Difficulty with thinking fast
Beginner here. I'm wondering if my practice is focused properly.
One of my practice routines is to just play the relevant scales over a tune in time. For an easy to understand example, take the bridge of rhythm changes. I'll play 2 bars of D7 up and down, 2 bars of G7 up and down, 2 bars of C7 up and down and 2 bars of F7 up and down. (If I could stick this practice I'm about to describe, I'd try to do this in different keys).
The trouble comes when I start to play these scales from different degrees. After starting from the 3rd, 5th and 7th and running these scales up and down, I'll switch to running them down and up. Starting from 7th, then the 9th, then the 11th, then the 13th.
If all I did was pick one of them (e.g. run the scales down and up starting from the 9th) i could do it no problem. But playing in time continuously, after I finish running the 9ths down and up, I can't think fast enough to get the 11ths in time and I wind up having to wait for the track to loop around again. Or after running the 11ths down and up, I can't think fast enough to get the 13ths in time.
I can slow the track WAY THE HELL DOWN and do it - although it can be difficult to play that slowly. But I'm curious as to whether this is even a useful practice at all. I mean, I can't do it, so I think if I keep at it eventually I will be able to do it. But is that going to ultimately pay off? Am I going to unlock some freedom by being able to do this?