Good Practice Makes for a Good Performance

If you are a performer and have been stuck with Facebook streaming shows or worse, performing for the stuffed animals in your children’s bedroom for the last year, you may be a little rusty. I know I am. I have been known to go weeks without even picking up my guitar. I’m one of those with a bit of a deficient attention span. I do not look forward to practice, I am not good at practice. I kept thinking, when it looks like gigs might be back, I’ll hit it hard for a couple of weeks and be ready for the first gig. Well, that’s exactly what I did. It was not a good idea. The shows were fine, but I payed a big price physically.

First of all, you know those hard places on the tips of your fingers? They go away. Who knew? I did, of course, but I chose to ignore that it was going to be an issue. Man, did my fingers hurt for the first couple of days. I got over it pretty quickly but then realized how stiff and out of shape my hands were in general. I needed to get myself up to speed. Which brings us to the issue of how to practice efficiently. Playing through the songs in the set over and over can become tedious and can effect how you feel about them on game day.  Along the way, I’ve learned a few tricks (that I forgot) that help me practice without having it feel like I’m in the salt mines. I shall now proceed to impart some of these tricks (for my own edification) in case you have the same issues.

Before I start playing songs, I will play scales (major and minor in every key) and finger exercises for about 30 minutes with a metronome. Good tip: always practice with a metronome, even when playing rhythm and singing. I take about 30 minutes off afterwards to rest my hands. I find that a good break after a concentrated workout keeps me from experiencing diminishing returns. This is especially helpful for us "older" players. Depending on how I’m feeling I may do another 30 minute workout. In order to avoid "song burnout" it’s helpful to start by playing songs that I really like, but are not in the set. My shows consist of original material but there are so many great songs out there that are really fun to sing and play. I might do this for a few days, playing 5 or 6 songs a couple of times until I’m feeling comfortable and my hands get loose. As an added benefit, this is also a good way to get song ideas. A few days before the show, I will begin playing the songs that I will be performing 2 or 3 times a day, standing up just like it’s showtime. After a bit, it all starts to feel natural again. If I can let my mind wander and get through a song without incident, I know I’m ready.

When I’m preparing for gigs with the String Wizards, I have a whole new set of issues including challenging solos and high energy rhythm parts (as well as ridiculously high harmonies to sing, but that’s another story). I am basically a singer/songwriter who has been thrust into the world of Bluegrass. Learning a new musical idiom is akin to learning a new language. They all have a specific vocabulary, groove, and feel. I have pretty good improvisational skills when it comes to Blues or straight Country, but I still struggle with Bluegrass. I always try to stay consistent with my solos so I don’t drive myself off a cliff. I find that running the solos numerous times, again, with a metronome and at different speeds, then walking away, works for me. I will actually run through them once or twice (never more) in the dressing room prior to showtime. A fun way to practice solos is to use a looper. I use a simple Boss RC-1. The great thing about the looper is that you can play a rhythm track and maybe add some percussion (if your looper has that feature). It’s a good way to keep things interesting and allows you to find your groove within the tune.  Again, there are songs that we don’t play but are great for getting in playing shape. I will always start with my 30 minute workout. This is especially crucial for these shows as dexterity (what little I have) is essential. The main thing to remember about these scale and finger exercise workouts is to START SLOW. When you can play things cleanly at a slower pace, speed it up incrementally and, before you know it, you’re playing at speed with fewer missed notes. I learned this rule by listening to great players rehearsing in dressing rooms over the years. Particularly, there are two saxophone players who started their warmups with whole note scales, then half note scales and worked their way up to 16th note scales through every key. This takes patience, but it pays dividends. These were both accomplished and sought after musicians who have been playing for many years, yet they still took the time to go through their routines. That became part of my routine and my playing improved exponentially. I actually think it helped me get invited to play with the Dirt Band. My band from Texas had been opening for NGDB for about 3 1/2 years. At one point, two of the guys commented on the fact that my playing had really improved and ask what I had been doing. I told them I had been listening to Al Garth and Brian Savage in the dressing rooms. They laughed because they immediately knew what I was talking about.  A few months later, I was asked to join. Practicing the right way can pay off.

Now, I am not a great guitar player. I always said, as far as guitar players go, I’m a pretty good singer. Maple Street is full of truly wonderful players that wow me everyday. However, by approaching practice with a plan and some general rules of thumb, I’ve managed to make progress, not embarrass myself, and occasionally hit a good lick, which to me, is the name of the game. So, if you’re in a rut or just want a different approach to keep you interested, or you're facing going back on the road, I hope some of these tips will help. Most importantly, have fun!
j.cable 2021