Your worst playing habit is.....

[OptimusJay]

Hmm….
Playing by myself - worst habit is probably playing things I learned a few weeks ago and keep playing over and over.
Playing with others in a jam setting (full band) - focusing on my own playing too much. I’ve really tried to make an effort to really hear the others and let the collective effort sound good as a whole, let a song have space and not fill every part with something playing of riffs or whatever, that might not really add to the music.

Jay

[Emil]

Without a doubt being too comfortable playing in my own home by myself.
I should play more with others. I know that’s when i really ad useful things to my toolbox.

[fpuhan]

For lack of a better term, I'd say "overplaying." By that, I mean I sometimes (often) play "extra" strings when I don't mean to. This could also be failing to mute, but I think it's just sloppiness.

[Bluebonic]

My fly-away pinky on my fretting hand, and anchoring my pinky on the pick guard on my picking hand.

[fngrpck]

My worst habit is not practicing a song to performance level. I usually get bored with the song before reaching that level which could take some time. Unfortunately the distraction to that goal is usually another song which repeats the process. Deja vu all over again. "Jack of all songs and Master of none?"

[Skip Ellis]

My worst habit is not playing. If I'm not learning a new tune for a performance of some sort, I just have no interest in playing - the gig is key for me. I've been doing this for so long (50+) years and know most all the tunes I'd ever have to play and my dexterity (chops?) are as good as they ever were when I was was playing 5-6 days/nights a week, that I don't get stale and out of practice. My problem now is that all the musicians from my generation/age group who know all the same music have either died or quit playing. In my area, if you don't play Tiki bar music or electric blues, you don't play. I'll probably end up putting together an hour of Chet and Great American Songbook chord melody stuff and go play at the local assisted living venues. It's even harder, too, since I don't sing. I just broke off with a guy (singer) who wanted to do a restaurant thing with backing tracks - I could live with that, except I hated his song choices (except maybe three)and he couldn't sing in time even while singing with Band In A Box. I'm too old and have been doing this far too long to spend a lot of time learning music I don't care for. Too stupid to quit.......

[buddyhu]

Hmmm. Hard to decide which is worst. I’ll just say that my right hand is not the strongest feature of my playing. After years of playing with an anchored pinky and a right hand that is tight and incorrectly positioned, I have spent the last few months working with a new teacher, trying to address all the interconnected bad habits from playing that way.

Right now, I can’t do what I used to do, which was limited but sounded OK, nor can I really go very far with the new positioning and a softer, more fluid right hand. But I hope to open some new doors in the coming months/years,and to be able to play stuff that hasn’t been within reach because of my bad right hand technique.

[Brent Hahn]

As of my session last night, I've got two: mouth-breathing while recording, and ticking the point of the pick on the guitar top. I'm sure I'll come up with fresh new ones today.

[Ray Gehringer]

Worst playing habit… I’m a fingerpicker and sometimes in pressure situations I hit the strings too hard and my tone gets slightly harsh. This was pointed out to me after a recording session and since then I have been making a genuine effort to correct the issue.

[Bridgepin]

Critiquing myself as I play instead of just letting the energy flow which I feel is distracting.

I guess I would like to put it this way, I'm listening to myself VS just playing the songs and in return it can create tension.

[bmw2002]

Playing with my iPhone on the music stand, and checking my email/FB/Instagram between each tune I’m struggling through.

And every other bad habit that’s been mentioned so far.

[birkenweg42]

Noodling when I should be practicing. Unfortunately, I don't have the required discipline to actually sit down for more than thirty minutes to focus on a new piece. I usually resort to noodling after about 10 minutes.

[mr. beaumont]

Not keeping track of things, writing things down, taking stock...I've forgotten more songs than I know.

[raysachs]

Singing along with my playing. Critical mistake, and I keep doing it!

-Ray

[Pdubs76]

Playing on the couch with the guitar practically laying flat in my lap and having to twist my wrist awkwardly to make chord shapes.