Practice

[Nurk2]

Your comment proves my point that you’ve got to want to practice. No matter the what drives you!

No. My point is, you have to practice even when you DO NOT WANT to practice.

When you don't feel like it. When there's other things you'd rather be doing. When people are giving you crap about practicing. When you're exhausted from work. When the lawn looks like hell. When there's something good on TV. When the kid's are looking for attention. Before and after you eat. When you just got a new video game. When your lover's looking for attention....

First. Practice.

 

[danktat]

Art cannot be taught (it's inborn)
then:
Anyone on this forum who is not born to be a musician should either,
- Stop now

Here is the thing with that [as it relates to tattooing]..........

You can have a full, rich, career full of absolutely great tattoos based on technique alone. That is because there is so much great art already out there that you never really HAVE to be an "artist" in a creative way. You can simply use your learned techniques to transfer a specific image from point A to point B and, if the technique is flawless, then even if it lacks "feel" in a sort of way, it will still have that crisp, well polished, professional look, but may never really be THAT tattoo artist that makes you say WTF!!?!??!?!

I have had several apprentices over the years that have become professional tattoo artists. There was definitely a difference in talent when they came to me to learn. Hopefully I taught them the techniques well enough that they can still make a tattoo look good when it is done. A couple I think had an artistic "wow factor" with no techinque at all....and easily advanced through the apprenticeship. A couple didn't quite have that talent so, even though they learned the same techniques, and the work is "good" work, you can tell who started out with more or less talent....even after learning the techniques and theory.

I have found the same thing in the martial arts arena. I outrank my ex wife. I might be the guy who can avoid getting is butt kicked at the bar, but my ex wife, if she keeps it up, will be the one people go take the seminars from as her rank advances. For her, it was always just "natural" in a sort of way. Even from her first class. She is a far better martial artist than I am, even though I have about 7 years of training on her and a couple of ranks.

I am hoping the same can apply to music. . . . . . To where the techniques and understanding can allow someone, who may never be a song "writer" or "creator" to be able to play most things based on the knowledge of their instrument and the understanding of the "why" things sound how they do. If not.........I'm screwed.....lol

 

[Nurk2]

We are talking past each other.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Here is the thing with that [as it relates to tattooing]..........

You can have a full, rich, career full of absolutely great tattoos based on technique alone. That is because there is so much great art already out there that you never really HAVE to be an "artist" in a creative way. You can simply use your learned techniques to transfer a specific image from point A to point B and, if the technique is flawless, then even if it lacks "feel" in a sort of way, it will still have that crisp, well polished, professional look, but may never really be THAT tattoo artist that makes you say WTF!!?!??!?!

I have had several apprentices over the years that have become professional tattoo artists. There was definitely a difference in talent when they came to me to learn. Hopefully I taught them the techniques well enough that they can still make a tattoo look good when it is done. A couple I think had an artistic "wow factor" with no techinque at all....and easily advanced through the apprenticeship. A couple didn't quite have that talent so, even though they learned the same techniques, and the work is "good" work, you can tell who started out with more or less talent....even after learning the techniques and theory.

I have found the same thing in the martial arts arena. I outrank my ex wife. I might be the guy who can avoid getting is butt kicked at the bar, but my ex wife, if she keeps it up, will be the one people go take the seminars from as her rank advances. For her, it was always just "natural" in a sort of way. Even from her first class. She is a far better martial artist than I am, even though I have about 7 years of training on her and a couple of ranks.

I am hoping the same can apply to music. . . . . . To where the techniques and understanding can allow someone, who may never be a song "writer" or "creator" to be able to play most things based on the knowledge of their instrument and the understanding of the "why" things sound how they do. If not.........I'm screwed.....lol

I’m sure you’ll have “light bulb” moments along the way.

 

[dogrocketp]

I’ve been on the planet a long time, and have had my hands repaired 4 times, so have physical limitations. I do my hand exercises every day while reading the forum. I remember seeing Elvis Presley on television for the first time, hearing women scream, and being absolutely fascinated by the amazing thing he had around his neck. My violinist mother told me it was just a guitar. That started the lifelong fascination with the instrument we can never master. There has never been a day when I haven’t marveled at the sheer beauty of our instruments. All my PRS vibrate like tuning forks when they’re played. That’s where the magic begins. We make something with our instruments. We can make people happy or sad, and cause them to forget every thing else in their lives while we play. We give them who we are. I visualize this every single time I practice. I visualize the sound of the instrument. Because of this, every single time time I practice is a positive experience. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard a band mate say “I sucked tonight”, only to hear someone say to them “You guys were awesome!” People in every artistic endeavor at every level have to remember the gift. There isn’t anything negative about playing or practicing unless we put it there. Forget time, and enjoy the experience while you’re in it. That a large part of what practicing is for. Keep the metronome clicking.

 

[László]

I majored in music in college so practice was drilled into us and some developed what I would consider an unhealthy habit of practicing too much.

I read somewhere not to practice any more than 4 hours a day. And for that maybe even only practice 1. The rest of the time you should spend learning about people, culture, and the world because music is an art which is closely related to those areas and the more you can relate through music to those people and concepts outside just "practicing" the better of a musician, and a person you'll be.

Now if you want to practice and get better, my suggestion would be to consume as much music as you can stand. When you find something you can't play but REALLY like, write it down, make that your goal and work towards it. You'd be surprised how much what you listen to influences what you play even if you're not thinking about it.

Sorry for the ramble but this is something I refuse to not help anyone with.

This is very good advice and not a ramble at all.

It’s the same with writing original music. Stop doing it, for even a short time, and the muscle gets weak.

Of course, composing all day makes all my OTHER muscles weak, because I’m sitting on my butt, but I love working out ideas and parts.