
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This is my kinda thread!
 We talk about this very topic for hours on end during Vid Chats. It's CRUUUUUCCIIAAAALLLLL!Some great advice here so far. Staying relaxed is something you have to almost fight for which sounds odd. The body wants to tense up at speed so you have to force it to relax and stay centered, and controlled. The calm amidst the storm. Quick tips! *Choke up on your picks during training especially (only leave a bit of pick head sticking out) *Try to pick from the thumb/finger, and Wrist. Don't let your tension, drive go above your wrist. Or as I'm always yelling "PICK FROM THE WRIST DOWN! NOT ELBOW UP! *Try sharpening up a pick a bit or buying one thats sharp at least for training. Helps quite a bit. *Warm up/cool down. Everytime. *Show up on Saturday for enough picking drills to burn your hand/arm/face off! 5PM EST/10PM CET video chat room.Try these from last week to work on inside outside picking without turning your picking hand "Inside out" http://bit.ly/gmclesson101 |
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