In a long line of "How Does Everyone Else Practice?" questions.
Time of Day- does it matter to how effectively people learn.
I practice regularly from 5 or so AM to 730 or so AM. Given one's state of mind at those wee hours, I wonder if I am being effective learning by ear and retaining in memory at what most people consider a God-forsaken time of day?
My daughter has been waking up very early in the morning. She has severe developmental disabilities including autism. She loves guitar playing. She even prefers strumming to finger picking.
Many mornings, when she starts moving about the house, she head to the living room where I keep my guitar and signs "music" and points to the guitar. So, very often we have practice time before breakfast from 7 am to 8 am.
I sometimes have a go on the pipes at about 3am in the morning when everything is quiet. Sometimes I find it hard to concentrate because the old cow who lives in the room underneath me continually bangs on her ceiling with a broom stick.!!
I practice every day between 7:00 am and 8:30 am, then again
between 7:30 and 10:00 pm. I find the morning practice more beneficial. It seems that whatever I do in the morning becomes much easier the next time I go back to it.
Thanks for your post. There have been a number of posts here about the importance of the music and why any of us do what we do with the music. Some cynical reposonses are depressing. Your observation that your daughter "loves guitar playing" seems to have real answer.
Demonstrates the wisdom in why there is music at all, or maybe on the flip side of that, that music is very basic to everything.
She is very luck to have you as a practice partner.
I realized that the way I wrote it I need to clarify. She can't play herself, she likes to watch people play guitar. Actually, she does sit in front of me and strum. I change the chords and she, very heavily, strums the guitar. Actually, it's almost wacking the guitar. It's a great way to work on motor control. And, the keys are very shinny and she looks for her reflection in them. She's fascinated by the keys.
The best time is probably whenever you aren't too tired and can devote some energy to listening and paying attention to what you're doing. But sometimes you just have to take time whenever you can get it.
I don't have any set time that I play, I just pick up my fiddle and play it whenever I feel like it, which is usually several times a day, whenever I have a free moment. I don't really think of it as practice, it's just something that I enjoy doing.
However, since I work 8-5 my playing is usually early in the morning, when I get home in the evening, and sometimes on my lunch break. On weekends I usually leave my fiddle out on the table and just pick it up whenever.
I'm a night owl, so starting to practice at 10pm is fairly normal. By that time, the day has wound down and I have more of a chance to be by myself and focus without a lot of distractions and responsibilities, but not so late that I'm falling asleep or my wife has gone to bed.
I practice after the kids get to bed, around 9-9:30pm. With working 7-6, I can fit in about 45 minutes a day, then I have to crash before I start over again the next day. Wish I could practice more, but the wife likes to see me once in a while.
My mornings are too crazed to practice, so I usually play after dinner (which at our house usually means I get out the mandolin about 10 p.m.) and then my husband and I play for about an hour or 90 minutes. He plays more consistently than I do, but he's playing his own pieces most of the time and does the more traditional pieces only when I sit down and start picking. On weekends, or if I'm feeling musical on a day off, I'll usually begin playing about 3 p.m. -- it keeps me from snacking.
I can't practice as often as I'd like as I have issues with my left thumb (stabbing pains up my arm if I play too long) so I have to limit how long I play and cut it out when I begin to feel achy. I can get by with practicing every other day, but it does slow down working on my technique.
Free Reid, your neighbour is in the right and you are in the wrong. No one should have to put up with some thoughtless git playing the fecking pipes at 3 o'clock in the morning! If you want to practise at antisocial hours, go live in the middle of a wood, or something.
in an ideal situation, I think that technique and technical work is best done in the morning. Your body actually trains the neural pathways better at that time of day.
Free Reed, the banging of broomsticks @ 3 am would be much more appreciated somewhere between the waxing and waning of the moon.
I say play on with abandoned glee. Let the fiddley-faddely fool suffer the curse of the day-sleeper. Play what you want, when you want I always mutter.
I practice whenever I have free time. I need to have my guitar in my hands whenever that is, so i might be watching tv or waiting for dinner to cook, or just some time. I probably practice at least 2 hours a day, working on specific tunes or just messing around learning scales, doing blues riffs, or whatever.
If ye want to be proper trad musicians ye should all give up your day jobs and play music into the wee small hours of the morning every day, then get up around 12 or 1pm and do the usual day to day crap before practising at night again. It's what a lot of the old masters used to do you know.
Free Reed, I hope the "old cow" in the room underneath yours isn't actually a witch in disguise (perhaps a graduate of Hogwarts) who might be able to fly into your room on that broomstick.
SWFL Fiddler, if my wife had a job instead of being in school, maybe she could pay the mortgage while I spend all of my time working on my music.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcaniconiosis is absolutely correct. Either you prove your devotion to something or you should abandon it.
When my father was growing up in rural China, one of his classmates always growled out his desire to one day punish all of his enemies and dominate that nation. Well sir, the young chap worked very hard at realizing his dream and you knew him as Mao Tse-Tung. (Memba him? The man with the chin mole. Obama has the cheek mole.)
Someday I may equal Mao's relentless fervor, but mine'll be for cheap whistle skills. Oh, 3:30 p.m.
de selby...Yes sir I realised that what I was doing was wrong, so as you suggested I went looking for a wood. Couldn't find a convenient one however, so I ended up practicing in the middle of a field at the back of the house in all weathers. It paid off in the end because I eventually won an award for being out standing in my field !!!.
I'd love to give up the day job. I think the Credit Card Company and Mortgage company might have issues with that.
Oh...and Herself might say something because she would not be able to have the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed! She loves ITM but tires of Pub noise rather quickly....
I love the early morning practice....Herself wanted to sell our big old falling down house for a sleek new fashionable condo. I asked her, with my practice schedule and chosen instruments (Box, whistle) and the piano in the living room, whould she be willing to take the calls at 5AM
Oh New drop. Maos people may have relentless fervor, but most of their tin whistles are unplayable!
Free Reed, speaking about practicing in the middle of a field, did you read about what happened to Nicholas when he tried to practice his flute next to a pasture with some cows in it?
Nicholas posted the story in the thread titled "Trying to keep from laughing"
Practice-Time of Day
Practice-Time of Day
In a long line of "How Does Everyone Else Practice?" questions.
Time of Day- does it matter to how effectively people learn.
I practice regularly from 5 or so AM to 730 or so AM. Given one's state of mind at those wee hours, I wonder if I am being effective learning by ear and retaining in memory at what most people consider a God-forsaken time of day?
What does everyone else think?
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Practice-Time of Day
My daughter has been waking up very early in the morning. She has severe developmental disabilities including autism. She loves guitar playing. She even prefers strumming to finger picking.
Many mornings, when she starts moving about the house, she head to the living room where I keep my guitar and signs "music" and points to the guitar. So, very often we have practice time before breakfast from 7 am to 8 am.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by grumblingoldwoman
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I often feel that I practice better in the morning than in the afternoon when I'm tired.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by Reverend
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I sometimes have a go on the pipes at about 3am in the morning when everything is quiet. Sometimes I find it hard to concentrate because the old cow who lives in the room underneath me continually bangs on her ceiling with a broom stick.!!
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I practice every day between 7:00 am and 8:30 am, then again
between 7:30 and 10:00 pm. I find the morning practice more beneficial. It seems that whatever I do in the morning becomes much easier the next time I go back to it.
But then, I've always been a morning person.
Mary
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by Antikhntr
Re: Practice-Time of Day
grumblingoldwoman
Thanks for your post. There have been a number of posts here about the importance of the music and why any of us do what we do with the music. Some cynical reposonses are depressing. Your observation that your daughter "loves guitar playing" seems to have real answer.
Demonstrates the wisdom in why there is music at all, or maybe on the flip side of that, that music is very basic to everything.
She is very luck to have you as a practice partner.
Zip
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Practice-Time of Day
can't type even when I try. "lucky" in the last line
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Practice-Time of Day
ditto that, Zip. I wish I had the time and someone in my house to practice with.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by whistler gan ainm
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Thank you so much Zip for your response.
I realized that the way I wrote it I need to clarify. She can't play herself, she likes to watch people play guitar. Actually, she does sit in front of me and strum. I change the chords and she, very heavily, strums the guitar. Actually, it's almost wacking the guitar. It's a great way to work on motor control. And, the keys are very shinny and she looks for her reflection in them. She's fascinated by the keys.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by grumblingoldwoman
Re: Practice-Time of Day
The best time is probably whenever you aren't too tired and can devote some energy to listening and paying attention to what you're doing. But sometimes you just have to take time whenever you can get it.
I don't have any set time that I play, I just pick up my fiddle and play it whenever I feel like it, which is usually several times a day, whenever I have a free moment. I don't really think of it as practice, it's just something that I enjoy doing.
However, since I work 8-5 my playing is usually early in the morning, when I get home in the evening, and sometimes on my lunch break. On weekends I usually leave my fiddle out on the table and just pick it up whenever.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by Marklar
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I think early morning is the best time to practice , rather than in the evening, when my self esteem is at it's lowest.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by chuneboi slim
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I'm a night owl, so starting to practice at 10pm is fairly normal. By that time, the day has wound down and I have more of a chance to be by myself and focus without a lot of distractions and responsibilities, but not so late that I'm falling asleep or my wife has gone to bed.
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by jasonb
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I don't have set a specific time to my playing either, but I try to practice everyday, at least for an hour (generally, more likely to be 2+ hours).
# Posted on June 18th 2008 by Bothrops
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I practice after the kids get to bed, around 9-9:30pm. With working 7-6, I can fit in about 45 minutes a day, then I have to crash before I start over again the next day. Wish I could practice more, but the wife likes to see me once in a while.
Thank goodness for weekends!
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by nofrets
Re: Practice-Time of Day
After dinner, usually around 7 to 8 pm. Food keeps me alert!
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by samiam590
Re: Practice-Time of Day
btw 7 and 9-ish in the morning - does the least damage to my marriage
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Hup
Re: Practice-Time of Day
My mornings are too crazed to practice, so I usually play after dinner (which at our house usually means I get out the mandolin about 10 p.m.) and then my husband and I play for about an hour or 90 minutes. He plays more consistently than I do, but he's playing his own pieces most of the time and does the more traditional pieces only when I sit down and start picking. On weekends, or if I'm feeling musical on a day off, I'll usually begin playing about 3 p.m. -- it keeps me from snacking.
I can't practice as often as I'd like as I have issues with my left thumb (stabbing pains up my arm if I play too long) so I have to limit how long I play and cut it out when I begin to feel achy. I can get by with practicing every other day, but it does slow down working on my technique.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Mandogal
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Free Reid, your neighbour is in the right and you are in the wrong. No one should have to put up with some thoughtless git playing the fecking pipes at 3 o'clock in the morning! If you want to practise at antisocial hours, go live in the middle of a wood, or something.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by de Selby
Re: Practice-Time of Day
in an ideal situation, I think that technique and technical work is best done in the morning. Your body actually trains the neural pathways better at that time of day.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Free Reed, the banging of broomsticks @ 3 am would be much more appreciated somewhere between the waxing and waning of the moon.
I say play on with abandoned glee. Let the fiddley-faddely fool suffer the curse of the day-sleeper. Play what you want, when you want I always mutter.
May the force be with you.
Sith happens.
Nighty-nite!
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Ray Mariani
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I practice whenever I have free time. I need to have my guitar in my hands whenever that is, so i might be watching tv or waiting for dinner to cook, or just some time. I probably practice at least 2 hours a day, working on specific tunes or just messing around learning scales, doing blues riffs, or whatever.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Celtic Guitar
Re: Practice-Time of Day
If ye want to be proper trad musicians ye should all give up your day jobs and play music into the wee small hours of the morning every day, then get up around 12 or 1pm and do the usual day to day crap before practising at night again. It's what a lot of the old masters used to do you know.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by The Transcriber
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Sounds wonderful. Who picks up the mortgage payment when I go do that?
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Free Reed, I hope the "old cow" in the room underneath yours isn't actually a witch in disguise (perhaps a graduate of Hogwarts) who might be able to fly into your room on that broomstick.
SWFL Fiddler, if my wife had a job instead of being in school, maybe she could pay the mortgage while I spend all of my time working on my music.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcaniconiosis is absolutely correct. Either you prove your devotion to something or you should abandon it.
When my father was growing up in rural China, one of his classmates always growled out his desire to one day punish all of his enemies and dominate that nation. Well sir, the young chap worked very hard at realizing his dream and you knew him as Mao Tse-Tung. (Memba him? The man with the chin mole. Obama has the cheek mole.)
Someday I may equal Mao's relentless fervor, but mine'll be for cheap whistle skills. Oh, 3:30 p.m.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: Practice-Time of Day
de selby...Yes sir I realised that what I was doing was wrong, so as you suggested I went looking for a wood. Couldn't find a convenient one however, so I ended up practicing in the middle of a field at the back of the house in all weathers. It paid off in the end because I eventually won an award for being out standing in my field !!!.
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Practice-Time of Day
I'd love to give up the day job. I think the Credit Card Company and Mortgage company might have issues with that.
Oh...and Herself might say something because she would not be able to have the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed! She loves ITM but tires of Pub noise rather quickly....
I love the early morning practice....Herself wanted to sell our big old falling down house for a sleek new fashionable condo. I asked her, with my practice schedule and chosen instruments (Box, whistle) and the piano in the living room, whould she be willing to take the calls at 5AM
Oh New drop. Maos people may have relentless fervor, but most of their tin whistles are unplayable!
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Practice-Time of Day
Free Reed, speaking about practicing in the middle of a field, did you read about what happened to Nicholas when he tried to practice his flute next to a pasture with some cows in it?
Nicholas posted the story in the thread titled "Trying to keep from laughing"
# Posted on June 19th 2008 by fauxcelt