I need to slow down

[Fred_C]

A long time ago Whitefang had posted a comment about practicing too fast and what a bad habit that was. I had commented in the same thread that I owned an instructional book in which the author had written something like "If you make a single mistake, you're playing too fast".

 

I need to slow way down. I am currently working on a chord melody solo of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra's signature tune "Getting Sentimental Over You" from an issue of Just Jazz Guitar Magazine.

 

Let me tell you, gents, it wasn't going well at all. The chart is fairly challenging, but not impossible. It's been a struggle. Just last night, I realized that I had been trying to learn the solo at tempo. It may have been my own over- eagerness to learn the tune or overconfidence in my own ability to read chord melody charts or whatever. I slowed down to a snail's pace, reading each measure slowly and deliberately. Let me tell you, it started to go much better. Fewer mistakes and more progress. I can't wait to practice again tonight.

 

I think I just learned something.

[whitefang]

Fred, I posted that as a referrence to once reading alto saxophonist PAUL DESMOND claiming he would practice until he discovered he was playing "too fast". It was in response to the belief that playing fast is always preferrable.

 

But you're on to something. Incidentally, some time ago a friend of mine was attempting to learn some song. I forget which one, but that's unimportant. The upshot was, that while playing this song slowly, in order to learn it, he discovered he thought it was BETTER played in a slower tempo.

 

So...there's THAT.

Whitefang

[Caevan O’Shite]

I often tell people, if you can't hum, sing, whistle, or scat a line, you must not know the line, and there's no way you'll play it right. I think that kind of dove-tails with what you're saying, Fred.

[Fred_C]

Caev,

 

I often struggle when first learning a new solo. Sometimes, when I first start working on it, the chart makes no sense at all. I don't see how it fits together. It sometimes takes me several practice sessions, sometimes lasting weeks, to understand it. I don't think I learn as quickly as I did when I was young(er).

 

That was not the case with this arrangement. It made perfect sense. It was only my rushing through it that was causing me problems. When I slowed down to a snail's pace, it became much easier to play and I made fewer mistakes.

 

BTW: I hate "scat". Do you know what outdoorsmen call bear droppings in the woods? They call it "bear scat". 'Nuff said.

 

 

[Larryz]

I have faith in you Fred! Slow down the BPM and stick to it, then you can speed up again...

[Fred_C]

I have faith in you Fred! Slow down the BPM and stick to it, then you can speed up again...

 

Thanks for your vote of confidence, Bro. Larry. I realize that I was trying to learn at too fast a tempo. I am going to learn to slow WAY down when first learning a tune.

[pinkjimiphoton]

i personally can never slow stuff down and pull it off unless it's like, live or something... half speed or slower, i lose my "time" and tend to flounder.

 

i can generally play stupid hard stuff easier at tempo than trying to slow it down.

 

but i'm weird, and did wayyyyyyyyyyy too much acid.

[skipclone 1]

That`s interesting, I`ve been working on coming up with some cool melodic patterns that I can throw in between phrases. But I realized that it was running at cross purposes to my wanting to get my electric chops back up to speed, and I was playing too fast. I`m starting to slow it down, and the next step is to play in context-not just practice the patterns but play within phrases, so I`m also paying attention to starting and ending in the right place-meaning fewer mistakes.

[pinkjimiphoton]

there was an article in GP with a female jazzbo back about 2010 where she talked about visualizing circles when picking for tempo... bigger circles for slower tempos, smaller ones for faster... i tried it, and man, she's definitely on to something.

[Fred_C]

there was an article in GP with a female jazzbo back about 2010 where she talked about visualizing circles when picking for tempo... bigger circles for slower tempos, smaller ones for faster... i tried it, and man, she's definitely on to something.

 

Jimi,

 

This is an interesting concept. TNX!

[Fred_C]

i personally can never slow stuff down and pull it off unless it's like, live or something... half speed or slower, i lose my "time" and tend to flounder.

 

i can generally play stupid hard stuff easier at tempo than trying to slow it down.

 

but i'm weird, and did wayyyyyyyyyyy too much acid.

 

We all have our own problems and challenges regarding polishing our playing skills.

 

I think I only did acid once and that was by accident. When I was in the service this guy gave me a hit of a brown pill. He told me it was "Caneminol" (sp?) - concentrated THC. I think he dosed me with brown acid. I got really f***ed up. That was my only LSD experience. I was and remain uninterested in doing chemicals.

[Larryz]

I limit myself to two beers before playing in front of an audience. I don't do any drugs as it just messes up my playing (if that's possible LOL!)...

 

On slowing things down, I have never tried those machines yet that slow everything down while staying in tune so you can copy leads.

 

I do have two speeds I play at. UP tempo for dance halls and my normal speed for the listening crowd...