Alumni
Overview
Is it hard for you to remember tunes?
In this workshop, we’ll alternate between practicing retrieval of songs with the practice of intervals. The official term for this is “interleaving”. Here are the cards we’ll play:
The idea with Play Every Day is to create an engaging modular system to make your practice fun and productive.
Video replay
Prepare for the journey
Pick 2-5 songs you want to remember and recall more easily.
Pick one skill that you want to improve:
- Tone
- Timing
- Slurring
- Ear-training
- Note-reading
- Rhythmic Variation
- Etc.
In the workshop, we’ll use interval practice as an example. But you can use the outline and cards to practice any skill.
Outline
Welcome
Is it hard for you to remember tunes?
In this workshop, we’ll alternate between practicing retrieval of songs with intervals. The official term for this is “interleaving”.
When practicing the intervals, think of this as diving into a rabbit hole. How many different ways can you practice this? You can dive into the rabbit hole with any skill.
Tools, Links
- Timer
- Metronome
- Drones
- Music Journal
Warmup: Easy Tune ⏱️3m
This helps you relax and feel like a fiddler.
Interleaving 🍃
We’ll alternate between two areas of practices. This is called interleaving. It’s an efficient way to learn.
Round 1
Retrieval: creating Mental Triggers
⏱️10m
Create a list of 2-5 songs you’ve recently learned that you want to retrieve from memory more easily.
- Play the whole song for memory once. If possible, don’t repeat parts.
- Play the first chunk (1-2 bars) of each part once.
- Distill these chunks into 3-6 note “triggers.” Say the name of the song, then play the trigger. Then sing it. This internalizes that part and seals it into your memory.
- In the first round you may only be able to start 1-2 songs. Aim to increase this number with each round.
Tip: try to play the triggers slower then faster to aid retention 🧠
- How many songs were you able to start?
Rabbit Hole: Intervals ⏱️10m
Suggested intervals
- Beginner: D1-3, D3-A1
- Intermediate AL2-D3, AL2-E3
- Advanced: D1-A1, D3-A2, A4-E0, A1-4
Rhythmic Variation
- Simple: triplets, hoedown, short long short
- Complex: Peri-diddle (AADADDAD), Skedaddle (ADDADDAD)
Tortoise and Hare
Do the “Tortoise and Hare” practice on peri-diddle. Play it ridiculously slow, then super fast.
Round 2
Retrieval: Practicing triggers 5m
See if you can recall the tunes from Round 1. Try to add at least one more song using the same steps from Round 1.
Use the practice of audiation (playing music in your mind).
Alternate between two or more triggers. For example, say and play the trigger for Arkansas Traveller followed by the trigger for Kesh Jig.
Rabbit Hole: Intervals
Repeat the steps from Round 1. Work on the same interval if you need more time, or move onto another challenging interval.
This time try to Sing What You Play.
Variation: Single-double stop patterns. For example, D0-0-A0-0-D0A0-D0A0-D0A0-D0A0
Other variations to try on your own:
- Textures
- Vibrato
- Sliding
- Metro Gnome
Keep alternating between Mental Triggers and the Interval Rabbit Hole is successive rounds and practice sessions.
Play Every Day cards
- Warm-up: Easy Tune 😌
- Interleaving 🍃
- Rhythmic Variation
- Mental triggers
- Rabbit Hole
- Sing What You Play
Reflection
- You can dive into the rabbit hole with any skill.
- Take a minute to reflect on how your practice went. Write down your thoughts either a comment below or in Your Practice Journal.
- What was challenging?
- What did you learn? Try to put it into your own words.
- How can you use this in your own practice?
- How do you like this format in which you practice more on your own?
Further
Further practice
Take this routine and do it on your own. You’ll get the most out of this workshop if you do that. Try it on other songs and skills. Experiment and personalize it. Share what you discover in a comment below.
Further learning
Make your own cards
Bring this lesson into your everyday practice by making your own cards.
You can make your own versions of PED cards (until I publish the physical deck, which may take awhile):
You can also make cards for your own specific practice items. Below are some examples made by FiddleHed students. If you make your own, please take a photo and post as a comment at the bottom of the page. 🙏
FiddleHed Mark
FiddleHed Patty
FiddleHed Melinda
I'd Love To Get Your Feedback
Lesson Chat
Feel free to continue the discussion in the comments below.
Zoom chat, first workshop
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