Longest time learning a phrase

[larryb]

What's the longest it's ever taken you to learn to play a difficult phrase, around a measure or two long, one that seemed impossible at first but eventually you mastered it? Days, weeks, months?

[mc1]

you are asking in time, but repetitions matter as well. some players can muster many hundreds of reps per day.

for me, if i can't learn it in weeks, maybe 100 reps per day, i find another way. (or give up)

[creamburmese]

I think it depends if you need to develop the physical skills - if it's just a matter of timing and memory it's different than if you have to teach your hands to move in ways that they are not accustomed to. ....

[Toby Walker]

I just wrote a variation for the fiddle tune Flop Eared Mule. It's about 32 measures long with some pretty tricky passages. With daily practice (MANY reps per day with a metronome) I figure around I'll have it up to speed in about a week.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by larryb

What's the longest it's ever taken you to learn to play a difficult phrase, around a measure or two long, one that seemed impossible at first but eventually you mastered it? Days, weeks, months?

A measure or two is really short, so it would (and should) not take long at all to learn, but:
1. sometimes you are making it harder than necessary (or perhaps impossible) by using the wrong fingering and/or location on the fingerboard. Sort that out. View a close up video of the tune if possible or check out various tabs that might be out there.
2. sometimes it is a basic type of technical category that you need to first work on separately.

[posternutbag]

Assuming you can remember what it felt like when you were a beginner, this question could be hard to answer. I spent forever (several days, working an hour or so a day) learning the intro to "Johnny B. Goode." Now a phrase like that I could learn in a few repetitions.

What was at the very edge of my reach a year or so ago is now fairly easy, but my reach has extended. Now what really trips me up are licks that include chords and single notes (or double stops).

As I think about it though, difficult phases still take several hours over a couple of days, so perhaps my answer really doesn't change. Anything at the frontiers of my ability (wherever that may be) takes several hours broken over the course of a couple of days. Interesting question.

[Earwitness]

I'll admit that I've waited months for the mind and hands to come together on a few things.

[JonPR]

I can't say I've ever measured the time for that sort of thing, but it reminds me of a group jazz class I once attended where the tutor began by playing us (on sax) a lick that was probably around 4 measures long, up-tempo, all in 8th notes (if I remember right), and said, "OK, now play that back to me."
Of course we all sat there open-mouthed. He's joking, right?
But he steadily went through it phrase by phrase (4 or 5 notes at a time), and by the end of the lesson (90 mins I think) we all had it, and could play it at tempo. That's all by ear, obviously.
All of us were what I might call experienced amateurs (it was a 2-week jazz summer school, and this class has been advertised - cheekily - as "advanced theory"). We probably all knew our scales and keys well enough, so after the first handful of notes we knew what key it was in, which made the rest a little easier. I'm sure parts of the lick must have been familiar, little phrases we'd heard (and maybe even played) before.
But for me it was a great lesson in how well one can do, if one is really put on the spot. At beginning it seemed impossible, but it turned out not to be.

[fazool]

I saw a youtube video on the brain's process of learning and it really clicked with me. Essentially the concept was to practice something for a while but not nonstop. Practice for a while, then rest, sleep, let your brain create the neural pathways and muscle memory to remember it. Basically let the "concrete set" in your brain. Then practice again, then rest again.

I've embraced this and found it really works.

So, I had some passages that were giving me fits and plowing ahead frustrated me so I stopped trying for a week and went back to it and played them naturally.

[EoE]

A early M.I B lesson was playing bass at the time I learned his solo on bass . have to say that one kicked my assets. there have been some paganini passages that were tough also.

[GBS]

Well, I'm fighting a 4 measure segment of Kottke's "Ojo" going on 3 months now.....

[jaylynch@yahoo.]

Originally Posted by Earwitness

I'll admit that I've waited months for the mind and hands to come together on a few things.

I've tried to learn the beginning of Leo Kottke's "Air Proofing" and finally put it aside. It would probably take me several months of daily practice just to get the first 8 measures. Decided that "Busted Bicycle" was more my speed.

[jaylynch@yahoo.]

Originally Posted by Earwitness

I'll admit that I've waited months for the mind and hands to come together on a few things.

I've tried to learn the beginning of Leo Kottke's "Air Proofing" and finally put it aside. It would probably take me several months of daily practice just to get the first 8 measures. Decided that "Busted Bicycle" was more my speed.

[patrickgm60]

Originally Posted by fazool

I saw a youtube video on the brain's process of learning and it really clicked with me. Essentially the concept was to practice something for a while but not nonstop. Practice for a while, then rest, sleep, let your brain create the neural pathways and muscle memory to remember it. Basically let the "concrete set" in your brain. Then practice again, then rest again.

I've embraced this and found it really works.

So, I had some passages that were giving me fits and plowing ahead frustrated me so I stopped trying for a week and went back to it and played them naturally.

I haven't seen the video, or read about this, but it describes my experience, as well. Multiple short sessions, with rest or other playing in between, works far better for me than fewer, longer sessions. You may not have the time to allow days between sessions, but the concept is definitely worth exploring and experimenting with.