Practice Plan, Week of 06 November 2022

I know that I already posted that I won’t be posting a practice plan for this week, but I can’t sit around and not practice just because I’m sad. (I mean, I totally could, and I fully support a person’s right to just be sad and do nothing. But not practicing is actually doing the opposite of help).

One difference this week, I am also indicating practice for the guitar, which I really should be keeping as sharp as I can, even though I am not principally a guitarist and have no intention of becoming one. And this has little to nothing to do with a crush on Molly Tuttle.

You may notice that a lot of my practice list is very similar to two weeks ago. One of my big goals this week is to move this material off of my practice plan (by learning it). It’s just been a hard couple weeks. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Practice Plan for 06 November 2022

Lesson:

Mandolin: 09 November 2022

Guitar: I don’t currently take guitar lessons. But if I could find someone to teach me bluegrass styles – especially claw hammer guitar – I would totally jump at that.

Playing With Others:

Other than lessons, I haven’t made it out to play with others in a couple of weeks. I intend yo go to the Wake Up Rounder jam at Tomorrow’s Verse Taproom (4605 NE Fremont St in Portland)

1) New Material

  • Mandolin Tune: Road to Columbus
  • Mandolin Tune: Cripple Creek
  • Guitar Tune: Cripple Creek
  • Guitar Song: Amazing Grace

2) Developing Material

  • Mandolin: Bluebirds Are Singing for Me
  • Mandolin/Guitar: Bury Me Beneath the Willow

3) Performance Material

  • Jenny Jenkins
  • Clinch Mountain Backstep

4) Techniques

  • Mandolin: LH position
  • Mandolin: Double stops
  • Mandolin: Bluegrass box
  • Guitar: Intro to Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar (Banjo Ben)

5) Musicianship

  • Transposing (using the key signature dice)
  • Standing while playing
  • Ear training

Site Update: Limited Availability

Ricky Ricardo

I did not post my practice plan for this week, and I have not recorded any progress videos. Today should be the end-of-week videos. I’m not planning on posting them. On Thursday, we lost Ricky Ricardo, my buddy buddy, and the best fan I have ever had. My world is upside-down right now and I will probably only be updating sporadically for a while.

Harpist Reviews a Guitar

I love this video by harpist Emily Hopkins, who reviews an electric guitar, tuner, and multi-effects pedal for entry-level instrument maker, Donner (and who is absolutely adorable), even though she appears to know very little of guitar.

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History of the Mandolin in America

Among the various YouTube playlist I keep is one titled “Bluegrass Idle,” where I save bits and clips that are interesting or informative, but that aren’t directly instructional. Today I saved one to the list that I thought also needed to be shared here: multi-instrumentalist and composer Tony Williamson explaining, in 1995, the development history of the American Mandolin.

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