Practicing unplugged

[Paul Brennan]

I hardly ever practise with an amplifier even though it's always there beside my steel wired up and ready to go. When I do switch on while practising I don't use any reverb or delay. I want to hear any faults and I want to see how good a tone I can get without artificial aids. You need to be honest with yourself if you're serious about improving. When I get to a gig it's such a joy to switch on and hear the wonderful reverb and delay. If I'm playing in a nice venue with good acoustics I'll frequently get there as early as I can just so I can play by myself for a while and enjoy the sound of the steel after all the hard practice.

I think when you always use an amplifier when practising your ears can become jaded. Then you start missing faults that you should be picking up on and correcting. I also play violin and it's highly recommended by most pedagogues to frequently practise with a heavy mute on the bridge. This makes intonation and tone more exacting and really pays off when you remove the mute and let fly. I also think you shouldn't get too hung on this. A balanced approach, as with most things, makes more sense. At the end of each practise session reward yourself with a few minutes letting fly at full bore. Fellow inmates and neighbours permitting of course! As for volume pedal technique - if you find yourself pumping it too much, take your foot off the damn thing and put it on the floor.

[Arcada]

As an aside, do you actually read every post here ?

I have to, in case someone says again

[Basil Henriques]

I like you method Paul, BUT, (You'll always find me nit picking), you say you play "Violin", fine I can go with that but surely Jascha Heifetz also plays the violin and not the "Fiddle"
As you said

I've even read an interview with Jascha Heifitz (fiddle player) where he said his intonation was not especially great.

I do jest somewhat...your posts are most enlightening.
Talking about "Violinists, I produced an album once for Sean McGuire.. "Man of Achievement" on the Top Spin label. His version of Csárdás was unreal..

Incorrect use of the volume pedal separates the Men from the Chaff or is that the Wheat from the Boys ..whatever