Practice blog of David Story - David Story Toronto Musician

David Story Toronto Musician

Poland Jazz Workshop 2018

1/16/2021

I'm the old guy at the back. What a great week of learning that was. Seven days with Ali Jackson and Aaron Goldberg.

Old Dog, New Tricks

1/14/2021

I've enrolled in the Royal Conservatory of Music's "How To Teach Music Online" course. This should be interesting. It's important to expose ourselves to new ideas in areas we believe we are competent in with an open mind. Stay tuned for a review.

How to Teach Music Online | The Royal Conservatory of Music (rcmusic.com)

David

Going Forward in 2021

1/2/2021

Living by design in 2021. Shit happens: Covid. But, we can still make plans and head out with some confidence in a direction of our own choosing. We will get there? Who knows. If we have the privilege to consider this idea though, I say go for it.

0:00- Introduction
0:33- Evaluate your progress
1:20- Recognize your setbacks
1:57- Adapt to your current reality
2:45- Make sure your goals are SMART
3:30- Write down your goals

Sales tune-up. Why?

No sales= no business.
No business= no opportunities, no freedom, no fun.

Links to each point

Have a clear vision of why you are practicing 00:15
Create a practice schedule 01:17
Don't over practice 03:11
Isolate the problem 03:51
Incorporate practicality 04:45
Attack concepts from different angles 05:32
Practice slow and gradually speed up 05:57

A New Year, Another Chance To Get It Right

1/1/2021

I am a slow walker, but I never walk back. --Abraham Lincoln

Piano: practice my students' pieces to perfection. Jazz Trio with Rory and Tim.
Synthesizer: fun with my friends at Fade/Dissolve, Jacqueline Leung, Toronto Improvisors Orchestra, and the Array Crowd.
Drumming: Jazz Trio with Rory and Jim, Roland and Ed. Geez that's a lot of trios. Pursue a seat in a big band. Rock on with my mates in Burlington in our classic rock group, "The Vintage People". Plus jamming in the community as that opens up again.
Composing for the Jazz and Synthesizer bunch.

Those are all good reasons to practice, study, and dream.

David

Holiday Practicing Christmas 2020

12/20/2020

Daily Classical Piano

Play piano/violin duets with my wife Heather.
A Beethoven sonata would be a good paired with a Bach prelude and fugue. My piano coach will be impressed.
Some deep listening time
Technique

Daily Drumming

Solidify my Latin drumming basics: Songo and Mambo
Bebop language
Homework from my coach
Reviewing repertoire: Jamming will be starting up in the spring and early summer, I will be ready.

Synthesizers

Play, have fun, make a noise

David

What I'm listening to today

12/20/2020

I'm contemplating a less hurried world, a world with of less stress from the daily push and pull.

David

Practicing in anticipation of a post-pandemic world

12/6/2020

Thirty minutes a day on piano scales, chords, and arpeggios.
My sad Bossa Nova foot patterns are moving into Samba territory.
Student repertoire is being practiced daily. Though with over 100 titles taught weekly, only selected titles are reviewed.
Work on updating my blogs is going full steam ahead.
I'm working on new repertoire in drumming: classic rock and 21st century funk!

Three short piano improvisations

11/26/2020

I'm starting to prepare for a post-Covid world, yes I really believe it will arrive. So, I'm back at the piano exploring new musical sounds getting ready. Enjoy.

Metronome workout

11/25/2020

I want to change my time sense. I play on top of the beat. Drums and piano ride front and centre. I want to learn to control my placement, consciously and deliberately. At age 61, why not? If not now, when?

Metronome exercises

Drumming ideas from Lowell Whitty

On the beat
On beats 2 and 4
On beat 4, 2, or 3
One an “and” of any beat

Classical Piano From Jacqueline Ching-Ling Leung

One beat per measure in Chopin Mazurka in A minor
Then slightly ahead of beat one
Then slightly behind beat one
1. Each phrase may have a different approach. The metronome stays steady. The score gives clues which approach to take.

This should keep me busy.

David

Lockdown 2.0

11/22/2020

It's arrived. Lockdown 2.0

I'm changing the focus of this blog to a practice blog. I hope this will be helpful for my students. Secondly, it will help me stay focused over the winter as we await a miracle.