practice log

[deseipel]

anyone use a practice log to track their progress? I'm looking on google for a good one...


such as
http://www.slowgold.com/PracticeLog/Woo ... ation.html


or


http://pipehacker.com/wp-content/upload ... gsheet.pdf

[electrizer]

The second one seems to be of more general application because the former one I think is mainly good if you're building up speed. It's certainly a good idea, I think I should start using that stuff myself!

[David Francis]

I've kept a record of my practice for years and have found it REALLY helpful. I've tried to get my students to do it but most of them don't!

I used to just use a page a day diary but now I use an ordinary lined notebook. I've tried a few musician specific things like those linked here but prefer a good old fashioned blank page.

I'd highly recommend it regardless of the method use. It just feels good to write down what you've done - you feel lke you're actually achieving things. I also feel that commiting yourself to a minimum time period is good - ie "I will work on thing x for at least a month" The practice diary helps you keep track of all that too.

[Josiah]

yes, and like David, just a notebook. paper and pen is far better then anything digital in this case. faster, portable, easy to reference, etc keep it with your other practice materials.

mine includes licks, figures, ideas im working on in addition to actual logging of practice. funny too, i recommend keeping a log to students and few ever do.

[littlegrooves]

I would prefer a goal log as opposed to a practice log. A practice log looks backward, while a goal log looks forward. Write down what you are going to accomplish for each session and don't get up until you do. Then when you are done, you can check that off the list. It is much more satisfying than writing down "played really fast for one hour."

It is a better use of one's time to focus on small, incremental results than on some predetermined amount of time spent working on something.

If you say you are going to spend an hour working on your double bass doubles, then when you get done you've spent an hour on double bass doubles... it seems too abstract from real accomplishment.

However, if you say you are going to practice until you can play four bars of a certain groove, then when you are done you've nailed four bars of a groove. Those are real, tangible results.

[Josiah]

littlegrooves, its all the same in the end. keep track of what you've done, what you want to do, what you want to practice, ideas you come across while practicing, etc

dont get hung up in the names 'practice log' 'goal log', etc its all abstract anyway until you are in a real playing situation, write any and everything down.

imo its not a real or tangible result until it appears in your playing within the context. and not because you consciously think I MUST PLAY THIS LICK TONIGHT - but when its an unconscious and spontaneous reaction to music - then its a tangible result of practice.

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

A log is essential for me. I use a regular A4 ring folder where I've also put copies of anything I'm working on just to have it all in one place. I just replaced my mp3 player with a tiny 10" laptop. This makes a tiny package I can bring anywhere.

The log itself is divieded into warmup/technique(which evolves into independence and soloing as well), independence work, styles and ends with some basic grooves that I find technically challenging(mainly one handed 16th note stuff.

In the evening I might do more work on a pad at home where I work more on speed and endurance, maybe some new technique or a pattern I had issues with during my main routine, but the main practice routine ouline above is designed to take things really slow, be musical and controlled as well as avoiding any major holes in regard to basic knowledgeand skills.

[littlegrooves]

littlegrooves, its all the same in the end. keep track of what you've done, what you want to do, what you want to practice, ideas you come across while practicing, etc

dont get hung up in the names 'practice log' 'goal log', etc its all abstract anyway until you are in a real playing situation, write any and everything down.

imo its not a real or tangible result until it appears in your playing within the context. and not because you consciously think I MUST PLAY THIS LICK TONIGHT - but when its an unconscious and spontaneous reaction to music - then its a tangible result of practice.

I believe there is a difference which manifests itself in how you approach the idea of practice and what it is for. The idea should be connecting practicing with intent to accomplish an stated goal, while keeping track of the tangible progress one has made. Too often people wander into the practice room and go "So, what am I going to work on today? Oh gee, I'll work on _______ ." Then when they get done they feel like they have accomplished something because they wrote it down in a log. This type of practicing is many times not an efficient use of one's time because it isn't directed at a practical application, and it can also lead to noodling.

All practicing should have a goal in mind, and that goal should be very connected to the real world of making music (if you want to get gigs, etc.). Just showing up in the practice room and going "I'm here!" isn't always good enough. My statement of a goal log is simply defining the idea that if one wants to utilize their time effectively, one should have a predetermined goal in mind that is practical. Then when one works on that and accomplishes it, they can check it off the list. If you have an office job, do you start work everyday by showing up and going "Well, what should I work on today? I dunno, maybe I'll read some emails and see what happens." Not likely. You show up and have tasks to accomplish and you tackle those-- that is how you get work done.

Just because one stumbles into the practice room and writes their adventures down in a book, doesn't mean one has actually practiced anything worthwhile. I would venture that most of the really respectable drummers that we discuss in here were pretty rigorous when it came to sitting down and getting things done. That's all I'm getting that-- focusing on having a real checklist, rather than a feel-good piece of paper to stick on the refrigerator.

[Josiah]

just because you make a goal and can play X in the practice room, doesnt mean you can play X in a real world situation. that by definition is a "feel good list".


a log of what you practice, is just that, a record of the material you have covered, and hopefully with detailed notes about where you had issues, what was really working, etc

from business plans to blueprints, everything done successfully follows a predetermined path.



that and most people just cant remember that much stuff. from warm ups to what page on what book you were using, they make book marks for a reason. and a log of what you practice is simply a more detailed version of the book mark.

[John Blackburn]

Hey guys,

Really interesting, i also use the humble normal notebook to do both of the things discussed above, firstly i write down what i intend to achieve (big picture) in the end - the player i want to be, then work back from there to more specific things, like a particular bit of vacabulary or whatever. BUT I also record what i actually do in each practice session, the old plan to actual...