Transform Your Music Practice: Less Time, Better Results

[@SueTownsin]

What a wonderful teacher you are. ❤

[@Juan-qu1rs]

AHHH a breath of fresh air in the congested world of tutorials and tips !!! thank you so much for this

[@bodhran]

Hope it was interesting/helpful! All the best, Ruairi

[@quodlibetful]

Oh I need hep with improvisation. I don't even know how to start. All your information is wonderful. Thank you.

[@bodhran]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MedicIreland]

Have a bodhran laying around for years. Start practising every now and then but never kept at it. It would always be put back in the press . I really need to pull the finger out and get going. An amazing instrument with an amazing sound. Ive subscribed and will now practice to your youtube vids.. amazing stuff thanks. My plan is to be playing in my local trad band by next year. Not sure how good ill be but sure ill give it a shot.. Thanks for ur vids

[@DavideVerde]

I didn't even know, but I needed a video like this. Thank you for sharing!

[@jessmartin2702]

There’s lots of music teaching videos, but thanks for making the one we most need - how to enjoy practicing, sticking with it for the long-haul, and become a good musician! Excellent job!… And now I want to learn how to play the bodhran :)

[@bodhran]

Awesome stuff! Go for it! R

[@jackwilloughby239]

I do the same thing but in Reverse. First though, I do a short Full Body "Loosen Up" which involves Swinging & Rotating all the Major Joints, getting the blood flowing. Then I Free Play whatever is left in my Mind from Sleeping and Dreaming. Then I analyze that and look for the structure (Major or Minor, Triadic like a Bugle Call, or Pentatonic/Diatonic like the Highland or Uillean Pipes, What part of the Scale, then try to Establish the Harmonic Setting with the basic Boogie Woogie Grip on the Piano: 1&5, 1& 6, 1& 7, up to 1 &9. Then I take that through some Permutations: Major to Minor to Dominant to Sus 4 & 9 to altered and Whole tone, Play those diatonically and chromatically up and down or in some Parallel Keys. Next I write down whatever tunes my Musical Mind comes up with that are complementary. So, if I come up with a tune I find some Versions on KZbin that I like and then Play along with the recordings. this usually involves Transposition or learning a different Rhythmic treatment. That's my Morning routine. At Night I just pick a "Gig" and play along. One Night it might be watching a Musical and playing along like I'm in the Pit. One Night I might play along with videos of Count Basie or Art Blakey. Here I just try to find My Part, play a horn riff or a long tone Obligato, or a Bassline. So my routine is mostly Learn and Play. Practice to me Now, is just Refining Intonation, Bowing, Rhythm, Phrasing, and I do that on a "As Needed Basis'. I looked back over my 40+ years and realized I'd spent too much time in the practice room and not enough time actually Playing. And the sad thing is all that practice just went out the Window because it had no Real-Life Context. Cheers, Jack

[@Roots222]

Playing my mandolin at a million miles an hour with loads of mistakes. Again and again. Slowed down "oh wow, that worked" Thank you.

[@bodhran]

Glad it helped!

[@Mary_CS_Fernie]

Yes please for the improvisation video. Later getting to this one, work's been a bit nuts. 🤪

[@bodhran]

on the way Mary!

[@interludo]

I met with similar inspiring and effective teachings in a famous book a decade ago but never with such a pleasant to the ear soft Irish accent :)))

[@JanieWalton-xz1gu]

You are such a positive teacher. Thank you!

[@mrsthe97]

I wish I had this information a long, long time ago. I'm going to give it a try. Thank you!

[@bodhran]

Awesome, have fun, and enjoy the journey 🤲

[@patfiddles]

Yes, and "practice isn't performance". Plan what you want to work on and that's the music you have on your stand- everything else gets put aside. A big distraction for me is having so many pieces of music on my stand and pulling them out to play in the middle of a "practice" session. You lose focus on the task at hand and spend a lot of time for little gain.

[@Codswallop58]

Another little mantra you might find useful: "Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent."

[@bodhran]

Fantastic - love it!

[@ok-kay4589]

Very wise words thank you

[@tanyanishiordain1561]

I’d love to see a video on an improvisation practice… thanks so much for the great video Ruairi!

[@StopGravity]

I will keep it simple and say, this was great. Thank you for your videos. Brilliant.

[@bodhran]

Very kind of you to write, thanks for watching!

[@sueweatherby3729]

Excellent video Ruairi! I'm going to play this now and again and try to develop better habits and attitude towards practicing. I'm struggling right now and hope this might help. Cheers!

[@cherisarton7075]

This was a very informative and helpful video. I am very glad I saw this at the beginning of learning to play the Bodhran!!

[@bodhran]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tomdibella7845]

amazing.. thanks so much for this. really helpful.

[@bodhran]

Very glad to hear it Tom! 🌟

[@emoakland5339]

Hi, Ruairi. I’ve watched your videos on the bodhrán and found your approach to teaching it very useful. This video on practicing is also great. I think a video on improvisation would also be great.

[@bodhran]

Thanks for the kind words! Improv on the way soon

[@fernandodeboer224]

Really brilliant 🙏🏽

[@bodhran]

👍👍👍

[@viviennecarty2418]

Fantastic lesson Ruairí. Thanks so much 🇮🇪🔥

[@AlexPetcu]

Great video Ruairi!

[@bodhran]

Thanks Alex!

[@annvicary6101]

Thank you Ruairi - spot on! Clear, practical steps. Still playing my bodhran at gigs and now learning guitar, so all your advice very much appreciated and followed. Looking forward to your thoughts re improvisation!

[@bodhran]

Ann! You are a rockstar! Amazing to hear - keep it going and all the very best on your musical adventures!!!

[@oferbechor1579]

Thanks so much for the video - I am a new subscriber and really like your channel 💜

[@bodhran]

Welcome!! And thanks for your kind message

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Wonderfully said! 😊

[@bodhran]

Glad you think so!

[@rokkalavinay]

Bro i am not sure what's ur rating during videos on drummers across India and afgan. But i think those are epic and should continue for the complete world

[@denisbudbud]

Agree absolutely.

[@bodhran]

Thank you for the kind words 🙌 More on the way soon 🤝

[@xaouf2]

Great stuff