Posts About Practicing

This page is a one-stop hub for all the things I’ve written about practicing.

Layakari and Melodic Variations Inside a Bandish. Useful for Hindustani vocalists. If you can figure out an application for this material in another musical genre, please tell me.

———————————–

The N+1 Game. More layakari practice; this material can be used in any Hindustani context, and will also work well as part of general musicianship training.

———————————–

The Half-Speed Switcheroo: Rhythmic Cycle Practice in Exhaustive Detail. Just what it sounds like. Instrumentalists can do this easily.

———————————–

Practicing Inside Rhythmic Cycles. Good advice for people trying to form a meaningful relationship with taal cycles.

———————————–

Two Techniques For Regulating Your Practice. For any and all musicians who are trying either to get it together or to keep it together. If you’ve got it together, let me know; I’ve never met anyone who’s got it together.

———————————–

More Notes On Practicing. General advice on problem-solving, time management, and keeping things going without falling apart. Part of a long-ago interview with my former student Brian O’Neill.

———————————–

Thinking About Palta Exercises. Paltas are a powerful form of Hindustani exercise that are applicable to any scalar practice on voice or instrument.

———————————–

Understanding Tala and Theka. Advice for coordinating your relationship with these two core elements of Hindustani performance.

———————————–

Practice Tips & Techniques. The first installment of my interview with Brian O’Neill, in which I discussed many of the ways I’ve developed to organize my own practicing and that of my students.

———————————–

Thoughts About The Drone
Not exactly about practice, but I’m not sure where else this little essay belongs

———————————–

About Listening And Learning
A story about a class and two students.

———————————–

Compose Your Own Raga. A hands-on approach to understanding how raga structure works.

———————————–

———————————–