Just discovered this great website: thank you for creating it! Book ordered and looking forward to its arrival.
What do you — and fellow students — recommend for practising in different keys? My instinct, each time I start a new exercise, is to work through all twelve keys. Feels like, if my fingers are really to know what they're doing and be able to improvise smoothly, they need to be able to play confidently no matter what key I'm asking them to go to. But it's slow doing everything twelve times — especially in some of the lesser-visited keys (F# ...).
Thanks for any advice ...
Adam
It gets easier over time, but I had to first break everything down into simple 1x measure phrases: a bass line in the LH OR a riff in the RH. Then I'd practice both hands together round the circle (I'll call hands together a 1x measure groove).
If that's still tough, you might have to go one step simpler and run basic triads and inversions around the circle, then move on to 4-note chords. After that, the 1x measure riffs will be an easier step.
After awhile, it becomes easier and you'll pick up the basic LH/RH "grooves" almost immediately, even if it's more than 1x measure.
An excellent goal is to eventually be able to run the phrases "round the circle" in a 4-5-1 progression. That's a nice level to reach and is a great place to really feel like you're playing with the music.
NOTES:
There are different ways to practice all the keys.
1. Round the Circle of 5ths (or 4ths)
2. Chromatically
3. If you're already doing 4-5-1 progressions you can use the 3x diminished scales as a cheat/shortcut to "play in all keys". You only have to practice a 4-5-1 progression over one of the diminished scales - to hit all 12 keys. Though you should rotate the diminished scales on different days just to get the full benefit and still take advantage of the cheat/shortcut.
The 3x Diminished Scales:
C = E♭ = G♭ = A
D♭ = E = G = B♭
D = F = A♭ = B
PRACTICE REPS Personally I visit each phrase for at least 7 practice sessions. If anything takes longer than 3 minutes to run through "all keys", it's too difficult for me and I make it simpler before continuing. In the beginning I could only do very simple phrases, but overtime my skill built up so even complicated 4-5-1 musical phrases can be run in all keys in under 3 minutes.
For important phrases, I extend the practice session by 7 days at a time, that way easier phrases can be retired at 14, 21 or 28 sessions. I've never had to practice anything beyond 28 practice sessions - that seems to be the point where even the most difficult phrases get demolished and become "fluent".