How much time do you waste WHILE PRACTICING?

[lowrider]

I don't think it's a waste of time to look at guitars online or do whatever you do when not working, eating, sleeping, or practicing. But the other thread makes me wonder about practice time.

I wonder thougn, how dedicated are you during your practice time? Are you a nose-to-the-grindstone kind of guy, or do you think of it as relaxation?

I'm not a ''nose to the grindstone'' guy. I take it easy and I enjoy playing twice a day. I probably average an hour and a half each session, but I have my laptop there and if I think of something, I'll look it up, or I'll go to the bathroom or go tell my wife something. Out of my three hours a day, I probably ''waste'' around 20 minutes. I don't care. I'm pretty happy with the way my playing and singing have progressed over the past 5 years. This keeps me relaxed and keeps me playing.

If I had to dedicate my time to it, I probably would have given up a long time ago.

[Nymuso]

A significant amount of time is wasted at our group rehearsals because the two other members are my wife and another girl. So they start chatting. About everything. I'm resigned to the fact that about a third of rehearsal time is not going to be productive. But somehow we get things done.

[jaymarsch]

I probably fall somewhere in between the grindstone and the playground. I enjoy playing even when I’m learning but usually do pick up the guitar to play a few songs that I really enjoy playing. Lately, songwriting has been where I have been applying the elbow grease. It is very satisfying when I can wordsmith a lyric, find the chord progressions that work well and glue it together with a lovely melody or rhythmic groove.
I find that I am more productive when I take breaks to walk, grab a cup of tea or check the mail and then get back to it.
Best,
Jayne

[zmf]

Have to admit I've never thought about the idea of wasting time when I pick up a guitar. If I was a band member and had to make sure my parts were down pat, it would be a different story. I'd be a "grindstone" kind of guy.

Otherwise, playing the guitar is a pleasure. Sure, there are times when I'm learning new music that initially seems above my pay grade, I'll grind it out until my fingers are on autopilot. Otherwise, I'll cut myself some slack and focus on the sounds I'm getting from the guitar.

[J Patrick]

….i have varying reasons for playing….sometimes it’s working…sometimes it’s exploring….sometimes it’s relaxing….sometimes it’s therapy….but it always needs to be gratifying…..if it’s not I don’t do it…I don’t reckon any of it is time wasted…

[jklotz]

I have fingerstyle repitior I have to keep up, so I'm usually either doing that or working up new tunes. There is a little noodling from time to time, but mostly I focus on what I need to be able to perform. I enjoy it for the most part. I try to work on my chord inversions and scales also. That part feels like work. I don't see any of it as wasted time, although the little noodling I do is probably wasted time, although it helps keep me interested in the guitar, so even that has a purpose I suppose.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

….i have varying reasons for playing….sometimes it’s working…sometimes it’s exploring….sometimes it’s relaxing….sometimes it’s therapy….but it always needs to be gratifying…..if it’s not I don’t do it…I don’t reckon any of it is time wasted…

Totally this.

Placing much weight on the need to be "productive" while practicing seems a bit like worrying about accomplishing some specific goal while meditating.

Doesn't that go against the whole idea of enjoying what we do?

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Totally this.

Placing much weight on the need to be "productive" while practicing seems a bit like worrying about accomplishing some specific goal while meditating.

Doesn't that go against the whole idea of enjoying what we do?

Depends. If you're playing simply for your own enjoyment, I agree. If, however you have goals, you want to learn Song X, being productive is perfectly reasonable. We play the same instrument but do not necessarily have the same motivation.

[TBman]

When I'm practicing/playing/noodling I'm focused on what I'm doing. When I feel I have done enough I will then drool over guitars, strings, recording gear, and spend time on here.

[rllink]

I never put my nose to the grindstone. I don't usually get sidetracked by something else while I'm playing. I suppose you could say that often times playing the guitar is the sidetrack in itself, as that is where I go to take my mind off of other things. So I usually lose myself in it and shut everything else out. Not always though.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I don't think it's a waste of time to look at guitars online or do whatever you do when not working, eating, sleeping, or practicing. But the other thread makes me wonder about practice time.

I wonder thougn, how dedicated are you during your practice time? Are you a nose-to-the-grindstone kind of guy, or do you think of it as relaxation?

Hi Lr
Depends on whether I'm 'bringing back' a piece I have not played in ages, and how soon I'm expected to play it somewhere.

If it's imminent my practices are dedicated, uninterrupted, and intense (I'm not crabby, just focused).

But if it's just something I have not played in a while, and may want to play at our local guitar group (which meets monthly), I'll do a casual run-through (almost a drive by).

If it's for our Worship Team at church, I usually get about 3 days notice before rehearsal, and I'm always ready for those when I arrive (and open to re-arrangements).

[jseth]

Reminds me of a quote from Norman Blake that I read in a recent interview with him, where he said that there's no substitute for "time behind the box"...

I don't think ANY time is wasted if I have a guitar in my hands...

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

Depends. If you're playing simply for your own enjoyment, I agree. If, however you have goals, you want to learn Song X, being productive is perfectly reasonable. We play the same instrument but do not necessarily have the same motivation.

I don't understand this. Don't you enjoy that "productive" process? If not, why do it?

I always play for my own enjoyment, and sometimes - if Im lucky - for other people's enjoyment too.

Whether I'm just noodling idly, or learning a difficult, challenging song, I enjoy the process. All the time. I wouldn't play at all if I didn't. It's never a chore, and it's never "hard work" - except in an enjoyable, envigorating sense.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I don't think it's a waste of time to look at guitars online or do whatever you do when not working, eating, sleeping, or practicing. But the other thread makes me wonder about practice time.

I wonder thougn, how dedicated are you during your practice time? Are you a nose-to-the-grindstone kind of guy, or do you think of it as relaxation?

Both. And both are enjoyable. I'm dedicated, because its fun.

Originally Posted by lowrider

I'm not a ''nose to the grindstone'' guy. I take it easy and I enjoy playing twice a day. I probably average an hour and a half each session

That sounds like what I'd call ''nose to the grindstone''; it certainly sounds like dedication!
I never practice for that long these days. I probably did (maybe for even longer) when I was first learning (teaching myself any way I could). When I do work on something, then I will commit to it for as long as it takes. But some days I'll hardly touch the guitar - even though it's standing right beside me here...

It's like when you love the person you live with. You don't always have to tell them you love them all the time. They know...

Originally Posted by lowrider

, but I have my laptop there and if I think of something, I'll look it up, or I'll go to the bathroom or go tell my wife something. Out of my three hours a day, I probably ''waste'' around 20 minutes. I don't care. I'm pretty happy with the way my playing and singing have progressed over the past 5 years. This keeps me relaxed and keeps me playing.

Great - sounds ideal!

Originally Posted by lowrider

If I had to dedicate my time to it, I probably would have given up a long time ago.

But you are dedicating time to it! You're dedicating around two hours and 40 minutes a day! That's a healthy amount! Especially if you really are enjoying every one of those minutes!

[Kyle215]

I think balance is important. I always have a few things things I’m working on, but if it starts feeling forced I’ll just play for a little while. Or go fold laundry or something. If it feels like a grind, that’s probably not a good state of mind to make progress and it’s time for a reset.

Also “just playing” is not a waste of time… or at least it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes a good reset is just to set a metronome find a groove without thinking too much about it.