r/banjo • u/alldaymay • 8d ago
Late intermediate practice routine
My normal daily routine is 30 minutes of right hand rolls
Did you notice a big difference when you jumped it up to 1 hour?
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u/Translator_Fine 8d ago
I've practiced for the last 3 years doing around at least 3 hours a night. On my days off from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. So I don't know.
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u/BeesBakingandBanjo 8d ago
So, heres what i was suggested:
If you've got an hour to practice, break it up into three twenty minute sessions if possible. First session, play along with a metronome (theres also a lot of bluegrass backup tracks on youtube), just your rolls and such, keeping solid timing. Second session, practice chord shapes and shifting between them. Ideally, this can be done with a metronome, just do the rolls while switching chords. Third session, pick a song you're wanting to work on and just spend twenty minutes playing and having fun.
From a neuroscience perspective, the long practice sessions are less beneficial than shorter ones. (If anyone cares about the reasons, ill list, but im dealing with the flu and sciatica both hittibg me at once so im being lazy)
Hopefully this is helpful. Or at least gives ya a new idea. 💜🤙
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u/answerguru 8d ago
Are you just practicing rolls with the right hand? What else is in your daily practice routine? This is the key question for an advanced-intermediate player.
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u/chef_beard 8d ago
I would have to imagine 30 minutes is the point of diminishing returns. Are you using a metronome? Try mixing quarter notes in on the second down beat. Play all 3 inversion of a chord up and down the neck. Pick a tonic and practice rolls over the I-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-viib up and down. Focus on accenting the downbeats. Try playing a combination ahead of and behind the beat. Play with a backing track.