Off-Kilter

My practice percentages are seriously off-kilter this month.

As you can see, I'm extremely over in Blues and Lagniappe, slightly over in technique, and extremely under in everything else.

Why the Imbalance?

There are several reasons for this. One is that I picked up "Amazing Grace" again but didn't create a category for it, so all of my "Amazing Grace" practice is covered under the "Blues" umbrella. Also under this umbrella is my practice on blues endings and my reviewing of licks, runs, etc., as I practice improvising.

The imbalance was even worse, but I decided to move my blues scale practice to "Technique." When I did that, my technique percentage shot up.

Another reason for the imbalance is the "Lagniappe" category. "Lagniappe" is a south Louisiana word meaning "a little something extra," so that's the word I'm using for everything else I work on that isn't strictly covered in one of my "proper" categories. With my dad's death and my preparation of the hymns (including an arrangement of "The Old Rugged Cross"), I've spent about 7 hours (and counting) on "lagniappe" alone.

So things are a mess.

Getting the Balance Back

We're almost halfway through the month. I don't know if I can get the balance back completely, but I can work on it. My biggest concern right now is the Chopin nocturne. The masterclass is in 17 days, and I need to focus. I don't want to set aside newer pieces like Jingle Bells and Solace aside altogether ... but I may need to. For now, regardless of how much time I spend on other pieces, my goal is to put at least a half-hour into Chopin every day between now and the 28th.

I do need to spend less time on my blues practice. I think it could be possible to put a little time in each day—15-20 minutes—and be done with it.

As for my maintenance pieces? I can play through them one or two days a week and be okay. I'm thinking of taking a couple of days a week for each one. For example, Maple Leaf Rag on Wednesday and Saturday, Rondo alla Turca on Monday and Friday, Bare Necessities on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Something like that.

Shiny Objects

I do have a few shiny objects that are threatening to distract me from my current projects. One is the PWJ Contemporary/Pop courses, which I watched while sitting with my dad as he slept at the memory care facility. The other is a Dr. John-style version of Silent Night (and techniques to play like Dr. John in general).

I also want to spend more time on "The Old Rugged Cross." I have so many ideas for this arrangement. When will I find the time to work on it? Maybe this weekend?

Must focus. There will be time for all of those other things. For now, I need to focus, and the main project for the next couple of weeks needs to be CHOPIN.

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