thinking on routine

[Bob]

I have a technical routine for piano.  And others.  They're useful for making long term progress.

Problem -- I end up doing that same routine over and over.
Varying the routine is good.  I was thinking about four versions, but really 20-30 could work too.

It's planning by time again.  The only way to get things.

When actually doing the routine, that's not the best time to think about the routine. 

Planning by time means there would be some sort of steering time session at some point.  Planning.  That could take any amount of time.  And would become its own routine after a while.  Exploring for new options could be another one, to find ways to vary the routine and things to include in the routine.
So...
Actually doing routine
Planning routine / Thinking about routine?  I guess.  It's not quite planning.
Searching for more options for routine

Twenty year old idea.  Easy thought than actually done.  Scheduling it out on a calendar would be good, esp. scheduling it very easily -- easily doable, short meeting.


And the idea for evolving the routine?
Just write out the current routine.
Vary it slightly possibly.  Write that out.
Just use a text file and pick randomly which routine to go through that day.
Or do the graph paper/Excel sheet thing, but that never worked so well... A small portable laptop might be ideal.

[Bob]

But how to actually make a change?  And not let it slip away again?

Write out the routine.
Make even one small change.

Block out time for thinking, coming up with that change, and scheduling it.  Then follow the schedule for that, even at the expense of the routine itself -- The long term gains are greater.

[Bob]

I wonder if there's some kind of core structure that will get anything done....

The only thing would be to stick to the schedule.  Make the schedule easy enough so it's doable....

[Bob]

rep vs. time    Either way would be useful to push.

[ted]

Routine and discipline are essential to my music but any daily regimen has to include change and variety, always reaching out for new ideas. This is not as contradictory as it appears. For instance, although I spend time on my technique every day, mostly on my practice clavier, I take care to  constantly invent new playing forms and new ways of playing them. Put it this way, the routine part is just having the elementary discipline to work at it every day. The actual musical content is anything but routine.

[Bob]

A routine has some laziness to it.  There's less thought involved.  Efficient that way.  But if no thought is put into it again, it's the same thing over and over.


Actually I was already starting to branch out the routine a bit a while ao.  It just becomes pretty much static over time. 

Varying it with something as simple as a text file could work easily.  As long as I have the text file.  Planning long, long term (a week, a month, more) would be possible like that. 


Even with several routines, ex. 4 routines, that would get static after a while.  20-30 routines could be good. 


There's also the push element (time or number of reps).  It *has* to be pushed, otherwise it's defeating the point of progress really.  With no push, it's just maintaining what's already there.  And if there's a push, then there's a recovery/heal time involved.  Physically healing, resetting form, etc.

[Bob]

Also useful for just going through the routine, because it's habit, and hitting major areas of practicing.  And not having to spend much mental energy on that.  Double-edged sword that way.

[Bob]

For the thinking/planning part, the direction of push would be a good piece.  Which areas, what direction (strength, endurance, speed) to push in.    And whether to push, ease, or just keep maintaining it.

[Bob]

There's a zone/balance spot for actually doing the routine, tweaking it, pushing/easing things, etc.

And that spot changes.


Right now I'm on the static side, enough so that it's gotten really old.

[Bob]

I'm thinking writing down what I'm doing now is good.

And getting used to following what's writing down.  Maybe a checklist.  Then I just plan/project stuff in and out of the routine.

[Bob]

For bringing new things in...

Would have to search for the materials/technique.
Would have to actually try it out.
Then decide what to incorporate in some way in a routine.

[Bob]

Amusing.... This thought process is also the replacement for a teacher.  There's a definite role that a teacher could play in this process.

I'd rather be independent though and have something like this going.  Then a teacher is just another source of info.

[Bob]

Glad I got the main thoughts down here.

There's still the "easy way" to just keep doing the same thing.  Even with a 30-part changing routine, that's still going to repeat.  It's still missing the push part...  But it would be an improvement on what I'm doing now for sure.

I could plan out a 30-part routine, if what I'm comparing to is actually 30-parts....  Possibly.  25-part probably is more accurate....

And a multipart routine could be.... I could push and focus and keep doing the same routine segment for a while.  Stretch things out.


My brain's not working anymore for this thinking....

[goldentone]

I believe your thoughts here can yield much fruit.

There's a zone/balance spot for actually doing the routine, tweaking it, pushing/easing things, etc.

What comes to my mind is the flow concept.  That being the sweet spot where work and pleasure conjoin.  The effort we put in needs to be enough to engage us, but not where it becomes drudgery.  I agree you need to get away from the piano to let your mind open up.  For me, in all my practice, I do not want to be hedged in to stifle my freedom.  You say 20-30 different routines.  If you would define what one routine consists of that would help.  Does one routine equal one day's practice?  Technique is a challenge for finding flow.  One solution would be to intersperse technique throughout your practice session, or to incorporate one routine in that manner.

I am independent as well in my pursuit of piano.  There are excellent books out there from sages of the craft that I think are important if we seek to teach ourselves.            

[Bob]

One routine is the group of areas to cover in a day.

Varying it could be something like switching from starting on the bottom note to starting on the top note.

In terms of flow, it's flow over calendar time, not the present moment or one practice session.  That's what I'm losing now....

Except this is still good thinking.

Maybe it's...
Plan out the routine, generally following that.
During the sessions, focus on the goals, pushing or perfecting things.
And then occasionally (even stopping to do this) take time to evaluate and readjust things.


Looking at pieces of the routine...
It would cover all areas.
And there would be a goal for it, even if it's just maintenance.  Speed (fast or even slower), loud/soft... Perfection - evenness....  Those would be the things to be thinking about during the routine, not much with planning the routine, etc.

[Bob]

I think anything can become a static routine, even if it's a 30+ session plan.

There's some danger in the static part.  Probably from not pushing things.

There can be a push, or too much of a push possibly in just the planned out part.  If there is a push, easing back could be good, or just sitting on that part of the routine, ie not changing it.

And if there's a push part, there might be easing things, recovery, and resetting good form.

[Bob]

Another idea...
Just change one part while doing the routine.  No planning time to block out.  Eventually it evolves.


Or... Amusingly enough... Just use actual literature to do the same thing.  It will push a certain area while you work on it.

[goldentone]

Now you just need to put some routines in action and see how they work.

[Bob]

Yep.  My practicing is in shreds now.  I just need to get back into it, but I need some more flexibility in it.

I was able to switch a few things around with my routine the other.  Some progress/breaking out of the old pattern that way.

I'm just fizzling at the end of each day now.  Routine practice beats no practice any day.  A flexible routine is my goal though.

[Bob]

Right thread this time for sure....


I need to get back to this...

Writing things down and having the plan listed out is good though.
Having several routine variations would be good.

Always having something to write down ideas is good.
Working in pencil?



The part that's missing now is having the list right there.  Technology doesn't seem to really help much, unless it becomes more of a project.

[Bob]

Something about the lists...
Making 2 routines... to 20+ routines.
But starting by just writing out the current routine.
And the difficulty of sticking to a list while doing a routine.

And the directions for each part of the routine...
Push, ease, form, etc.
And scheduling out periods where there's a push, balanced out with easing/resetting form...

[Bob]

And stagnation is a sign possibility that it's time to shift from one direction/periodic session to another -- push, ease, form, etc.
-- Or at least that's the edge, a more difficult place to work in, less results for more effort in. 
-- Which brings up the question whether it's better to push in that area or better to switch to something else.  I'm leaning toward switching directions when stagnation happens and just including more variety in general.