Theory
Day three of Week 8 — rehearsal! Today you flow yesterday's two-measure song, repeating it without stopping. Eight weeks ago even one measure was a struggle, and now you spin the two measures several cycles at a time. With tomorrow's recording ahead, today you build the strength to go all the way through.
The heart of rehearsal is not stopping. Even if you miss a note, don't stop the hand — just move on to the next beat. On stage the song keeps flowing even through a slip. Today, join the two measures and go all the way through four measures (two cycles) in one pass. Mistakes are rehearsal's friends. As long as you keep the flow, small slips barely show, so flow the song to the end with an easy mind.
BPM 85 is the goal. Start slow at first and watch whether the second cycle turns at the same size and the same tempo. Energy tends to sag or speed up on the second cycle, so push at the same strength to the very end. Once the full pass settles, stretch it to three cycles, four cycles. A pass that turns without stopping is exactly the confidence of the stage.
Even on a 5-string, the hand shape is the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb and mind only that the flow doesn't break. On a 5-string a heavier full pass rooted on the low B is nice, too. If you spin four measures without stopping today, tomorrow's recording gets much easier. First scan again the spots the two measures pass through on the fretboard.
▶ 4-string. Every cycle the groove comes from R and 8, the fill from the G string b3·4·5. The spots are the same as yesterday.
▶ 5-string. The hand spots are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.
See it
Today you play the song all the way through! First retrace one cycle of the two-measure song, then flow four measures (two cycles) without stopping. Each example comes in both a 4-string and a 5-string version.
First, one cycle of the two-measure song. Roll tomorrow's song clearly, one more time.
▶ BPM 80, 4-string. The two-measure song you'll capture tomorrow. Retrace it clearly once before the rehearsal.
▶ 5-string. The notes and the move are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.
Now join the two cycles. Go all the way through four measures without stopping, playing the second cycle at the same strength.
▶ BPM 85, 4-string. Two cycles without stopping. Finish the second cycle just as clearly as the first.
▶ 5-string. The notes and the move are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B deadened with the thumb.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up Roll yesterday's two-measure song lightly at BPM 60 to wake the hand. Today you'll spin it several cycles without stopping.
10–20 min · Brain training Run the four-measure pass very slowly as below, carving into your hand how the two cycles join at the same size.
▶ BPM 65, 4-string. Very slowly. Check that the first and second cycles turn at the same size and the same spots.
▶ 5-string. The notes and the move are the same as on a 4-string. Keep the low B covered with the side of the thumb.
20–40 min · Real play Repeat the four-measure pass at BPM 85. If the flow breaks, don't stop — move to the next beat and flow the song to the end. Learn it on the 4-string, then confirm it on the 5-string too.
40–50 min · Record/feedback Record 30 seconds of the four-measure pass and listen for whether the two cycles join without wobble. Note the BPM that felt comfortable today.
Done when: you can join the two-measure song for two cycles (four measures) and play all the way through at BPM 85 without stopping.
Nudge the four-measure pass up to BPM 90 and check that the two cycles don't wobble even as it speeds up.
▶ BPM 90, 4-string. Check that the two cycles run without wobble all the way through even as it speeds up a little.
▶ 5-string. The notes and the move are the same as on a 4-string. Always keep the low B deadened with the thumb.
- You stop at mistakes. Stopping the hand over one wrong note isn't a rehearsal. Just move to the next beat.
- The second cycle speeds up. It's easy to hurry on the now-familiar second cycle. Hold the first cycle's tempo to the end.
- The second cycle weakens. Energy tends to sag and the sound thins. Push at the same strength to the last note.
- Neglecting low B (5-string). Absorbed in the pass, B rings easily. Always keep B covered with the side of the thumb.