Practice

[11top]

I’m not sure if seeing Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert, Zak Wilde, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Phil X, Dave Weiner, and Cory Chirko play at NAMM last week inspired me or caused me to simply throw my hands in the air in defeat.

 

[Ryan Murphy]

Gotta do the LingLing 40 hours work out.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I have always thought "Moonlight Sonata" from Beethoven was/is a masterpiece of sound. The depth of emotion I hear in it is breathtaking. Now I'm no piano player, but I can at least count lines and spaces on a staff. I determined that I was going to learn to play it. It took me months of sitting at a 100 year old upright and figuring out what C# minor is supposed to sound like, but I got through it. I still remember the day when I started at the beginning and played it completely to the end. All that emotion, those dynamics, the passion and crescendo, all came out of my fingers! What a feeling of accomplishment.

I've done similar things on guitar, like "Black Magic Woman" (the Santana version), but I'm slightly more skilled on guitar so it wasn't so high a mountain to climb. To my point:
1. Pick something you really want to learn. It doesn't matter how hard it is, it only matters how badly you want to learn it.
2. Set yourself up for success. Find the right time, the right tools, and the right location and go to work.
3. Allow yourself to have success along the way. Smile when you get that first phrase, or riff, or verse, or whatever. When you get each success, enjoy it. Forget that you have an elephant in front of you to eat. Just focus on that bite that is done and you are better for learning it. Then take out the next one.
4. Finishing the song is not the goal. The only goal is the next phrase. Just attach it to the phrases that came before. Like sentences become paragraphs and paragraphs become stories, phrases become verses, and verses become songs.
5. When you finish you will find that your complete skill set has improved. Your timing, your dexterity, your ear, everything. When you can play that challenging song like you want to play it, everything had to improve to get you there.

It isn't practice, it's sweating pearls.

I can't play much of "Moonlight Sonata" any more. It's been too many years. I'd have to relearn it, but now at least I know I can.

Make sure you have an instrument that inspires you to play!

Or in some cases instruments!

 

[alantig]

I’m not sure if seeing Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert, Zak Wilde, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Phil X, Dave Weiner, and Cory Chirko play at NAMM last week inspired me or caused me to simply throw my hands in the air in defeat.

I used to be very much in the "hands in the air in defeat" camp. I remember the first time I saw Stanley Jordan. I turned to my friend and said, "That's it. I'm done. No point in playing any more." Later that night, I was sitting on my amp trying to figure out how he did what he did.

Somewhere along the line, I've moved into the inspired camp. When I see someone like Boscoe France or Davy Knowles or David Grissom or any of a multitude of artists, I just want to play more.

It's much better this way.

 

[bodia]

Road trip to Philly. It is right next to MD. Maybe a double up and do a factory tour as well.

Just saying

That sounds like a great plan

 

[11top]

I used to be very much in the "hands in the air in defeat" camp. I remember the first time I saw Stanley Jordan. I turned to my friend and said, "That's it. I'm done. No point in playing any more." Later that night, I was sitting on my amp trying to figure out how he did what he did.

Somewhere along the line, I've moved into the inspired camp. When I see someone like Boscoe France or Davy Knowles or David Grissom or any of a multitude of artists, I just want to play more.

It's much better this way.

I don’t disagree. At my age, I know my limitations. I still want to get better, but I’m realistic about it too.

 

[BrianC]

When I wasn't in a band I practiced and improved consistently. Now that I'm in a band I find that practice is a job and that new things that I had learned prior have slipped away a bit.

I need to rededicate as well.

 

[veinbuster]

I have always thought "Moonlight Sonata" from Beethoven was/is a masterpiece of sound. The depth of emotion I hear in it is breathtaking. Now I'm no piano player, but I can at least count lines and spaces on a staff. I determined that I was going to learn to play it. It took me months of sitting at a 100 year old upright and figuring out what C# minor is supposed to sound like, but I got through it. I still remember the day when I started at the beginning and played it completely to the end. All that emotion, those dynamics, the passion and crescendo, all came out of my fingers! What a feeling of accomplishment.

I've done similar things on guitar, like "Black Magic Woman" (the Santana version), but I'm slightly more skilled on guitar so it wasn't so high a mountain to climb. To my point:
1. Pick something you really want to learn. It doesn't matter how hard it is, it only matters how badly you want to learn it.
2. Set yourself up for success. Find the right time, the right tools, and the right location and go to work.
3. Allow yourself to have success along the way. Smile when you get that first phrase, or riff, or verse, or whatever. When you get each success, enjoy it. Forget that you have an elephant in front of you to eat. Just focus on that bite that is done and you are better for learning it. Then take out the next one.
4. Finishing the song is not the goal. The only goal is the next phrase. Just attach it to the phrases that came before. Like sentences become paragraphs and paragraphs become stories, phrases become verses, and verses become songs.
5. When you finish you will find that your complete skill set has improved. Your timing, your dexterity, your ear, everything. When you can play that challenging song like you want to play it, everything had to improve to get you there.

It isn't practice, it's sweating pearls.

I can't play much of "Moonlight Sonata" any more. It's been too many years. I'd have to relearn it, but now at least I know I can.

I was far to intimidated to try Moonlight Sonata on piano. I used a piano mostly to transcribe what was in my head until I could play guitar well enough to do it there.

Moonlight Sonata is one of a couple of Beethoven pieces I try on guitar every couple of years. I find playing things not written for guitar to be a good form of practice.

 

[alantig]

I don’t disagree. At my age, I know my limitations. I still want to get better, but I’m realistic about it too.

I'm well aware of my limitations, although I do try to break past them from time to time.

But in my mind, I still picture myself singing (yeah) and being tall and thin. And I still imagine telling a band I've learned one of their songs and having them say, "Well, do you wanna come play it with us?"

 

[11top]

And I still imagine telling a band I've learned one of their songs and having them say, "Well, do you wanna come play it with us?"

Even if for only one night.

 

[dmatthews]

Or in some cases instruments!

Look... ya can't play 'em when they're in the cases!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Look... ya can't play 'em when they're in the cases!

Do you want me to start quoting Schefmans Law at you!

 

[Nurk2]

Start doing pit work and casuals. That, and a full-time job, and there aren't enough hours in the day to practice all the music you have to get through. Nothing like impending disaster to focus the mind....

At least two hours a night every night after work. All day on Saturdays. Reading (churches) on Sunday. Then the rehearsals start. Then tech week. Then shows, which is nice because you can work on OTHER shows, while your in a run with a show you've already rehearsed.

Here are some practice tips:
1. Turn off the TV. It is a complete time waster. Ditto golf, bowling, poker night, ONLINE FORUMS, etc.

2. Forget the lawn and landscaping. Mow. Rake. Stop. Gardening and such wastes your time. If you live in a place with HOA requirements, put your house up for sale and move. Ditto for an unsupportive life partner.

3. Keep the music out on a stand with a guitar plugged in next to it. Put your a.. in the chair whether you feel like it or not. Make a routine. Stick to it. In our house (multiple musicians) the rule is: "Fingers on strings, every day." Even if it's five minutes, you must play every day.

4. Listen to and play along with the music you're trying to learn. Music is complicated. Guitar music has idiosyncrasies that neither sheet music nor your "memory" (such as it is) are not going to capture.

5. Put up a calendar so you know what music you have to learn next. Prioritize. If it's easy music, don't waste a lot of time on it. If it's hard, it doesn't have to be perfect (I played Soundheim's "Assassins" last November. OMG). It has to be good enough to get through the first rehearsal without embarrassing yourself or others. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. You're never going to play anything "perfectly." Let it go.

6. Stop messing with your gear. Stop rebuilding your pedal boards. Stop swapping pickups. Stop changing tubes. Stop buying stuff. Stop. Stop. Stop. You have "x"-hours available to you. Every minute you waste twiddling knobs is a minute that your hands are on not on the guitar.

7. Give up the excuses. 98.5% of the great musicians you know were not born that way. They became great the same way anyone becomes great at something: focused practice at their chosen activity at the cost of doing other things. It's not a secret. It's not magic.

8. Have a goal. Have intermediate goals that move you to your goal. Practice them.

Finally, when you get the gig, keep this in mind:
PROMPT: Show up when you're supposed to show up. Not two hours early. Not two minutes late.
PREPARED: Never, ever, ever make an excuse. If something about your playing sucks, that's on you.
PLEASANT: Can I tell you how much work I've gotten from better players who are a PITA to work with?

 

[dmatthews]

Well... I guess beer is right out the window then!

 

[veinbuster]

Well... I guess beer is right out the window then!

I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I could manage a beer while mowing.

 

[jxe]

five minutes a day is not enough. also you must maintain the sanctity of your precious bodily fluids.

 

[Black Plaid]

One must also remember, many of us "play" the guitar, we do not "work" it.

No advice fits for everyone. Some of us enjoy the minutia of seeking the "ultimate tone", or playing with the pedal configuration.

Certainly consider what makes you happy, don't stop those things. This of course includes the goal of being the worlds greatest player, which is going to be a wee bit of work.

 

[Nurk2]

One must also remember, many of us "play" the guitar, we do not "work" it.

No advice fits for everyone. Some of us enjoy the minutia of seeking the "ultimate tone", or playing with the pedal configuration.

Certainly consider what makes you happy, don't stop those things. This of course includes the goal of being the worlds greatest player, which is going to be a wee bit of work.

I was speaking more to people up-thread who wished they played more, or better. Those are tips for playing more and playing better.

If, however, you're happy with where you are and what you're doing with your music and your gear,
then, you're happy with where you are and what you are doing with your music and your gear.

 

[jxe]

happiness of the player has nothing to do with it! you’ve changed man

I was speaking more to people up-thread who wished they played more, or better. Those are tips for playing more and playing better.

If, however, you're happy with where you are and what you're doing with your music and your gear,
then, you're happy with where you are and what you are doing with your music and your gear.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

five minutes a day is not enough. also you must maintain the sanctity of your precious bodily fluids.

Watchu mean?