Top Twelve Things Top Players Do In Their Practice Session

in PIANO
If you’re interested in learning what top players do in their practice session, then
you’ve arrived at the right page.
A vast majority of musicians who know the importance of consistent practice do not
really know the right activities that should make up their practice session and that’s
why we’re outlining and discussing top twelve things top players do in their practice
session.
Let’s get started with #12.
Attention: I’m dedicating this lesson to my favorite student, Timi Dakolo — permit
me to say he’s the best soul singer in my clime and time. Timi, divide your practice
session into twelve parts and be sure to incorporate these things into it and you’ll
make monumental progress in a fraction of the possible time.
#12 – Traditional Scales
Traditional scales are basically long established scales in European/American music
that are the springboard from other musical ideas like intervals, chords, chord
progressions and songs.
There are four traditional scales:
The natural major scale
The natural minor scale
The harmonic minor scale
The melodic minor scale
…and these scales should be practiced in all twelve keys using both hands in similar
and contrary motion.
Learning and warming-up the fingers using traditional scale would pay of
eventually if done consistently over a period of time.
#11 – Modes
Modes are older than traditional scales, however, they are pretty much like the
scales we play today. There are seven unique modes on the piano:
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian
Locrian
…and each of them are to be learned, mastered and transposed to other notes on
the keyboard.
Modes should be approached just like scales and integrated into the musicians
warm-up routine.
#10 – Arpeggios
In Italian, the term harpeggio means in a harp-like manner. The notes of a chord
can be played successively in a harp-like manner.
To arpeggiate the C major triad:
…its notes should be played successively in this manner:
C:
…E:
…G:
…C:
…E:
…G:
…C:
…in ascending and descending direction.
Every serious musician must learn and master how to arpeggiate four triads and
five seventh chord types:
Major triad
Minor triad
Augmented triad
Diminished triad
Major seventh chord
Minor seventh chord
Dominant seventh chord
Diminished seventh chord
Half-diminished seventh chord
…starting from any note on the keyboard.
#9 – Intensive Study
One of the vital things top players do in their practice session is intensive study.
Pursuant to that, there’s need for study aids in literary (book, charts, etc.) and
multimedia (audio and video) format that are relevant to one’s style or skill level.
It is through intensive study that you’ll learn from the wealth of the experience of
other musicians who are ahead of you.
It is recommended that 10-15% of the practice session should be invested in
intensive study.
#8 – Voicing Techniques
Voicing is the rearrangement of the notes of a chord and the consideration of chord
tones as voices.
The concept of voicing requires techniques that include (but isn’t limited to) the
following:
Part-over-root voicing technique
Upper structure voicing technique
Skeleton voicing technique
Quartal voicing technique
Polychord voicing technique
Part of the practice session should be invested in using these voicing techniques to
rearrange seventh and extended chords.
The goal is to take you to the realm of harmonic freedom where you’ll have so much
tools at your disposal to play spicier chords.
Instead of playing the regular C major ninth:
…several voicing techniques can be used to rearrange the C major ninth chord:
Part-over-root voicing technique:
Upper structure voicing technique:
Skeleton voicing technique:
Polychord voicing technique:
#7 – Chord Progressions
Top players invest time in practicing chord progressions ranging from the major 2-5-
1, to the minor 2-5-1, to the 12 bar blues progression and so on.
Practicing chord progressions in all twelve keys may be demanding; however, it’s of
the greatest possible importance because songs are based on chord progressions.
A vast majority of gospel songs can be broken down into 2-5-1 chord progressions.
Tons of Blues songs are based on the 12 bar blues form.
That said, your practice session is incomplete without chord progressions.
#6 – Research
While studying in a practice session, it’s always common for one to stumble into
unfamiliar or not-so-familiar terms. For example, in the definition of a scale below:
A scale [which literally means ladder or staircase] is a melodic progression of notes
in ascending or descending order based on a fixed intervallic formula
…there are keywords you may need to research on like melodic progression,
intervallic formula, and so on.
The goal of the reseaqrch is to equip you with more knowledge that would help you
understand the definition of a scale.
Most of the time, research leads to further research. For example, a research on
melodic progressions may branch of into another research and it keeps opening
you up to several related concepts and at the end of the day, you’re thoroughly
informed and transformed — ignorance damaged beyond repair.
#5 – Song Breakdown
You can spice up your practice session by learning songs.
As an expert, I recommend that you start out with easy songs and progress into
songs that are challenging, then you can also end with easy songs as well.
The goal of a song breakdown is NOT just for you to be able to play the song — No!
While breaking down a song, be analytical and deductive. You should be able to
apply the melodic patterns, harmonic structures, and fanciful endings in other songs
after a proper song breakdown.
#4 – Rehearsal
In this section of your practice session, the goal is to practice with preparation in
mind and repetition is the key.
You can decide to focus on songs you’ve learned previously that you’re yet to
master and repeat them till you’re a couple of steps ahead of the way you used to
sound.
One of the virtues every musician must imbibe while rehearsing is patience, and
then excellence. While rehearsing, don’t be in a haste to move over to the next item
on your list.
Invest quality time on each item, with an unbroken focus and be sure to be
consistent — that’s all — it might not pay of immediately but it sure will in due
time.
#3 – Harmonization Techniques
One of the top musical functions of the piano apart from accompaniment is
harmonization.
There are so many ways to harmonize (and maybe reharmonize) melodies which
may include (but is not limited to):
The use of primary chords
The use of neighboring chord couples
The use of the block chords
The use of parallelism
…and every serious musician must be able to use these harmonization techniques
in all twelve keys.
So, it’s important for a section of the practice session to be dedicated to learning
and mastering diverse of harmonization techniques.
#2 – Active Listening
Within the premises of music, listening can either be active or passive.
In passive listening, the listener enjoys the ambience of the music and feels the
rhythm/pulse/groove, and enjoys the melodies, and resonates with the harmony.
In active listening, it’s a lot diferent because listening is done with the intent to
analyze and breakdown.
It’s through active listening that you can determine the estimated tempo of a song,
figure out the key signature and time signature, analyze the contour of the melody,
the texture of the harmony, the intonation of the instruments used and so on..
Active listening can help you a great deal, especially in song breakdown. Don’t
sweep it under the carpet!
#1 – Technical Exercises/Practices
Don’t end your practice session without practicing.
Every musical instrument has its degree of mechanical difficulty and the piano is no
exception.
To improve your dexterity, there are choice exercises and studies (aka – “etudes”)
that would help you improve considerably in speed, precision, fleetness, balance,
independence, strength and so on.
This segment is usually missing in the practice session of a cross section of
musicians in the contemporary world and that’s why we have so many keyboard
players who are overcome by the mechanical difficulty of the piano.
If you want to stand out and belong to the league of musicians who are skillful, then
you must integrate technical exercises into your practice session.