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How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:17 pm
by bassinit
Hey everyone

So I am 25 days in from scratch and I just completed 'Story of my Life' by One Direction at 100% having spent 15 hours going through the Rookie lessons in a linear way.

Relax, Im not here to gloat, simply trying to give as much information as possible.

I've noticed that the more I do/practise, I unlock new stuff to try.

At the moment I have unlocked the following:

1. Both Hands Practice (Rookie) - currently on Lesson 75
2. 50 Famous Melodies (Rookie) - currently on Lesson 1
3. 1 Octave Scales - currently on Lesson 3
4. Reading Music - Staff notation (Rookie) - currently on Lesson 2

So as you can see, I have been focusing on the actual songs (1) rather than the theory (3 and 4).

My question is, is there I way I should be ordering the lessons?

For example, I have been practising the scales - albiet the first two, and C Major and A Minor are complete. Should I essentially stop where I am at and concentrate on the scales or incorporate a new one everyday going forward?

Hopefully this makes sense...

I'd be really interested to see how you are structuring your sessions...

Thanks

Karl

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 4:08 pm
by sw1tch73ch
For the lessons portion, do them in the order presented. There are later lessons that assume you know things covered in earlier lessons. That might also be true about the songs, but there is no set order to do the songs. I do recommend trying your hand at the songs, as you have, because, really, that's what the end goal is - to play music. The lessons will help you read music and they introduce concepts you will want to know, but they don't have any priority over playing songs - so do both.

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 8:21 pm
by bassinit
Thank you for your response... We continue!

#bassinit

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:28 am
by Stootz01
I too was curious how other new players have been going through the content. I got excited when new courses were unlocked and jumped in when I saw them. The songs are the first course that seem to open up and like you, jumped in and spent days completing them. Once I went back to the boot camp and also started completing the other rookie courses like reading sheet music, I went back to the songs section and was incredibly easier.

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 1:17 pm
by bassinit
Hey everyone so I wanted to give you guys an update of how I have been using my time...

I feel lucky that I blasted through rookie at a decent pace. Since I started downloading songs, I feel like my bootcamp progress has slowed down a bunch because Im spending 1/2/3 hours a day trying to master the FULL downloaded songs.


Would love to know if you think this is a good use of my time. Maybe Im over thinking it but clearly you cant do two things at one time :(

I sit down at my piano and I do may scales until I make no error and then I go to either bootcamp or my downloaded song.


Would love your thoughts on if you agree with what Im doing or not...


Like I say, maybe Im overthinking this...

Bassinit

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:04 pm
by blispers
Hi

I practice 1 to 1.5 hours a day. I use spaced repetition with a file card box. Look it up online. I do not want to forget what I have learned. Songs, Chords, and Arpeggios go in the card box. I start every session playing songs I have already learned. Then alternaite between drill and learning new songs. I usually end with songs I am trying to polish or get 3 stars.

Drills would be
Sightreadingfactory.com
Octaves & arpeggio's 1 octave scale in playground 2 octave scales and apreggios with metronome.
Boot Camp I am on intermediate
Other Courses will start Chord practice triads tomorrow.

I try to learn 2 or 3 songs at once.
Rookie Learn in a week or 2 - just finishing James Bond Theme - Rooki
Intermediate - my level
Advanced - just plaod away. - Struggling with House of the Rising Sun Advanced and Simple Man sheet music

I am starting to learn songs outside of PlayGround if the don't have a song I want.

I also just realized that if I practice with the sheet music before moving to Playground I can get many more repetitions in so my fingers can learn the piece. Also, it is easier to go faster than the tempo and then slow the tempo in Playground.

Good luck hope some of this helps

Re: How do you structure/order your learning?

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 9:50 pm
by dacapo
Hi!
I would also like to know how people are structuring their learning.
I am starting at intermediate level.

My plan so far is to start with the bootcamp course that I'm on, then practice 2 songs. One of the songs I've chosen is a classical piece that is fairly easy for me. I start by playing the scale for whichever key the music is in (right hand, left hand, then both). Then I just practice a segment of it for 20 minutes. Then I'll try a harder piece - a song that I really want to learn, but more advanced. I'll do the same thing - start by playing the scales and maybe a warm up in the key. Then work on a small part of the song.

If anyone can suggest a more effective method I would love to hear it! (I'm just making it up as I go along)

EXAMPLE

bootcamp intro to chords practice (6 of 6)
A major scale & arpeggio
Sonata No. 11 in A major for a small part of the song (rh, lh, both)
play the whole song up to what I learned today

E flat major scale & arpeggios
You've got a friend in me from Toy Story (rh, lh, both for new part of song)
play whole song up to what I learned today

I'm thinking that I'll try to practice for 40 minutes to 1 hour every day.