Top 7 Practice Tips for Musicians || OcTalk

[@BaconJake14]

My high school orchestra teacher always said "The fastest way to being fast is starting slow." which I always found more helpful than my university orchestra teacher who thinks that if we don't practice at tempo we'll never perform at tempo. Personally, starting slow and incrementally moving up in speed is waaay more helpful in learning any piece of music.

[@DavidErickRamos]

Haha, I love that quote. So true!

[@3nertia]

"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast" is another way of saying basically the same thing

[@astridposey]

There are a few of us who are good at sight reading, but for the majority, this is true, especially at a professional level. Even if you can sight read well, allowing down allows you to have played at tempo, but go back and see what you may have missed (key changes, awkward rhythms, difficult intonation, etc) My university director went in the opposite direction, would slow us down to 60 BPM and increase in increments of 5. And if we messed up, we had to go back by five. It was helpful, but it was tedious.

[@kitsune_7_451]

He is spitting facts lol 😂. My guitar used to tell me that and whenever learning something fast or something complicated it always helps to take it slow at first and slowly ramp up the speed so you can keep up with your playing.

[@naturewatcher7596]

'Choose the song which you can learn in 2-3 weeks'. Omg... Any song which I can't learn in 5 min is too difficult for me. :) Wish I could be more persistent and organized. Thank you for great tips!

[@mewzetm8928]

Practice makes perfect, nope .. Perfect practice makes perfect. That's the Best information to start with, in my opinion. Practice those scales every day and driving my family craz even though I've learned a few songs. Keeping the very basics fresh in my mind. Thank you for all the videos you've taken the time to make, and for all the help you've given to new ocarina players! My first ocarina was a soprano C 6 hole pendant I got as a birthday gift on Feb. 4th 2019, because one of my family thought it was a 'pretty necklace' I could wear. They didn't know I would start 'making loud noises' with it! I now have 3 Ocarinas to 'makes loud noises' with .. LOL! The 6 hole pendant, a 12 hole tenor C, and a double alto C, for the increased range it has.

[@RoxyRocksTV]

Great tips !!! I am going to schedule my practice sessions 😁✌🏻️

[@DavidErickRamos]

Thanks! Let me know how it goes!!

[@choreman6163]

I dont have an ocarina yet, im planning to buy one and learn how to play it... Also, im trying to learn piano, i have one in my house, and im having music class in my school, i dont know why, but this videos makes me feel like i can learn both, sooo i guess i have to say thanks c: i discover your vids recently, and gave me cheers to keep playing instruments, btw, i love music, so one of my goals is to be a professional pianist Once again, Thanks for you help....Btw, im sorry about my english, it may be wrong, but i tried my best *coughimmexicancough*

[@therosskonian2579]

Great tips here, thank you for the video. I have one to add (although not as important as the ones covered in the video): Record your rehearsals. It helps so much to listen back to your sessions when you are completely away from your instrument and in a different mindset.

[@Cassarilla]

Awesome tips! I especially appreciate the slowing down to get it right part. (It took me a while to accept that one! lol) I'm a person that plays by ear and all of these tips very much still apply. Also musicians should know to not be afraid to say "I don't know how to do that." I'm learning guitar, but my younger brother has played most of his life. There are times I'll bring him a riff or something I don't get and let him listen and figure it out to show me. Asking people that are further along in their skill level is so helpful! (Anything a person is good at now, they probably didn't start out that way. Keep trying! ) Thanks again for this list!

[@sparklefulpaladin]

Definitely! I don't have any ocarina-playing friends IRL, but if I have a music question, I have friends who have backgrounds in other instruments and I'll ask any of them about stuff ranging from how to read sheet music (on the off chance I'm not playing by ear) to whether or not a song I've played sounds right. And for ocarina-specific questions, usually someone else has already asked them and they've been answered on one of the Octalk videos/comments sections =)

[@hackedlinkstatic2810]

I had a ocarina for a month and already can play the song of healing completely and song of storms and still learning more

[@Hiireo]

Right now, you are tip 7 for me XD I just started, really, and aside from getting tips from you, and how to play, and the octalk series, I also got a colleague who saw I started picking up music... So now his interest in me playing something is a second round. We agreed that within a month, I will play at least one tune by heart. So Time to get started :3

[@audrewade1701]

Thanks for the tips, David! One thing I do to get myself excited to practice is play a song I tabbed for myself. It reminds me that even though I'm a beginner, I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.

[@DavidErickRamos]

That's a great motivation tip and transcribing to tabs or sheet music is a great ear training exercise too!

[@Jordan-oj1mj]

Because I was so tone deaf and bad with breath control, I practiced my ocarina on my morning commute! Only at stoplights! After a month of practicing every morning, I found out I could play all the notes well. Now, I can play for a couple songs well, too!

[@drompus4639]

Something that I personally do is learn a somewhat simple song that I enjoy, that way whenever I feel discouraged or bored I just play that song and it motivates me.

[@masonjar190]

drompus im the same

[@liammcguigan1783]

I used to do the same thing when I was juggling full time. A good friend told me "Never end your practice session with a failure", so if I was struggling I'd switch down to an easier trick that I could do well and end with that.

[@Alxmir23]

got issues quickly covering/uncovering the 2 small holes

[@Fallibleandflawed]

Good video! Thanks for the tips

[@lilloves11]

One thing that I find that really helps me with practicing on my guitar is to go outside and sit in a chair because there are no distractions and it's peaceful and relaxing so I'm not stressed at all live in the country but if you live in a town maybe your neighbors will like hearing your music 😊

[@cheydawggenius9513]

I would only say that practice makes improvement. Expecting perfection sets you up for disappointment with each "failure" or mistake. We should focus on how we're gradually improving over time!

[@NeroWolf42]

that's pretty much what he's saying here. good tips

[@cheydawggenius9513]

@@NeroWolf42 "practice makes perfect" is different from "practice makes improvement." Sometimes the biggest hurdles we'll face is in our own mind. Expecting perfection from practicing x amount can lead to feelings of frustration and distract us from realizing how much we've improved during the process.

[@terrenceseidel169]

David your a good Teacher!!!!!

[@CoffeaLight]

I'm learning how to play the ocarina and have been using tabs until now. I started to learn reading sheet music but some of the notes go above what my 12 hole can play. How do you find good sheet music that fits the scales of the 12 hole ocarina? Also I use piano sheet music since it's more versatile.

[@adeljanahi8400]

This really applies for everything, not just music. You have some great advice and I can see that you've experienced a lot so great job and thanks for the tips!

[@bellumxyz1354]

Thank you SO MUCH!

[@TheScarletLust]

Hard to practice.... I'm a night walker and as I found out you can't really play the ocarina softly.

[@austinstowe6570]

I can relate. I live in a woodsy area, so I can go outside if my fiancée is sleeping. In the summer months it’s fine, even preferable with the atmosphere being outside gives, but in the colder half of the year, it’s gonna suck lol

[@3nertia]

@@austinstowe6570 Time to build a heated garage!

[@TeiTheRat]

I just keep practising happy birthday because i want to play it to my family

[@Flasheals]

Hi, David. Just wanted to thank you for your video. It has helped me have a better out look to practicing my Major scale on my piano. Due to my health, I can't play an Ocarina or any wind instruments for that matter. Which made me super sad, and this video has helped me to not give up on being able to play music even if it means I have to play it on the piano. I look forward to more How to Videos. 😊😄👍

[@DavidErickRamos]

Thank you for your kind comment and so happy it was helpful to you!

[@frenzied3478]

There is a shortage on ocarina teachers. I kinda freak out when I see someone playing one (Not many ocarina players in my state). I once helped someone else though ;)

[@johncaper5802]

David thank you for doing this i just started watching your videos your my idol!

[@FracturedHope01]

Thanks David! :D

[@DavidErickRamos]

You're welcome! :D

[@tjbradyfive3225]

I had watched a few of your videos keep up on them vids great job!!!!

[@Fayli]

Yeay another octalk video ^_^ I am lucky to have a husband who understands music, he can hear me play and will occasionally give me some feedback. He was also the one who said to me to play slow first to learn how to play and then speed up to the right tempo(it works). I like to take my ocarina with me when I am in costume, but when I am in public I black out in the middle of a song and I start shaking.. hope that will be better one day =P

[@DavidErickRamos]

Yes, something I didn't mention was that practice builds confidence. The more you practice, the easier it will be to perform in any situation. I hope to post another video soon with performance tips since a lot people struggle with it.

[@cartoonworld1000]

Fayli that's a beautiful relationship you have with your husband. I hope I can have a similar relationship with my wife when I get married.

[@solamondixon4720]

Aweome Tips. especially that last one..

[@DavidErickRamos]

Thanks Deejay, hope it helps!

[@stevewolfe3214]

Thanks for the great tips especially about keeping a log. - I'll have to try that. As for me, I am learning/re-learning how to read music. So Suprano Recorder books, songs, and KZbin videos have been helpful. As for the recorder . perhaps a bit Juvenal, but fun. Also Irish Whistle method books and songs. I am finding that the advice seems transferable - articulation, breath pressure, posture, playing notes. etc.

[@sketchmarks5270]

Mentor me David! LolI like to print out training charts like a schedule to keep track of and give myself a sticker for each day I stay on track.

[@FreddyFazbear101]

WHO WOULD DISLIKE THIS

[@cartoonworld1000]

Azureus asshats with nothing better to do

[@TeiTheRat]

@Faltroshish I am bad at ocarina but i didnt DISLIKE this

[@frogtownocarina7500]

4pm to 5pm every day

[@redgr8776]

I talk spanish but you help me very much with your videos, thanks :)

[@ThePvpDerp]

this is really great advice thanks :)

[@superlogangamer2406]

Hey I loved this thank you btw I got an alto C 12 hole Zelda replica

[@lmaChroma]

My practice place is at work, I work nights in a hospital kitchen so there's plenty of space and nobody else is there.

[@luigi7781]

i play fis theme over and over when i practice.

[@walterwaligura3856]

Do I am the Doctor!

[@cianshamrock7112]

My routine watch 2 oc talk videos a day then practice exercises for 30 minutes

[@rustyholt6619]

blues is mostly scales

[@miripiliuwu2749]

Nice :D this will help me a lot! Too bad my ocarina broke, now i want to practice...

[@DavidErickRamos]

Dang. Sorry to hear that :(

[@frenzied3478]

Songbird has ocarina that are like 10-20 dollars (Minus the tax. I bought one and the shipping was 10 dollars) and they sound pretty good. Look in Ocarinas for Beginners.

[@cartoonworld1000]

* Frenzied * my shipping was $15 lol, probably because I'm in Canada

[@mandoloops5883]

David Erick Ramos. I would like to thank you for inspiring me to play the ocarina. also can you tell me what glue is good for fixing ocarinas

[@DavidErickRamos]

Awesome! Gorilla Glue brand Super Glue is my favorite. The bottle with the blue top. www.amazon.com/Gorilla-7805001-15g-Super-Glue/dp/B001IY82FM

[@sonyboat4337]

Darn! I had an online culinary lesson but I got the notification. So unnoficial first :)

[@DavidErickRamos]

Better late than never :P Thanks for checking out the video!

[@cashewfilms5372]

Nice

[@zxcvbnmasdfghjkl9439]

do you know any ocarina makers in the carolinas

[@DavidErickRamos]

I do! hindocarina.com www.spencersocarinas.com

[@zxcvbnmasdfghjkl9439]

+David Erick Ramos - Ocarina wow thanks

[@kroutonjr]

hows the kickstarter coming its been over a month since last update lol

[@MrYoungrhymes]

i purchased a dragon tooth ocarina as my first instrument. bad idea. but at least i know how to practice now

[@paliccolo]

why is it a bad idea?

[@RozoTheGreat]

From what I've seen isn't the dragon tooth just a regular 12 hole? Maybe starting with visual tabs will help, that's how I got started. The songs from Ocarina of Time if you are a zelda fan are easy to learn and memorize, and they allow you to get a grip on how ocarinas work.

[@paliccolo]

i'm learning from tabs as well. No friends of mine play musical instruments so i have no help there. The only source of feedback i get is when i perform a song in front of them. Zelda songs are super cool even if you didn't play all the games and have no emotional connection to the songs.

[@frenzied3478]

+Jon Visual tabs from LoZ are a great idea. it's what I started out on. tell more people.

[@sparklefulpaladin]

Tabs are great to start out with and there's a lot of good tabs for 12-hole and 6-hole ocarinas. If you're starting out without much of a musical background, children's songs are also often pretty simple to learn how to play and you can either figure out most of them by ear or find sheet music/tabs online.

[@hermanfardal9954]

What if my familly hate me practicing?

[@DavidErickRamos]

Yeah, that's a tough situation. Check out this video for tips about that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJqynWqNq8qUna8

[@kornblazer]

Hi

[@DavidErickRamos]

Hola.

[@kornblazer]

+David Erick Ramos - Ocarina This is the best moment of my life

[@frenzied3478]

+Wham.mlg Uh.....Hi?

[@cashewfilms5372]

My ocarina has four holes at the top and two at the bottom. What are the bottom holes for?

[@DavidErickRamos]

+cashew films the thumb holes are uncovered last. They're for the highest notes, D and E.

[@cashewfilms5372]

+David Erick Ramos - Ocarina thanks for letting me know about it

[@liamhoward6328]

3 people disliked ima find them

[@MarkChan]

practice? we talkin' bout practice.

[@DavidErickRamos]

PRACTICE!

[@plasticyarn2747]

I practice songs when I'm not near my instrument by using items to imitate my instrument.

[@jaxius2511]

Fanda FantaFountain There was a man who did this in prison every day for 10 years.. when he got out he was a professional flute player!

[@plasticyarn2747]

Wow O_O

[@zechlin6975]

WHERE EARLY CLUB AT?

[@willdevine7748]

here

[@Jasokku]

right here

[@viso7251]

there is no such thing as perfect practice...

[@crow464]

first lol #EarlySquad

[@mollyblue7807]

1st Comment!

[@DavidErickRamos]

🏆

[@onelext3166]

666th like. :)

[@CoffeaLight]

I'm learning how to play the ocarina and have been using tabs until now. I started to learn reading sheet music but some of the notes go above what my 12 hole can play. How do you find good sheet music that fits the scales of the 12 hole ocarina? Also I use piano sheet music since it's more versatile.

[@sleverlight]

an Ocarina is a treble clef instrument this'll help you read music kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHaykmyqbNqViq8