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How Many Hours a day do you practice?


swleary

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I always try to get in at least an hour a day but many times manage much more than that. Now that I am in a band I'm doing my weekly classes exercises and regular practicing plus learning all the bands tunes... Today I practiced all day long just pausing for lunch and dinner...

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Practice?

 

I quit practicing years ago and started playing. This sounds like semantics, but it's not. Practice is repetitive and boring. Playing is fun. Though you gotta do a few years of one to get to the other.

 

I do have to spend some time each week learning new material for rehearsal - that's the only disciplined time I spend. The rest is just fun. I'm sure I could be a better guitarist with a regimen, but... bleeeech.

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Practice?

 

I quit practicing years ago and started playing. This sounds like semantics' date=' but it's not. Practice is repetitive and boring. Playing is fun. Though you gotta do a few years of one to get to the other.

[/quote']

 

Good observation. I need to practice. All I do is play. I play poorly because I do not practice.

O.O I just had an Epihone...erm, epiphany. *cough

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Geez I knew I should have said "Play" rather than practice. Lately I've been practicing King Nothing by Metallica, oh wait, I was playing King Nothing by Metallica lol. Oh no I'm confused, oh wait no I'm not lol. Yes I do like to kidd :)

 

 

I try to keep a my playing to scales,chords, trying to come up with my own little riffs, one or two songs and then fun time. Now if I could get my brain and hands to cooperate ,I'd be fine lol

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Define practice.

 

Practicing a song? A riff? chords? fingering techniques (on the fretboard you creeps [biggrin] )

 

I primarily work on songs, writing my own, coming up with riffs, and the sort. If that constitutes I would have to say about 5 hours a week, sometimes more, sometimes less, but that would be the average.

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When I was taking lessons, I used to practise for around 2 hours, 3-4 days a week.

 

Disappointingly, the material I had to practice, eventually got too big for the time I had available to commit, that I stopped showing any (significant) improvement on my weekly lessons with my teacher. More responsibilities arose last year for me, so inevitably, I had to quit my lessons.

 

From that point, whenever I find some time, I dedicate a couple of hours practising AND finally, playing / learning some songs / riffs.

 

I found out eventually that my teacher, who was really great from any other aspect, since he did not encourage me to do the 2nd part, was taking away A HUGE PART of what guitar playing was all about for me. I'm not a professional, I'm a hobbyist. Fun is equally important to progress. Although I certainly get his point (as Stiffhand already mentioned), that you need to dedicate a lot of time in proper practise in order to be able to ''play''. And I'm certainly not there yet.

 

Last month, I have only played some sporadic hours here and there,and a couple of songs with chords in from of my sons. The doze off quickly. Should this say something to me...?:-k I don't know...![cool]

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In term time I 'play' four to five hours a day, usually playing chords or supporting lines to what ever piece my pupils are studying. Additionally to that, I practice; (as in honing different aspects of my playing type of practice) three to four hours daily.

 

A typical 'practice' session will be sight reading through unseen pieces for 40 minutes or so, right and left hand warm ups followed by a jam or experimentation session. The last thing I do is work on a specific area of a piece that needs tightening up. Often so I can practice performing (especially if a concert is imminent), I perform the entire set of my current programme in front of the microphone (LOL- yes switched on)

 

Often late at night once the guitar is put down, I have a few Peroni lagers (or red wine) and listen to what I sounded like and take notes, either in my head or on paper about what doesn't work and what does.

 

My wife (an autistic teacher and studying too) aware of my autistic spectrum diagnosis says it is my 'special interest'. LOL

I certainly don't stop thinking about music! On bus rides I read through pieces I am doing and practice positive visualisation on my latest piece going over it in my head.

 

Matt

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Hi Dave

 

Unfortunately the term is hi jacked by many pseudo science groups, but it's success is quite logical really- and to do with the brain and a kind of enhanced version of positive thinking. I use the word unfortunate because many people shy away from it thinking it is hokus pokus rather than a scientifically proven method.

 

It is of course a little more than 'just' positive thinking and in my opinion for it to really work, is to almost perform self hypnosis.

It is possible to learn entire pieces of music without having access to an instrument using it.

 

For me, I find if I imagine the sensory aspects of the room I am in practising in, (in my imagination) as well as the feel of the wood on the guitar, the temperature, the weather, the clothes I am wearing, the taste in my mouth-in fact every damn detail!- I then can get lost in this. I repeat it in small bursts and then when I feel ready play what I have 'practiced'.

 

I also use it for non musical activities and sometimes nerve wracking situations. I suppose it is a type of meditation really. I hpe I answered that okay Dave.

 

Matt

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