Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with practice

more interesting beats than a metronome...

verisimilitude — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:44:23 -0800

Drum tracks. I want basic percussion only beats on mp3. Bored of listening to a metronome during saxophone practice.

Would like simple 3/4 and 4/4 beats to play along to. Doesn't have to be amazing music, just something that’s a bit more interesting than the constant click click click of a metronome.

Any more experienced musicians have tips on spicing up practice with a more interesting beat to play along with?

How can I improve my in game basketball shooting?

ben5757 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:46:14 -0800

How can I improve my in game basketball shooting? I have a pretty good shot when I'm just shooting around, but it drastically falls off in in-game situations. How can I practice in-game shooting when I mostly practice by myself?

Please recommend some accordion music to practice.

singingfish — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:40:35 -0800

Some interesting music to learn to play on the chromatic a. Accordion? I've started with fiddling around with chord combinations, "He's a Pirate", "La Valise de Amelie" and playing some pentatonic improv stuff. And a little bit of reggae. I'd like some suggestions for pieces to learn that will help with technique - left hand fingering and two handed playing. I just got myself a new (to me) chromatic (c system) 96 button chromatic accordion, and I really like the way that it's geometric layout makes sense of a lot of music theory that I kind of half know. It's a crappy chinese accordion that's been extensively rebuilt with italian reeds added, the key actions improved and a home made pick up system added. I couldn't afford it, but I knew it was a once in a decade opportunity!

So I've started learning a couple of obvious tunes, and I'm thinking about Bach's Toccata and Fuge in D minor to get some right hand dexterity going, but I'm interested in recommendations of pieces to learn or exercises to improve technique.

SWM seeks casual encounters with Piano - you must host!

Lutoslawski — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:49:59 -0800

Where in Portland, OR might I go to practice piano...for free/cheap?? I am a pianist without a piano. I have a decent keyboard, but it's just not the same at all. I'd really like to find somewhere I could practice just a couple times a week on a real piano. Preferably, I'd like to do this for free; though I might be able to scrounge up some pocket change.

I've had access to a piano my entire life (home, college), but now that I have graduated college I find myself piano-less - and I'm poverty poor so I can't afford to buy one; nor do I want to acquire a free one on Craigslist, as most would require a lot of maintenance - and besides, I don't really have anywhere to put a piano at the moment anyway.

Any suggestions? Do universities/community colleges ever offer some sort of "practice room membership" thing? Do you know of any rehearsal spaces with good pianos that aren't too spendy??

Thanks in advance everyone!!

How to start marketing a dental office.

beingresourceful — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:52:45 -0800

How do I start marketing a dentist? How do I effectively start marketing a dentist?

She has been a dentist for thirty years (many of those years as a professor), and now she has started her own practice.

She can do cosmetic dentistry, but she really likes pediatric/adolescent dentistry. She is also excellent (and I think prefers to work) at what I could call "major" dentistry, requiring going under. Her practice is located inside a hospital -- definitely something most dentists don't offer. She seems to think cosmetic dentistry is over-saturated (but if your idea is good I can convince her otherwise). I think she really likes those dental-insured patients that need extensive work.

I haven't marketed dentists before. How do I get this lady new clients? I want her to make lots of money, so I can ask for and make lots of money. If it's not win-win, I'd rather not take the job.

The Bored Psychologist

chaoscutie — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:19:34 -0800

Please help me fill up my time. I am a psychologist in private practice, and thanks to the recession, I have multiple times during the week with nothing to do--this is a new experience for me, and aside from the anxiety of not working as much as I need to, I am also bored to tears. Unfortunately, it is an hour here and an hour there--never any good block of time, and although in the future I may have to rearrange my schedule and put all my hours together, at the moment I am trying to maintain hope that I will be able to fill those hours with new patients. I am sick of surfing the internet, going for walks, updating patient files, and reading whatever (professional literature, novels). Any suggestions, Mefites, for how I can spend my time more productively, or at least entertainingly?

What would you focus piano practice on if you could do it all again?

HopStopDon'tShop — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:28:42 -0800

You play the piano fairly well, you've had lessons, you enjoy it and when I tell you that I'm learning the piano you tell me that looking back on all the years of lessons and practice, the one thing that helped you the most of all was ________, and the thing that you felt was a biggest waste of your time was ________. Can you fill in the blanks for me? I'm just trying to find out what things people, in their personal experience, felt helped them the most in getting to where they are as a piano player, and what helped them the least.

Very personal, I know there's no secret trick, just curious.

Where can I practice piano in DC/NoVA?

phrontist — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:01:13 -0800

Is there anywhere in the DC area I, being relatively broke, could practice on a real piano? I'm about equidistant from East and West Falls church metro, and I don't drive.

I want to rekindle the love of music!

Yasuo — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:25:45 -0800

I liked piano at first, but under the stress of preparing a huge portfolio for college, it's quickly replaced by resentment and boredom. More inside. How do I rekindle my joy of music? I'm willing to try anything. Here are more details as to why I'm in a slump:

-Frustration is my main source of my procrastination. I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE MEMORIZING. It takes up 80% of the time and effort that goes into learning a piece, and I JUST HATE IT. I would memorize a few measures, then quickly forget it as I move onto the next. I have to memorize away from the piano because I tend to depend heavily on muscle memory, which in turn leads to a very public humiliation.

-Playing other people's music is not satisfying enough especially after all the stress and work put into memorizing them. I want to get into music composition, but I'm not sure if I'm up for an unstable life and an inconsistent income.

-Goal. I lack one. Teaching is inevitable these days for piano, but I don't really want to sit in my house doing the same thing everyday.

So should I forget about music conservatories because I find playing other people's music unsatisfying, memorizing them too difficult and frustrating, and don't want to end up teaching? And what about composing music? I'd like to enroll in some classes for this, but don't know where to start as a high school student in the L.A. area.

Comparing methods of preparation by gymnasts and musicians

Busoni — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:48:59 -0800

How do Olympic gymnasts (and other gymnasts at the elite level) train for their routines? Do they break their choreography into segments? Is there a set, systematic schedule or program used across the sport? A way to measure their progress? How might this compare (or apply) to the way a musician might prepare for an audition or a competition? (Incidentally, to give an idea of the sort of answers that are being sought, this question arose after noting points of comparison between programming in weight training and practice in musical performance.)

Movies in Spanish

swellingitchingbrain — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:02:13 -0800

What are some good movies that are entirely or mostly in Spanish? I'm going to South America this summer and I want to brush up on my Spanish before I go. I've found on previous trips to Spanish-speaking countries that it takes me a few days of immersion to get back to the point where I can think and speak fluently. I'd like to hasten that process by watching a Spanish movie marathon in the days leading up to the trip.

I'd like to watch enjoyable movies while I'm at it. I plan on watching Motorcycle Diaries, El Mariachi, Pan's Labyrinth, and The Take (a documentary about Argentinian factory workers taking over their factory).

What movies have you watched and enjoyed that also happen to be in Spanish? I don't care whether or not there are subtitles. I suppose you could even recommend a TV show on Telemundo or Univision if there are any that are legitimately interesting.

P.S. I refuse to watch Destinos

Two man enter, one man leave

GleepGlop — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:21:08 -0800

I kinda feel like rounding up a couple of rubber practice knives and coating the edges in lipstick and having some simulated knife fights just for kicks. I'll be your best friend if you know a way I can easily come up with some knife-a-likes without having to actually order some practice knifes on the internet for this silly whim. Besides I work on an army base and the ones I've seen there are hard enough that it would actually hurt taking one in the ribs.

Hang out the shingle or get more experience first?

Happydaz — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:10:50 -0800

I just graduated from law school on Sunday. I want to open my own law firm and practice criminal law after I pass the Oregon bar. But how can I get up to speed fast enough that I don't give my new clients poor legal services? I've been reading several books on starting your own practice. (Foonberg's 4th edition, How to Start your own Solo Practice and Succeed by Gerald Singer, and Solo by Choice.) But these books all focus on the business side of starting a law practice. Getting clients, running an office, whether you have the right personality to solo, etc. What I want to know is can I realistically become competent enough in criminal law that my clients aren't getting screwed while I learn the ropes?

I would really like to hear from anyone who has started their own law firm in any area of law. Did you start right out of law school or did you work for someone else first? What would you change if you could do it again?

Less Cops?

tmcw — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:40:20 -0800

How do bands in cities practice? I've got the band, I need the space. So, I'm moving to Washington, DC (and so is my drummer, bassist, guitarist, etc) and would love to keep things going and play some shows if things work out. But, although some of the rowhouses I'm looking at have basements, that probably won't cut it as far as noise goes. Do people rent practice spaces? Practice elsewhere? Live elsewhere?

Please help me keep the rock alive!? Thanks

Japanese conversation practice with a native speaker in the Portland, OR area (or maybe Skype)?

wastelands — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:17:28 -0800

Japanese conversation practice with a native speaker in the Portland, OR area (or maybe Skype)? I took three years of Japanese in high school, almost 11 years ago. Lately I've taken an interest in relearning it. Right now I'm still re-memorizing hiragana and katakana, so I at the beginner level for sure. But eventually it would be cool to get conversation practice with a native speaker without necessarily spending the hundred of dollars and the firm time commitments of a college course.

Ideas? I tried posting to the craigslist "activity partner" section, but nothing came of it.

ありがとうございます。

How can I replicate the post-coital state without coitus?

zachawry — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:43:39 -0800

When I practice my shakuhachi (bamboo flute) I'm usually easily distracted, unfocussed, and lacking energy. However, I have excellent practice after orgasm. How can I replicate this without having sex with my wife before each practice/performance? I am notoriously easily distracted. Lack of focus and energy are also big themes of my life, but the only time it really gets to me is when I practice shakuhachi. I really wish I could have better, more fun, more productive practices more often. This DOES happen when I practice after having an orgasm. However, I can't have sex with my wife whenever I need to practice, and anyway "Thanks honey, that was great. Gotta go practice now!" is not exactly a recipe for marital harmony. And, I'd prefer not to have to masturbate any time I want a good practice, either.

So how can I replicate what happens when I orgasm without actually orgasming? I think it's a physiological phenomenon, so there must be another way to get the same mental state.

Please help me improve my reading comprehension on the GRE

SpacemanStix — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:59:41 -0800

I need some advice on how to do better on reading comprehension questions in the verbal section of the GRE. There have been a number of GRE askme questions, but I'm looking for some help on a specific area.

The reading comprehension portion of the GRE verbal gives me the most difficulty. I'm able to comprehend passages, but I have two problems. First, I'm a slower reader, and the GRE is a time sensitive test. Second, my mind tends to wander when I'm nervous. This creates a situation in which I have to read more quickly, my mind will wander, and I will finish up going, what did I just read?

I've taken the GRE once and did okay, but I would like to do better. This is easily my weak spot.

I've heard that the best way to do better in this area is simply to do a lot of reading (which I do), but I'd also be interested in directed practice scenarios that will help me get better at this, as well as tricks or general perspective that will help me focus and retain information better. I have GRE practice books, but the amount of material for this type of question is limited, and obviously not helpful for using more than once.

So any advice on the two issues I mentioned above (slow reading and mind wandering), as well as any helpful practice advice, would be most welcome.

How do I avoid annoying the neighbors while I practice a musical instrument?

realpseudonym — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:00:54 -0800

How do I avoid annoying the neighbors while I practice a musical instrument? I've decided that I want to take up a musical instrument as an adult who lives in an apartment and will presumably be living in a similar higher density arrangement for probably many years. How do I manage to not annoy the neighbors?

As a child playing an instrument, I lived in a suburban home, so bothering the neighbors was not a problem.

I would most likely be practicing in the later part of the evening after work, and if I were a neighbor, I think this would be the time I would be most irritated by.

Who was the artist who learned to draw hands really well?

lore — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:07:07 -0800

Who was the comic book artist who improved his hand-drawing skills to mastery? A friend of mine is attempting to recall a story he heard. In it, an artist, possibly a comic-book artist, realizes that he's much worse at drawing hands than most of his peers. He decides to focus on learning to draw hands well, and eventually he becomes well-known for being one of the best artists at drawing hands in his field.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? He'd like to know the name of the artist in question, and an actual cite would be extra-great.

English practice for ESL students in Northern Virginia?

ambrosia — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:27:49 -0800

ESL-filter: Where can a fairly advanced ESL student practice her English for free? My sister-in-law teaches ESL classes in Arlington, Virginia. She has a Thai student who is pretty advanced and is looking for a safe place to practice her English face-to-face with another person. Her local library has a conversation practice group weekday evenings but she can't make that because it conflicts with her work schedule. She does have free time weekday mornings, however.

What other places might an ESL student get some English practice in for free? Are there volunteer opportunities that would get her some English practice while she volunteers?

Pre-law school books?

xanthippe — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:52:09 -0800

What books should I buy while applying to law school? I want to decide which school and area of concentration are best for me, and learn more about the law school experience as well. I'm looking for 3 categories of recommendations:

1) I'm going to order Planet Law School and would like recommendations for similar books about the experience of going to law school (to warm my cold feet and prepare me).

2) Books that will help me decide which school to go to based on their qualities, advantages, etc. I'm only looking at the top 30 and ideally would attend somewhere in the top 10 (hoping for NYU or Columbia!) but I am thinking about finances and the option of attending a lower-ranked school that might offer me a scholarship and transferring up in my 2L year.

3) Books that will help me decide what kind of a lawyer I want to be, what I might like to concentrate on, etc. I intend to resolve this question during law school, but I don't know a lot about different kinds of law and legal careers, and the different career experiences a given area of focus/practice may determine for me. Specifically, I enjoy living outside my home country (the USA) so I want to consider and learn about concentrations I might focus on in law school that will enable me to have an international career; this could also feed back into my decision on which school to attend.

I have to put in an Amazon order right now if I want to read and benefit from any of this while making my final application decisions - your advice will be much appreciated!

How to Write Short Stuff Better?

l33tpolicywonk — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:33:25 -0800

How do I learn to write crisp, short and in-depth memos? Inspired by all this publicity over Gladwell's Outliers, I've decided I have to get in my 10,000 hours of practice in my craft (public policy) if I'm going to be any good at it. Problem is, I don't know how to get lots of practice with feedback in the writing style I think I need to bone up on: the clear, short, and to-the-point memo. While I've been taking plenty of internships, I don't think they're providing quite as much practice as I need to get really good at this really quickly. While I can do some blogging, I don't really think the voice people look for on my blog is quite the same.

Any ideas on places my writing can get the once-over by tough critics? Any ideas on how I can better critique myself? Any organizations / web places I can write for that will just let me get in as much practice as possible?

How can I keep my dancing skills fresh over an extended absence?

philosophygeek — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:28:09 -0800

I have been learning to swing dance for almost a year now, and I have enjoyed it very much. However, I will soon be traveling for an extended period of time (over six months), and will not be able to continue with my classes or lessons during that time. What can I do to keep my skills from atrophying while I am away? Additional, possibly relevant information: I dance West Coast swing, usually as a leader. When I do compete, it is still at the novice level, but I am not a raw beginner. I won't have a partner with me with whom I can practice, and I have not been able to find other clubs in the places where I will be traveling.

How do I meditate regularly?

wastelands — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:31:02 -0800

How do I establish a regular meditation routine? Back when I was in college, I had a lot more time and energy on my hands. I was able to get deep into meditation and see tremendous benefits in terms of mood, concentration, confidence, etc. At some point I lapsed and fell out of practice, though.

Now, several years later, I'm working full time, and I can't get into a regular routine. I've tried:

* In the morning, shortly after waking, but I'm too groggy to have the alertness necessary.
* At night before I go to bed, but then I'm too tired to focus.
* During my lunch break. I've had the most success with this time period. But it can be difficult on a work day to find a quiet spot and to have enough time. I'm lucky enough to work close to home, but I only get about 10 minutes if I go home to meditate after lunch.

Anybody else struggle with this problem? What did you do to fix it?

I should note that I have no interest in going to a religious group to meditate. I want to do it on my own.

Thanks.

How do I start a private practice as a clinical social worker?

marlys27 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:31:36 -0800

I am a clinical social worker looking to start a private practice. Are there any good books that cover the basics on how to do this? if you are in private practice, how did you start? What are the main things I should know? Is it possible to make a living doing this? Should managed care be avoided? I have worked as a school social worker for many years. I specialize in adolescents and addictions counseling. Can I make a living without having to have another job? How many hours do you work as a therapist? Is it isolating? Boring? Emotionally taxing? (More than agency work?)
How do you market and promote your practice? I took a seminar about this and it turned out to be a shill for becoming a life coach - that is something I do not want to do.
I would like to do something with online/distance therapy - does anyone have any experience doing this?
If you are in therapy, what made you choose your therapist?