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Old 02-07-2013, 05:41 PM
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Toby Walker Toby Walker is offline
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Default How much do you practice each day?

I've been very fortunate in my life:

I never could get the hang of a regular job.

Immediately got divorced when my soon to be ex-wife told me I had to give up music as a career.

I haven't had any children.

Remarried to a musician who encourages me to spend as much time in pursuit of improving my playing.

Music... guitar playing specifically... has always been front and center. Years ago I took some jazz lessons from a guy named Larry Meyer. He in turn studied from the legendary pianist Lenny Tristano. Larry told me this story about practicing:

One day Lenny asked Larry how many hours did he practice each week. Larry said 70 (10 hours each day). Then Larry asked Lenny how many hours did he practice each week. Lenny held up three fingers. You might be thinking that this meant 3 hours a day. No... Lenny said he practiced 3 days STRAIGHT... 24 hours each day. Then he slept for one day and repeated the whole thing again.

This struck me to my core. Ever since I started playing practice has been a major part of my day, especially after reading an interview in which my idol at that time... Eric Clapton... said he use to practice at least seven hours each day.

So when people ask me the same question I tell them that when I'm home I practice anywhere from 4 to 7 hours each day, sometimes more. When I'm on the road it's a little less.... but not by much.

If you want to improve you HAVE to put in your time, and a LOT of it. As Chet Atkins once said... "there aren't any shortcuts, and believe me... I've been looking a long time for them."

You never heard of Lenny Tristano?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHBPQ...8Vd8Fzk4uhkWId
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Old 02-07-2013, 05:49 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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I try to get at least an hour a day, usually broken into some chunks. I've taken to waking early.

Being a teacher, summers I might put in four or more, if I can...that's not going to happen now that I'm a proud papa!

In my teens, it was not unheard of me practicing 10-12 hours a day...I had to be reminded to eat occasionally. I wish I had that time now.
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Old 02-07-2013, 05:54 PM
cpeehler7 cpeehler7 is offline
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Ahh, I wish I could play as much as I was a few months ago. I'm down to about 30-60 minutes a day now. Before I was playing 1-3 hours a day and loving it, but now the the semester started back up at college I don't have as much time. Doesn't help that my legs broken, so I have to crutch over a mile between classes every day, so my knuckles and shoulders haven't been feeling as good. (When did I get old?!)

Well hopefully I can get back into the swing of things in a few weeks. I'm just a recreational player anyway, so it doesn't really matter if I don't get enough practice in, but 3 days of practice? Yikes, I wonder what his finger tips looked like after that!
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Old 02-07-2013, 06:23 PM
Jackknifegypsy Jackknifegypsy is offline
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I have an oddball theory or so I've been told about practice and after taking accordion, piano and guitar lessons, at an early age, I am convinced of my take on it.

Here's a handle, mine, on what it takes to do anything, either 1)poorly, 2) with reasonable competence, but uninspired, 3) some spark of creativity and style, 4) technically fantastic, but limited mastery or even ability to make "music", 5)artistry, imagination, and ultimate virtuosity and flawless skill.

Anyone who has to practice 7 hours a day doing anything, including Clapton, have a limited talent. No ifs ands or buts so save the ether and don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about WADR, i've been told this many times and it's useless to try and change my mind.

There is no doubt that 10-12-24 hours a day of practice is indicative of one thing only: a horrible paucity of natural talent. That goes for music, art, science, professions in any form, and every other endeavor we attempt, no matter what.

I can agree that The triumph of tens of thousands of hours of practice, the dogged persistence of some few, is a testament to the obsessive desire that some have to compensate for an equally large deficit in basic natural ability. And nothing much of consequence was ever accomplished without many tons of talent, desire, training, inspiration, creativity, and it must be said, luck.

Nevertheless, by the time I get good, not ever great, i know that now, at a tune, I am so sick of it, I don't want to play it again for years.

I get---- and will ----a lot of argument about this. But there are too many examples in my own long life, as well as observing the tragedies of others who have not recognized that a certain innate ability is required to do, to accomplish certain levels of achievement at everything in life.

Long ago I came to the realization that if if takes me an hour to learn a lick and get it down solid, then I have a brain that is wired already to make this fairly easy for me to learn. And a pleasure instead of a chore.

IF on the other hand I have played MJH for hours, weeks, and months and cannot get down his relatively simple, First position playing and manipulating of three chords, and John R can get MJH down in 5 minutes, something exists in John R's brain that doesn't in mine that allows him far more time for enjoyment, for the glory of his guitar playing.

So I will practice only about 7-8 hours a WEEK. Anymore than that and I am working too hard and therefore frustrating myself at my lack of talent.

There is Mozart and then there is Salieri.

Who do you think enjoyed his compositions, nay, his life, more?
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Old 02-07-2013, 06:26 PM
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Most weekdays I can get in an hour before work and an hour before turning in. Weekend days from one to three hours each day depending on what I'm doing those days.

I feel I get a decent amount of playing time, but I'd like it to be a more focused, productive time. I often just play without any particular plan or goal in mind. I need to change that.
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Old 02-07-2013, 06:30 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Yeah, Lennie Tristano was a limited talent

It ain't about "needing to practice." It's about "wanting."

I"d argue that IS "talent." But we don't want to go down that road.

That said, ask most pro symphonic musicians and they'll probably tell you one to three or so...longer isn't better.
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Old 02-07-2013, 06:50 PM
Irish Pennant Irish Pennant is offline
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Hey Jackknifegyspy, I'm one of those that lack natural talent but I don't care. I enjoy playing and I play for myself and not for others. I play most everyday anywhere between 2 to 4 hours. I sometimes take a few days off but then I'm back at it. I can't say I really practice because my idea of practice is doing repeat monotony until someone throws a book at you. I do experiment though.
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Old 02-07-2013, 06:52 PM
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i found this a very helpful article in regards to how much and how to best practice:

http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/h...-you-practice/

for me, given that i don't have/make enough time to practice, getting the best use out of my practice time is important.
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Old 02-07-2013, 07:22 PM
Jackknifegypsy Jackknifegypsy is offline
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I had to come to that conclusion after thousands of hours of not getting to be very good.

The struggle to get---- what seemed relatively simple riffs, repeated over more than a dozen bars--- "it", led me to back away, accept my limitations and just enjoy the sound of trying to make music with some---but not too much-- application and determination, because persistence does pay some dividends, some times great ones.

I think i know exactly what you mean, though I do 'care' about improving. Even if it is only measurable in microns.
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Old 02-07-2013, 07:29 PM
mc1 mc1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jackknifegypsy View Post
I had to come to that conclusion after thousands of hours of not getting to be very good.

The struggle to get---- what seemed relatively simple riffs, repeated over more than a dozen bars--- "it", led me to back away, accept my limitations and just enjoy the sound of trying to make music with some---but not too much-- application and determination, because persistence does pay some dividends, some times great ones.

I think i know exactly what you mean, though I do 'care' about improving. Even if it is only measurable in microns.
i'm still pondering who was happier: mozart or salieri? i don't know much about salieri, but mozart died young, sick, penniless and without recognition.

anyway, perhaps if you look at how you are practicing it might be more effective. have a read at the article i linked to, i thought it was great.
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Old 02-07-2013, 07:46 PM
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Toby Walker Toby Walker is offline
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Jackknifegypsy:

I can't help but shake my head at thinking that Lenny Tristano, Eric Clapton, Charlie Parker, Mozart and anyone else that has put in vast amounts of time to perfect their craft is both limited in talent and has a deficit in natural ability.

Did you ever consider that perhaps, just perhaps they enhanced their incredibly advanced innate natural abilities and talents even more so with the additional amount of practice they have put in?

Along parallel lines, I am inclined to suspect that a person with less then stellar innate abilities can rise to unimaginable heights because they had the discipline to apply themselves longer, harder and more diligently then most of their peers. I say 'can' because obviously there are those that no matter how much time they put in simply do not have the ability to move beyond what they have been dealt with in life. I suspect that this may apply to yourself.

I am by no means trying to change your mind. I fully get what you are implying. I just completely disagree with it for no other reason then seeing this from my own perspective, as I'm sure you have come to your conclusions from your own perspective.

You admit that after thousands of hours of practice you haven't gotten very good. Ok... that's your reasoning for your argument.

I on the other hand have improved immensely over years of hard fought practice. Is it natural ability, hard work or both that have given me some game? I believe it is an equal measure of both. So.. that's my reasoning for my position.
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Last edited by Toby Walker; 02-07-2013 at 07:59 PM.
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Old 02-07-2013, 08:28 PM
Cibby Cibby is offline
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Now that I am retired about 3 or 4 hrs in the afternoon sometimes an hour in the morning. Mostly make it fun not like practice ..take a break of Sundays. Before I retired hardly ever because I never had time. Mostly work on Bluegrass leads when I Am in a learning mode..old 60 's folk when I just want to kick back and have fun..
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Old 02-07-2013, 08:46 PM
DreadFred DreadFred is offline
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I practice flat picking an hour every morning, and practice finger style an hour every evening...the other 22 hours I just waste...
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Old 02-07-2013, 09:37 PM
410adam 410adam is offline
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I'm lucky to get 20 minutes a night during the week. I have a lesson every Saturday so it pushes me to learn new things in my limited play time. My practice was becoming redundant by my self. So even with my limited time to play, improvement is happening due to lessons.
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Old 02-07-2013, 09:57 PM
815C 815C is offline
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I practice as much as I can - but not enough

Back in the day when I was young & single I'd get in 6-8 hours a day and gig 5-6 nights each week.

Took an 8 year break ('82 - '90) from playing to start a family and make a living.

When I picked up the guitar again in '90 I had a day job, two (soon to become four) kids, and a wife. I was lucky to get in 8 hours a month. But I stuck with it. My kids are grown now and I have more time to spend on guitar.

These days I get in 1 to 3 hours a day and gig 1 to 4 times each month - nowhere near what I did when I was young. Back then I was the fastest guy on the block, but you know what - I'm a much better player now than I was then. I sure ain't as fast as I used to be, but I'm much tastier now - maybe that's just old age showing up with some wisdom in my playing. And the need to shred at 180m.p.h. doesn't come along too often these days so 99.9% of the time I'm ok with the level my chops are at.

BTW, my kids, my wife, and I all like each other. It was well worth it.

Last edited by 815C; 02-07-2013 at 10:51 PM.
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