Do you think this is a good practice schedule?

[Micheal Murray]

Hey everyone,
right now I am a 16 year aspiring jazz saxophone player hoping to play professionally some day. Im in my final two years of secondary school before I head off for college. Since my time is limited at the moment I have to try and have the most effective practice schedule I can at the moment. So I wanted to share with you my schedule at the moment and get opinions on it. Anyways here it is (I usually split my practice regime into four segments btw.)

Segment 1

Ear training - 15 min
Breathing - 5 min
Mouthpiece - 5 min
Free play - 5 min
Long tones - 5 min

Segment 2

Overtones - 10 min
Scales/ ARP / INT - 40 MIN

Segment 3

Transcription - 30 min
Learn Tune - 30 min
Segment 4

Theory - 20 min


The reason I split it into 4 segments is so I can balance my school work and going to school etc. Does this look like an effective practice regime to you all for me in my current situation? Is there anything that could be balanced out more?

Thanks everyone, better go do some practice 😉

 

[TomMapfumo]

Sounds pretty good. My only concern is to build in sufficient breaks - playing for more than 20 mins at a time is best avoided, so do have a break in Segments 2 and 3.

 

[Clivey]

Hey everyone,
right now I am a 16 year aspiring jazz saxophone player hoping to play professionally some day. Im in my final two years of secondary school before I head off for college. Since my time is limited at the moment I have to try and have the most effective practice schedule I can at the moment. So I wanted to share with you my schedule at the moment and get opinions on it. Anyways here it is (I usually split my practice regime into four segments btw.)

Segment 1

Ear training - 15 min
Breathing - 5 min
Mouthpiece - 5 min
Free play - 5 min
Long tones - 5 min

Segment 2

Overtones - 10 min
Scales/ ARP / INT - 40 MIN

Segment 3

Transcription - 30 min
Learn Tune - 30 min
Segment 4

Theory - 20 min


The reason I split it into 4 segments is so I can balance my school work and going to school etc. Does this look like an effective practice regime to you all for me in my current situation? Is there anything that could be balanced out more?

Thanks everyone, better go do some practice 😉

If you were only out to play for fun I would say it was a bit heavy going and bland. But you said you want to become pro. So you need to more or less have the saxophone in yer mouth as long as this and sometimes more.

I would try and incorporate more Pieces into the regime including the long notes within this section perhaps . The most obvious omission for me is the lack of improvisation practice, with and without backing music . you mention ear training/ freeplay but really if you wan`t to be a Pro you will need to up the improvisation A Lot. ( Hours )


Oh. add Listening. Most Great musicians ( Dead and Alive ) listened/ Listen to a diverse and eclectic mix of music. You will have to decide how much and what, but hopefully you get the gist.


Hopefully a few of the pros will see your thread and chip in regarding " What`s really needed ".

 

[Micheal Murray]

If you were only out to play for fun I would say it was a bit heavy going and bland. But you said you want to become pro. So you need to more or less have the saxophone in yer mouth as long as this and sometimes more.

I would try and incorporate more Pieces into the regime including the long notes within this section perhaps . The most obvious omission for me is the lack of improvisation practice, with and without backing music . you mention ear training/ freeplay but really if you wan`t to be a Pro you will need to up the improvisation A Lot. ( Hours )


Oh. add Listening. Most Great musicians ( Dead and Alive ) listened/ Listen to a diverse and eclectic mix of music. You will have to decide how much and what, but hopefully you get the gist.


Hopefully a few of the pros will see your thread and chip in regarding " What`s really needed ".

Cheers guys for the responses so far! Usually when I practice scales Clivey I try to incorporate licks into it to get a feel for the scale in a "real" sort of a sense you could say. For instance, now I'm learning the dominant bebop scale, and I made a backing track going through the cycle of Dominant 7th chords and after running through the scale + arpeggios, I usually jam to the backing for a little while as as it cycle round to get a feel for the scale. I did forget to add listening but I can assure I listen as much as I possibly can to alot of different music, mostly jazz I'll admit but I do like alot of others. Cheers 🙂 I realise I need to up the improvisation practice time but I am just squeezed for time at the moment. Thanks 🙂

 

[Clivey]

Cheers guys for the responses so far! Usually when I practice scales Clivey I try to incorporate licks into it to get a feel for the scale in a "real" sort of a sense you could say. For instance, now I'm learning the dominant bebop scale, and I made a backing track going through the cycle of Dominant 7th chords and after running through the scale + arpeggios, I usually jam to the backing for a little while as as it cycle round to get a feel for the scale. I did forget to add listening but I can assure I listen as much as I possibly can to alot of different music, mostly jazz I'll admit but I do like alot of others. Cheers 🙂 I realise I need to up the improvisation practice time but I am just squeezed for time at the moment. Thanks 🙂

Theres a thread on the forum called IOTM "Improvisation Of The Month" It`s mainly run by Ian "thesaxman71".http://cafesaxophone.com/forumdisplay.php?21-Your-soundclips

You should consider getting involved in it ( Not Too Time Consuming ) and a real introduction to the art.

 

[Micheal Murray]

Theres a thread on the forum called IOTM "Improvisation Of The Month" It`s mainly run by Ian "thesaxman71".http://cafesaxophone.com/forumdisplay.php?21-Your-soundclips

You should consider getting involved in it ( Not Too Time Consuming ) and a real introduction to the art.

Yeah man I'll definitely do this, cheers! 🙂 For scales practice would some of you say that practising licks and transferring them to all twelve keys is a good idea for getting the scales under your fingers? Apart from doing the actual scales/ arpeggios, thats what I have been doing as well. Yay, nay? I think its a good idea personally, but I've only been playing 6 years so I wanted some more experienced saxers opinions 8) Thanks 🙂

 

[kevgermany]

I think its a good idea personally, but I've only been playing 6 years so I wanted some more experienced saxers opinions 8) Thanks 🙂

Don't assume - Clivey is an excellent, but modest, pro player and has been playing a lot longer than you!

I think the reason you didn't get more replies is that Clivey hit the nail right on the head, so no need to repeat.

 

[Clivey]

Hi Micheal. re Scales, Chords,Riffs, licks, You need to do them all . Especially the less simple ones. I also think what is important is that you taylor your approach to suit what you intend to play later on in your musical career. Kev referred to me as a Pro . Well I have played Pro but it was not as a Jazz Pro. There are huge differences in what can be expected from a musician depending on the field they are in. There are also Huge differences in opinion to what is the most challenging. I suppose it`s all a matter of ones own experience.
I personally have enjoyed reading biographies of the Great Jazz musicians as It allows you to humanise their progress and also importantly put things into an historical context. "This field itself may be contentious and you will often find heated debate regarding the actual roots of Jazz Music". Very few of the greats were prodigies and thats important as it shows that Practice and Built experience really do work and in the case of the greats is often illustrated in different stages of their careers. (YouTube is a fantastic Resource in this area).

Finally before I suggest that you keep sticking in at the IOTM thread. I`m going to remind you that Jazz music up until the early 1960`s was " the " young persons music and up until the 1950`s was in fact all the Kids had to dance to.. This is so important as it`s a huge clue to it`s function and high energy.

 

[saxplorer]

I`m going to remind you that Jazz music up until the early 1960`s was " the " young persons music and up until the 1950`s was in fact all the Kids had to dance to.. This is so important as it`s a huge clue to it`s function and high energy.

Can't be reminded of this often enough. Sometimes it feels that the past was full of old people, but they were young then! More and more it comes home to me (and thanks to youtube for this) that "when" something was created is not that important!

 

[Micheal Murray]

Don't assume - Clivey is an excellent, but modest, pro player and has been playing a lot longer than you!

I think the reason you didn't get more replies is that Clivey hit the nail right on the head, so no need to repeat.

I think you took my comment the wrong way sir, I meant no disrespect to Clivey, and it was in no way directed to him. I gladly want his and anyones opinion on it as well who can help make my practice schedule better. 🙂

 

[Micheal Murray]

Hi Micheal. re Scales, Chords,Riffs, licks, You need to do them all . Especially the less simple ones. I also think what is important is that you taylor your approach to suit what you intend to play later on in your musical career. Kev referred to me as a Pro . Well I have played Pro but it was not as a Jazz Pro. There are huge differences in what can be expected from a musician depending on the field they are in. There are also Huge differences in opinion to what is the most challenging. I suppose it`s all a matter of ones own experience.
I personally have enjoyed reading biographies of the Great Jazz musicians as It allows you to humanise their progress and also importantly put things into an historical context. "This field itself may be contentious and you will often find heated debate regarding the actual roots of Jazz Music". Very few of the greats were prodigies and thats important as it shows that Practice and Built experience really do work and in the case of the greats is often illustrated in different stages of their careers. (YouTube is a fantastic Resource in this area).

Finally before I suggest that you keep sticking in at the IOTM thread. I`m going to remind you that Jazz music up until the early 1960`s was " the " young persons music and up until the 1950`s was in fact all the Kids had to dance to.. This is so important as it`s a huge clue to it`s function and high energy.

Cheers Clivey, I will try and get my hands on some biographies, it is relieving to humanise their process and realise that they weren't all prodigies, they just put in a lot of hard concentrated graft. I'll look on youtube as well for some good documentary type things on them. Thanks.

 

[jbtsax]

This can be done at any time, not just in your practice routine, but repetitive listening is perhaps the most important thing you can do at this point in your learning.

 

[kevgermany]

I think you took my comment the wrong way sir, I meant no disrespect to Clivey, and it was in no way directed to him. I gladly want his and anyones opinion on it as well who can help make my practice schedule better. 🙂

Sorry, then it's my misunderstanding. Sincere apologies. Kev

 

[Micheal Murray]

No worries Kev, looking back on my comment I can see where you possibly misunderstood what I said. Cheers

 

[Little My]

The Jerry Coker "How to Practice Jazz" is a brilliant little book and next up on my practising overhaul. It breaks practice into segments as you have done, but there are 18 of them... plus a few others too. The second half of the book comprises an index of Aebersold playalong tracks (by tune title) and various others by scale, progression etc.