The 12 Rules of Practicing from Wynton Marsalis

[Jeremy Frank]

I stumbled across this a while back - I just rediscovered it in my notes, so I thought I would share it. Here are "The 12 Rules of Practicing" from Wynton Marsalis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynton_Marsalis):


Seek out private instruction. It could take years to figure out what a good teacher could show you quickly.
Write/work out a regular practice schedule. Always include the fundamentals.
Set realistic goals. Chart your development.
Concentrate when practicing. Don't just "go through the motions".
Relax and practice slowly.
Practice what you can't play - the hard parts.
Always play with maximum expression. Play as if you are singing it.
Learn from your mistakes. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Don't show off. Expression, not tricks or gimmicks.
Think for yourself. Respect your teacher, but think things through for yourself.
Be optimistic. There is nothing worse than pessimism coming out of an instrument.
Look for connections between your music and other things. Try to find concepts or ideas that connect with each other.


Very interesting stuff. Apparently, Marsalis discusses them at some length with Yo-Yo Ma in part 4 of the the PBS Series "Marsalis on Music" (which I have not seen). If anyone can find a video clip, it would be much appreciated.

[JeffD]

I especially like 7 and 9.

[Rob Powell]

I especially like 7 and 9.

I especially like the second sentence in number 8 ;)

[Mandolincelli]

I can't even fit my brain around number 12 :confused:

[coletrickle]

I can't even fit my brain around number 12 :confused:

Think about the sounds the city you live in makes (Marsalis wrote a entire piece based on the noises of the city) and how you fit into that sound. If you live in the country think about the relationship of "country" noises or the chain of natural life. Think about how you prepare for a large project at work or how you plan a vacation. Think about the relationship between training and athletic competition. In general how can you draw a dotted line between the general functions of your daily life and how you practice music...that is walk before you run.

[OldSausage]

These are all great. My favorites are:

4 Concentrate when practicing. Don't just "go through the motions".
5 Relax and practice slowly.
6 Practice what you can't play - the hard parts.

[Pete Martin]

Thanks for posting this Jeremy!

[Matt DeBlass]

number 6... some days they're ALL hard parts.

Good advice all around.

[Bob_Blackman]

I once read an interview with Chet Atkins where he was asked his #1 suggestion for practicing, and have never forgotten his excellent reply: If you make a mistake, keep going and work around it, rather than stop and start over. That's what you have to do in a public performance, so learn how to do it when you're practicing.

[JeffD]

Practice what you can't play - the hard parts..


Satchel Paige was supposed to have said: "Practice the hard stuff. No point in practicing what you are already good at." Or words to that affect.

[AlanN]

One other: practice every day, even if for 5 minutes.

[Jkf_Alone]

I'm gonna print and frame them!

[Bertram Henze]

I like #11. Explains my nine years of learning to thoroughly hate the violin (can't rightfully call it playing).

[CES]

His recordings "The Black Codes" and a classical album he did with Kathleen Battle are two of my favorite CDs..."expression" and "virtuosity" both come to mind when thinking of them. I kind of have to be in the mood for both, but am never disappointed when I play them!!

(EDIT: And by "play them" I mean in the CD player or ipod, not actually on the mandolin, unfortunately :( )

[mandocrucian]

He's on target on 11 out of 12 (.917). But, I don't really knows exactly what he means with the following:


11. Be optimistic. There is nothing worse than pessimism coming out of an instrument.

"Happy happy"! Lawrence Velky ???

Pessimism, imo, is a perfectly valid vibe to express on an instrument, as is anger*, disgust, fear, confusion, depression, sadism**, sarcasm.... or..... hope, tenderness, optimism, peace love & understanding, etc.

#12 is all about getting outside the box - seeing analogies and making the intuitive mental leap recognizing similar underlying principles in seemingly disconnected areas. - e.g. Footwork theory (boxing, dance/karate) transferred onto the fretboard as fingerwork/shifting/setup for the next move... or...simple sentence = (analagoust to) simple melody ....fill in more detail/embellishment with adjectives, adverbs, suffixes....

*scrap a bunch of the Monroe stuff if "anger" is verboten. (ha ha)

**...No page in history baby - that, I don't need
I just want to make some eardrums bleed
Heavy........, Duty .....Heavy duty - rock and roll
Heavy........, Duty.... Brings out the doody in my soul


NH

[Rick Schmidlin]

And from McCoy Tyner to me:

"Practice three hours a day for the first three years."

"Always respect youself and other others who have shown support."

McCoy Tyner has bee around for so many years because he did not wan to let his mother belief in him stay alive.

And for support John Coltane was his teacher.

[powercat]

I especially like the second sentence in number 8 ;)


Yeah, I'd have to agree with that. I am my worst critic.

[tree]

I took no. 11 to mean "be optimistic when learning, especially concepts that are brand new or technically difficult."

When I started taking lessons, I tended to take a pessimistic view ("I stink, I'll never get this down"), which I'm sure is a recipe for self-fulfilling prophesy. If Wynton teaches, I'm sure he's heard this attitude coming out of an instrument, and I bet it is awful.

I've learned to adopt the more optimistic view ("sure it's not very good at this point, I'm just now learning how to do it").

My most patient and excellent instructor never fails to emphasize the positive. He tells me "you're not alone - this is how EVERYBODY starts - nobody is born knowing this stuff."

I have also come to finally grasp how much practice time is necessary for me to get to where I want to go. It's more than I knew, but when I am able to discipline myself to do the work (with enough fun mixed in to keep it interesting), there is a definite payoff.

[Dan Margolis]

I used to hand this list out to my students.

[James P]

To me, #11 reads more like performance advice.
If I were to modify it I'd say: "Keep at it and be patient."

[Pete Martin]

I believe the better one plays, the more their attitude about life comes through. I've been fortunate to meet 3 top players I'd really studied before getting to know them. Their personalities were just as I had imagined them (2 very cool, 1 a jerk) from their playing.

That is what I take from #11.

[Matt DeBlass]

I remember seeing an interview with classical violinist David Garrett (who set the world speed record for fastest rendition of "Flight of the Bumblebee"). One of the guys asked him how he learned to play so fast and his response was along the lines of "lots and lots of time playing it really slow."

[JeffD]

I have also come to finally grasp how much practice time is necessary for me to get to where I want to go. It's more than I knew, but when I am able to discipline myself to do the work (with enough fun mixed in to keep it interesting), there is a definite payoff.


I think that when one directly experiences the payoff of regular practice it is very motivating. The discipie to practice is hard to get started because we don't see any results, but when the results start to pour in, we can't get enough of it. At least till the next plateau.

[Capt. E]

All of these add up to #13: Have Fun

[Steve Etter]

Satchel Paige was supposed to have said: "Practice the hard stuff. No point in practicing what you are already good at." Or words to that affect.

I have to disagree with the second half of that thought - you definitely want to practice what you are already good at, too. Case-in-point; when I was in High School, I played golf and got to the point that I could chip-it-in from off of the green over 50% of the time (seriously). I got so use to being able to do it that I never practiced it - and lost it.

I think the same is true of the fundamentals here. Besides, Marsalis' second sentence in #2 addresses this as well.

My favorites are 2, 4 and 5. If I can get myself to do just those...

Steve

[groveland]

Regarding the controversial #11, I take it to refer to the liberation that comes with not taking one's self too seriously, playing without fear of failure or blowing it.

"In the Jewish religion, you put an empty seat out for Elijah at Passover. I'm saying, put an empty seat out for Mr. Mistake, because he's coming. Guaranteed, put out a plate of food for him. You're going to make mistakes, it's going to happen. So, when they DO happen, So what? What's the big deal?"

- Jeff Berlin

I love the metaphor. But anyway, that's the optimistic approach. It's going to be okay. Put out a plate of food for Mr. Mistake and continue to get better.

[Bertram Henze]

put an empty seat out for Mr. Mistake, because he's coming.

Now I know what all those seats in a concert hall are for :)

It's what "The Inner Game of Music" says, too. I wish someone had told me all that as a kid when I had to play the violin. Instead, it was more like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt87phicwZA).

[bonny]

Pessimism, imo, is a perfectly valid vibe to express on an instrument, as is anger*, disgust, fear, confusion, depression, sadism**, sarcasm.... or..... hope, tenderness, optimism, peace love & understanding, etc.


To understand #11 you have to differentiate between practice and playing. The relationship between the two is symbiotic but they are different. Part of mastering an instrument is to be able to express your emotions that moment....when you're playing. Why would you choose to practice pessimism, anger, disgust, fear, confusion, depression, sadism, sarcasm? You are what you practice.

[mandocrucian]

I know all about the differences between practicing and playing.

#11, as worded by Marsalis is, to me, vague. He didn't say: "Be optimistic about your progress; there's nothing worse than hearing a blah attitude about your practice program coming out of the instrument." Maybe that what he meant...maybe it isn't. Who knows? Maybe he elaborated on the initial statement on his show.

Maybe you adhere to an "entertainer" viewpoint/philosophy; it's your "job" to paint on a happy face and offer up feel-good chick-flick music and platitudes as an escape to the day-to-day grind of life of your audience, and/or to reinforce their innate beliefs/prejudices. ("Always look on the bright side of life, (whistle)" but without the ironic sarcasm of Python). Give the audience what they want...(just make sure you get paid.)

Now on the subject of why you might actually choose to practice pessimism, anger, disgust, fear, etc. maybe it is to understand and refine the various techniques, attacks, and such that better imply all that, rather than leaving it to spur-of-the-moment chance that you might or might not get what you want when playing. Do you really think that Hendrix never practiced those various sonic sound effects (bombs, machine guns, jets, etc. etc.) before his Woodstock performance?

You don't have to understand French or German or Russian to know when someone is cursing you out. Can you do that on an instrument? Where there is not much doubt what is coming out of the horn? NO.......?

Well then, maybe you might want to try what I call the "Go to Hell!" drill. You can use a 12-bar blues as backing/play long track. Record yourself over this backup track (vocally - speech, not singing) telling some imagined person where to shove it, and what you think of them. Scream if you want to, Sneer, spit...." Now, rewind, and study the inflection, the phrasing, the rising or falling pitch of the curses, the volume attack - and see if you are able to put that, or even some of it onto the instrument. (The musical pitches are secondary at this point). It isn't easy.

Not to your preferences? OK Same sort of vocal-imitation-impression exercise. But thhis time, do the "seduction rap." Relase your inner Barry White or Antiono Banderas. Sweet talk that lady into the sack. Got your speech recorded onto that 12-bar backing track? Play along and PUT IT ONTO THE INSTRUMENT.

These are advanced level practice drills.

(BTW, as I understand it. Coltrane's "Alabama" was modeled on a Martin Luther King speech.)

And in regards to "Mr. Mistake".... my view is that you have a quota of mistakes you've got to make before you can make it to the next level. Rather than avoid them, it's best to get them out of the way sooner than later and move on.

Niles H

[danb]

o_O

[tree]

Pessimism notwithstanding, condescension (or the unintended appearance of it, given this medium), is not likely to convey the intended point.

[Charley wild]

I agree with Niles. I see no reason to try to artificially alter my mood when I'm practicing or playing. Playing through different moods is what expression is all about. Rule 11 has a cosmic element to it and I'm not cosmic in the least. Part of the reason I play IS because of my various moods. I'm certainly not going to try to suppress them!

[Mike Bunting]

Sounds like an exercise for repressed mandoliners. :)

[bonny]

I agree with Niles. I see no reason to try to artificially alter my mood when I'm practicing or playing. Playing through different moods is what expression is all about. Rule 11 has a cosmic element to it and I'm not cosmic in the least. Part of the reason I play IS because of my various moods. I'm certainly not going to try to suppress them!


#11. Be optimistic. There is nothing worse than pessimism coming out of an instrument.

I don't think you fellows understand what optimism actually means........
Optimism is defined by the Apple Dictionary as "hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something" and by Merriam-Webster as "an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome"

Marsalis is talking about practicing and you guys are talking about playing.
Let your emotions run the gamut when you're playing. If you don't think it's good to be optimistic when you sit down to practice why would you ever bother practicing?

[grassrootphilosopher]

#11. Be optimistic. There is nothing worse than pessimism coming out of an instrument.

Marsalis is talking about practicing and you guys are talking about playing.


I thought I was playing when I practice.:confused:

How about an addition like: "Keep the melody as a lead and make authentic music."

[Bertram Henze]

If you don't think it's good to be optimistic when you sit down to practice why would you ever bother practicing?

That's it in a nutshell, I guess. Here, pessimism is not meant to be a mood you can express through the instrument, but a hopeless inability to express anything, because you fight against the instrument and the piece of music you want (or rather not want) to play.
But it applies also for playing, because if you hate it all (audience, venue, whatever) you're blocked.

[John Flynn]

I took the #11 optimism/pessimism principle differently. Whether you're "playing or practicing" or whether you are trying to express negative emotions or positive ones, you have to be optimistic about your playing. You have to believe you are going to hit every note the way you want to hit it and that the emotion you want to convey will come through the way you intended. We have probably all heard people play something very correctly, but without confidence. It was like they didn't fully expect to play it well, it just sort of happened. That, to me, would be playing with pessimism. But the great players seem to have that optimism that says "There is no question I'm going to play this well!" So I didn't see #11 as being about suppressing emotions, but rather about the player's attitude about what he is doing and what he's trying to accomplish.

[John McGann]

I thought I was playing when I practice.:confused:

How about an addition like: "Keep the melody as a lead and make authentic music."

That would be great, except for the fact that mainstream jazz is about spontaneous composition of a new melody, rather than interpretation of a pre-compsed melody (beyond the initial run through the form of the piece).

Great jazz musicians make 'authentic music'. Nothing fake about Wes Montgomery (no relation to Monty!)

[250sc]

I've always viewed practicing as an act of faith. When I practice a new concept it's often very "unmusical" intil the light bulb goes on on. I have faith that if I do something different it may lead to being a better player. I'm not sure I'd keep trying to progress if I was pessimistic that my time and effort would pay off as progressing as a musician.

[bonny]

I thought I was playing when I practice.:confused:


See Rule of Practicing #6: Practice what you can't play - the hard parts.

[SincereCorgi]

We have probably all heard people play something very correctly, but without confidence. It was like they didn't fully expect to play it well, it just sort of happened. That, to me, would be playing with pessimism.

For some reason I'm reminded of the (possibly apocryphal) suggestion by Liszt that, when performing a really difficult passage, you should make at least one slight mistake, because otherwise the audience doesn't appreciate how hard it is.

[OldSausage]

I don't think you fellows understand what optimism actually means........
Optimism is defined by the Apple Dictionary as "hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something" and by Merriam-Webster as "an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome"

Marsalis is talking about practicing and you guys are talking about playing.
Let your emotions run the gamut when you're playing. If you don't think it's good to be optimistic when you sit down to practice why would you ever bother practicing?

I honestly don't think there's any chance we'll ever get it.

[hank]

#7 & #9 covers playing that conveys emotion or mood. #12 could also fit into this category. To my limited perception great musicians and actors are masters of expression to the point of putting the audiences intellect and emotion into a place their art has created. I read #11 like Bonny that you must believe in the fact that you can do this. To optimistically believe through your practice you can hone your art to this level of transference. Anyway this is what impresses me with an artist, certainly not blazing robotic speed hammering out notes that says to everyone " Hey look at me aren't I amazing". :popcorn:

[MrFantasy]

9. Don't show off. Expression, not tricks or gimmicks.
I once heard a jazz pianist say "play from your heart, not your genitals."

[Fretbear]

Don't get Niles upset; he is actually an alien who happens to play mandolin and tries (not very hard sometimes) to fit in amongst us. There is no telling what might happen if you incur his intergalactic wrath. He might rain an unholy barrage of "Duck Music" down upon you.
I am still waiting for my "Go to Hell" drill to arrive, but everyday that it doesn't, I get the message more and more....
I would add one more thing to the list that has helped me immensely:
"Don't Struggle"
This is not to be confused with don't strive or overcome obstacles, it means play from a relaxed, confident, peaceful place. If you find that you are not playing from there (or never have) then it is something that can be worked on. If you take a stage or studio seat and are nervous and upset, then what can you expect to express through any music that you might play other than what you are already directly experiencing?

[John McGann]

I've found a bit of nervousness comes in handy, in the studio or on stage; the heightened awareness is good.

Of course, too much of anything isn't good. "A bit" YMMV!

"If you paid attention, you'd be worried too.." Theme from Monk (Randy Newman)

[Matt DeBlass]

#7 & #9 covers playing that conveys emotion or mood. #12 could also fit into this category. To my limited perception great musicians and actors are masters of expression to the point of putting the audiences intellect and emotion into a place their art has created. I read #11 like Bonny that you must believe in the fact that you can do this. To optimistically believe through your practice you can hone your art to this level of transference. Anyway this is what impresses me with an artist, certainly not blazing robotic speed hammering out notes that says to everyone " Hey look at me aren't I amazing". :popcorn:

I'm inclined to agree. I think the idea is to pull the audience in and bring them with you, not to stand above them and show off.

[mandocrucian]

Don't get Niles upset; he is actually an alien who happens to play mandolin and tries (not very hard sometimes) to fit in amongst us.

Oh, I gave up on that years and years ago! It never took that much (i.e. praising, in passing, Dave Swarbrick, Ray Jackson, Andy Irvine, Vasen, JPJ, Rory G, etc. , or to contradict the myth that F-hole instruments are the ultimate mandos, etc. etc.) to be branded a non-comformist/heretic/subversive > "he who must not be named".


There is no telling what might happen if you incur his intergalactic wrath. He might rain an unholy barrage of "Duck Music" down upon you.

You must have a bunch some of my old stuff. Those are some fairly ancient references that are probably enigmatic to most readers here.

However, I recently uploaded a batch of photos into my Cafe profile albums: Musicians & instruments pix (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=558) (photo #8 illustrates the origin of "Duck Music") and Gallery of Mandocrucian's Digest mag covers (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=563)

NH

[hank]

Niles are you from St. Croix or Virgin Islands? Trying to find meaning after looking it up. :grin:

[John Ely]

You could certainly express pessimism, or some other negative emotion, in your playing. How could you play any murder ballad without expressing some negative emotion like sadness or futility?

I am sure what Marsalis was talking about was not having a pessimistic attitude about your own playing or ability. As in, "I'll never be able to play 'Rawhide' like Ronnie McCoury."

[tree]

You could certainly express pessimism, or some other negative emotion, in your playing.

Neither pessimism nor optimism are really emotions . . . rather, they reflect one's outlook or expectations.

Emotions are feelings - which the medium of music is perfectly suited to communicate.

[hank]

Originally John Ely's quote
[QUOTE] How could you play any murder ballad without expressing some negative emotion like sadness or futility?/QUOTE]
This reminds me of a funny story. Once when I was visiting my mom I volunteered to watch the Opera on PBS with her as everyone else in our clan ran for high ground. Like any good son I was prepared to endure whatever they could throw my way but decided a few pints of Guinness would ease any pain and multiply my Opera appreciation abilities by at least ten fold. I had done this before on a few other occasions when visiting but in the past I was left guessing what the artist were sing about. This time the songs had the lyrics below as they sang like hearing impaired caption. Well, alright now. This should be a lot more interesting, these had to be very serious eloquent lines. I thought I would die laughing. "Where did you put the body?" "I put it in the closet." My mom threatened to rough me up but I'll always get a big stupid grin on my face now when I hear Opera. :mandosmiley::mandosmiley::mandosmiley:

[OldSausage]

It's almost like operas were written as some kind of entertainment.

[Cathal Whelehan]

I can't even fit my brain around number 12 :confused:

I have an example which might explain.

My biggest problem when learning the standard pick grip and hand shape was that it seemed to be a completely unnatural way of holding my hand - I had to have a little think before even trying to form the shape at first as I just couldn't equate it with any other natural hand shape.

That is, until one day when I was putting my key into the Yale lock to open my apartment door. I walked in and took my key-gripping position with me, removed the key from my grip (keeping that sort of pressure) and replaced it with a pick pointing downwards rather than forwards like the key.

Within an hour my picking and picking control was 500% improved and I've never looked back. I just needed to rid myself of my mental block that it was a hand position that I would never naturally assume. Fitting that a key should have been the key to finding this out.

[hank]

Thank's Cathal. Your post helps me to keep my mind anchored in a musical context as I go through this life. I've been directing my practice toward Pick losers excellent study of double stops. Pick loser's descriptions of their relationship to each other and the resultant pattern has been very helpful to me in breaking down the whole into smaller repeated patterns like FFcP study. What seemed like a wall before my mind is slowing breaking down from the help that folks like you, Pick loser, Ted E. and the many Cafe' minds that provide a new way of comprehending music. My hat is off to Scott and our moderator's for making this site the wonderful resource it is.

[G string]

it could be a good classical conditioning to the people who are beginning to play mandolin like me. thanks for the tips and advise.