posted on September 29, 2011

As a jazz guitarist, no longer short in the tooth, I've tried many different ways of practising. (I just googled "jazz guitar practise tips" and there are more than three million results, which feels about right.)

I think a good way of practising improvising is to record yourself doing it. It's not simply that this allows you to hear what you really sound like, it's more that the act of recording turns your practise into a performance.

I don't know about you, but even if I'm alone in a room, pressing the record button and seeing the red light come on always causes a twinge of apprehension. It feels instantly as though someone's listening. This is a good thing; it means I care about what I'm going to play. It means I have to keep going through the mistakes and hesitations, and make something musical out of them.

To make this way of practising even more effective, I think you should commit, in advance, to putting the recording online somewhere. If you can commit to putting your first take online, so much the better.

OK, here's me practising A Night In Tunisia. (First take - I walk the walk :)

If you don't already do this, go on, give it a try, and maybe post a link to the online evidence in the comments section :)

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