"Practicing unobserved is healthy, too."

[Charlie Bernstein]

Tinnitus put that line in another post, and it occurs to me that it's the only way I like to practice. Playing with people and playing on stage are fun, but when I practice or write songs, I have a real hard time getting into it when I'm not alone.

How about you? And if it's a barrier for you, too, do you have any ways to get past it?

[ghostnote]

I wouldn’t call it a barrier necessarily, but I do by far the majority of my playing alone. Practicing, writing, recording, learning new things - all done mostly unheard by anyone but me. It’s just the easiest, best way to do those things. If I’m playing with someone or for someone, I’m going to be playing stuff I already learned - alone. Unless it’s a band practice where we have to learn to play something together, I don’t like learning things on the spot.

[Mandobart]

I've learned a lot of songs in jams. Songs I may not have known existed but for the jam. Then I can take them home and polish them up.

I also like to practice sight reading and learning songs from notation, which is never done in the jams I attend. I enjoy picking out the guitar part for a song, then pick up a fiddle or mandolin to work out that part. Or experiment with different keys to find which works best for my vocal range. This is also an activity that is too tedious for a jam.

I like to bow my double bass and play melodies on it which is another thing that can derail a standard bluegrass jam.

So playing/practicing alone has many good applications. But overall I prefer playing with friends.

[Robin, Wales]

Of course I "practice" unobserved. Who the hell wants to hear me practice!

But I "rehearse" with friends or sometimes in public if playing/singing solo (such as sitting in a park or on the seafront, or at a campsite, or other public spaces) because the skills and confidence of performance are honed that way.

[DCCougar]

Yeah, I don't do it too often these days but I got no problem playing in front of people or jamming with others. But I'm kind of inhibited just playing for myself, trying stuff out, if someone in another room can hear, if you know what I mean. It's sort of like baring my soul.

[rllink]

Playing with others and for others is what keeps me going. I mean, I play and practice alone in my basement, but I often have people over or go to someone else's place to play as well. I do a jam most weekends and generally one or two want to get together mid week. It's a social outlet for me.

[mawmow]

Alone in my music room is my way…

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

Tinnitus put that line in another post, and it occurs to me that it's the only way I like to practice. Playing with people and playing on stage are fun, but when I practice or write songs, I have a real hard time getting into it when I'm not alone.

How about you? And if it's a barrier for you, too, do you have any ways to get past it?

Hi Charlie…
We raised 4 boys (2 pairs…but 10 years apart). So for 25 years I practiced after the family was in bed (after 10pm).

I was also the boss, so I'd go to my office and practice sometimes late at night or on weekends.

[Dave Hicks]

My wife hears me practice most of the time, and that's OK. (After all, I hear her practicing, too.) But if I'm writing or recording, I vant tu bee alo-o-o-one.

D.H.

[Cecil6243]

I was always told growing up that playing your instrument by yourself will make you go blind.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

I was always told growing up that playing your instrument by yourself will make you go blind.

That only applies to organ players.

Tony

[Cecil6243]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

That only applies to organ players.

Tony

Well that's a relief!

[Silly Moustache]

In the "olden days" I used to practice when wifey was present and ask here for her comments (which were often -"too fast" or "you are singing too high".
Now, for reasons I'm unsure of, I wait until I'm alone.

One reason , as I suspect I'm more of a performer, I also practice the spoken introduction, so you could hear me practising the intro story to my songs. It helps draw my audiences into the song story.

[Bob Womack]

We used to call it "woodshedding," and the compliment was, "That boy has spent some time in the woodshed."

Bob

[rmp]

I have a place I can go, a "cave" if you will, where I can shut the door, and be totally isolated.

it's perfect.