Have you ever heard of a chromatic scale? In auditions at the collegiate level (whether freshman or doctoral candidate), the professor will most likely ask the student to play a chromatic scale. Why is that? Well, you can tell a lot from a chromatic scale, but more importantly, if you can play the chromatic scale well, huge benefits are the …
1 Exercise You Need to Know for Each Warm-Up
Last week we discussed some benefits of warming up, and we provided a brief overview of exercises you could use to drastically improve your playing. Then, we promised a warm-up outline you could use in every practice session. Let’s begin by providing the outline: Warm-Up Outline Longtones (2 Minutes) Timing Exercises (2 Minutes) Scales (5 Minutes) Arpeggios (2 Minutes) Chromatic …
The Joy of Scales
Think of something that you do, that maybe you don’t like, but you know is good for you. This may include things such as exercising, eating vegetables, going to work, etc. Over time, you may begin to…
Quiet Practice Sessions
Have you ever cancelled a practice session because you didn’t want to disturb someone? This could include neighbors or family members. Or, maybe you’re on the road and you wish you could practice in your hotel room. What if you could practice so quietly…
4 Tricks for Fast Fingers
Bonus Tricks In the past I shared two tips to help you speed up your fingers. You can click here to see that post (they are my top 2 suggestions). A lot of students enjoyed that post, so here are 4 more tricks to help you play faster! Check This Out! Fast Fingers Did you notice, even at a fast …