I am excited to start sharing this new post type. I plan out my mandolin practice for the week every Sunday. I will make a longer post talking about how I do my planning and what I include and am looking for, but here is a quick summary.
I follow a format that I learned from David Benedict (not directly, of course – although I think he’s super rad, I have never met him) that has five sections: 1) New Material, 2) Developing Material, 3) Performance Material, 4) Techniques, and 5) Musicianship. I also indicate in my plan whether I have a lesson and what my plans for playing with others are for the week (I have a goal to play with others at least once every week).
Starting today, I am going to be posting my weekly practice plans here on Turtlshel. Obviously I am a bunch of days late posting this week, but a person has to start somewhere.
Practice Plan for 23 October 2022
Lesson:
26 October 2022
Playing With Others:
Old Time Music Jam at North Portland Hostel Cafe
1) New Material
- Tune: Cripple Creek
- Song: Bury Me Beneath the Willow
2) Developing Material
- Bluebirds Are Singing for Me
- Clinch Mountain Backstep
3) Performance Material
- Jenny Jenkins
- Fiddle Tune Medleys using Bonnie Tammie, The Wind the Shakes the Barley, Bag of Spuds, John Stinson’s, and Old Favorite.
4) Techniques
- LH ergonomics
- Double stops
- Bluegrass box
5) Musicianship
- Transposing (using the key signature dice)
- Standing while playing
- Ear training
