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Gospel Instruments => General Music Hangout => Topic started by: 4hisglory on May 05, 2008, 11:29:45 AM

Title: Practice per Day...
Post by: 4hisglory on May 05, 2008, 11:29:45 AM
How much do you practice per day?
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: Fenix on May 05, 2008, 11:32:21 AM
***hangs head in shame***

I should be practicing shouldn't i?

I was hoping to get some beast potion so i won't need to practice. I wanna be a beast in the fastest way possible.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: SisterCM on May 05, 2008, 11:34:23 AM
no less than an hour.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: under13 on May 05, 2008, 11:39:30 AM
For some reason  dont practice much at all anymore. I used to practice like 17 hours a week. I'm gonna try to get back into it.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: sjonathan02 on May 05, 2008, 11:39:35 AM
What is this thing called, 'practice'?  ::) :-\
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: clefnote on May 05, 2008, 11:48:31 AM
HAVEN'T HAD MUCH TIME LATELY WITH SCHOOL, WORK, FIXING UP NEW HOME.BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO BREAK IN A SHED OR TWO THIS WEEK!!!
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: T-Block on May 05, 2008, 12:35:46 PM
At least a few minutes every day, even if it's just play a few chords.  Notice I said "at least", that means I touch the keyboard everyday.  Some days I have bundles of time, some days I only have a few minutes.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: normandm85 on May 05, 2008, 11:12:22 PM
I try and touch my keyboard a few times each day...But daily I practice around 5-6 hours a day.  ;) :) :D ;D
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: themidiroom on May 06, 2008, 08:29:52 AM
What is this thing called, 'practice'?  ::) :-\
That's what I say.  I just have so much going on now and the only instrument I can just sit down and play is the Hammond.  I need to keep a keyboard handy so I can practice when the mood hits.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: teresac on May 06, 2008, 10:30:53 PM
I usually practice at least 2 hours a day with the exception of Sunday.  I usually split my practice time into two sections ... before dinner and after dinner. Sundays, I play Sunday morning services.  If possible on Sunday, I'll get in 10 - 15 minutes of practice before I go to bed.  My playing has improved greatly since I started piano lessons in December.  I am learning how to practice from my teacher.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 20, 2008, 08:51:15 AM
during my first year of playing in a church
10 hours per day

7am to 1pm

then again from 4 to 8

then over the years I dwindled down
until I was barely practicing at all


up until two months  ago I was not touching my keyboard until I played in church
because I was attending music conservatory and I was always doing stupid music homework

now I am back up to about five hours

sometimes 7

(I dont have a day job)

Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: Val215 on May 20, 2008, 09:58:22 AM
Some days...well most days...not at all ::)
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: 4hisglory on May 20, 2008, 10:13:14 AM
I usually practice at least 2 hours a day with the exception of Sunday.  I usually split my practice time into two sections ... before dinner and after dinner. Sundays, I play Sunday morning services.  If possible on Sunday, I'll get in 10 - 15 minutes of practice before I go to bed.  My playing has improved greatly since I started piano lessons in December.  I am learning how to practice from my teacher.

Make sure you share your tips. :)
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 20, 2008, 10:54:04 AM
Make sure you share your tips. :)

co-sign
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: littlelamb on May 20, 2008, 11:11:56 AM
When I was in college I had to practice about 2-3 hrs ... just trying to make it in. That was with a full course-load and work study.

When I got out of college I was bored so I barely practiced. There was no need to learn all of that classical literature if I wasn't going to be giving any concerts.

Now that I'm out of my element I practice a WHOLE lot (now I have to play chordally, without music, a lot more ear involved). At least 1.5 hrs a day. But I don't time it. I decide what I'm working on for the week and sit there until I get to a point where I have progressed more than the day before.

So, I think it depends on where you're at in your life and if you're in a season where you're learning something new or if you're playing the same old stuff that you already know. It also depends on if you have a day job or not.

But whether you work or not I think a half hour every day is better than 5 hours once a week. It takes your mind time to let things marinate and that's only done with consistency.

I start with finger warmups for technique. After that I practice progressions - T-Bone gave me some new ones. Then I choose a song or two to learn without music. That's my new thing is playing without music so I'm working mostly on that.

I always have to remember that practicing means that you're working out difficult passages for accuracy, otherwise you're just playing.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: sjonathan02 on May 20, 2008, 11:45:11 AM
during my first year of playing in a church
10 hours per day

7am to 1pm

then again from 4 to 8

then over the years I dwindled down
until I was barely practicing at all


up until two months  ago I was not touching my keyboard until I played in church
because I was attending music conservatory and I was always doing stupid music homework

now I am back up to about five hours

sometimes 7

(I dont have a day job)

See, that puts it all into perspective.

I've got a job and a wife; and soon (some day), a family. I'm not sure how well my wife'll take to me tryin' to practice for a couple of hours daily.  :-\
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: Casioman on May 20, 2008, 01:52:28 PM
Quote
(I dont have a day job)


Tell me to mind my own business if you wish! but how do you live?

I've got a job and a wife & child; & a mortgage & I  still try to practice for at least an hour a day, more if I can get it.  I recently packed a job in that required me to work to many hours overtime & my playing was suffering.

I prayed for more practice time & I got it! I now work via an agency so I can continue to practice my art. Thank you lord.

Now! when I come home I practice instead of watching television after my little one has gone to bed. 

Casioman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGegeO7cnI
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 20, 2008, 02:05:11 PM
Tell me to mind my own business if you wish! but how do you live?

I've got a job and a wife & child; & a mortgage & I  still try to practice for at least an hour a day, more if I can get it.  I recently packed a job in that required me to work to many hours overtime & my playing was suffering.

I prayed for more practice time & I got it! I now work via an agency so I can continue to practice my art. Thank you lord.

Now! when I come home I practice instead of watching television after my little one has gone to bed. 

Casioman
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGegeO7cnI[/url]


funny thing was when I had the oportunity to work as a finacial consultant for American Express I turned it down because I knew I would have no time to practice.

I could have been making 6 figures

I gave up working as a teacher
to pursue what I do full time.

God has provided for me

he called me to this path so I know he will not abandon me

the only thing is that since I have so much time sometimes it is difficult remaining motivated to practice

Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: Casioman on May 20, 2008, 02:56:03 PM

Quote
funny thing was when I had the oportunity to work as a finacial consultant for American Express I turned it down because I knew I would have no time to practice.


Nuff respect goes out to you my brother, Your faith & dedication is an inspiration to me.

Quote
The only thing is that since I have so much time sometimes it is difficult remaining motivated to practice


I wish I had your problem, but I can understand, I had a week off recently during a quite period & after 3 hours practice It was hard to do any more.

Casioman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGegeO7cnI
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 20, 2008, 03:09:34 PM
Nuff respect goes out to you my brother, Your faith & dedication is an inspiration to me.

I wish I had your problem, but I can understand, I had a week off recently during a quite period & after 3 hours practice It was hard to do any more.

Casioman
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGegeO7cnI[/url]


If you knew the life God delivered me from
you would understand my willingness to answer his call

Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: chevonee on May 20, 2008, 07:00:29 PM
I practice atleast 5 hours per day. Since my surgery though that has been cut down by about 2 hours. My problem is staying discipline enough to practice my progressions and scales in every key....EVERY DAY. :-\
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 20, 2008, 11:56:06 PM
I practice atleast 5 hours per day. Since my surgery though that has been cut down by about 2 hours. My problem is staying discipline enough to practice my progressions and scales in every key....EVERY DAY. :-\

this is exactly why i started the thread on mixing it up

and the one hour practice

I think we try to kill ourselves with the progressions in every key

and the scales in every key

it gets monotonous and makes practice labor intensive

lately I have begun to spend less time on that sort of thing and more time learning how to play songs

and I notice a big improvement


I find that if you spend the whole portion of time on a key that you are not that familiar with
it is better then just struggling through every key for the sake of saying you did it


for example

instead of playing a progression through every key

I may do it in two of my most unfamiliar keys

I may spend 20 minutes doing this all week

what has happened now is that those keys are much more familar

and because each key has a key that is closely related

then I have  become more familiar in two more keys as well

if you rotate the unfamiliar keys you will have spent the same time over the course of time
as you would if you went through each key every day



I think those of us who are self studying need to be careful about drilling to the point of burn out

the goal of playing keys is playing music

so if you can devote the majority of your time to playing music
songs grooves I think that is more rewarding then
drills


Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: SisterCM on May 21, 2008, 08:06:54 AM
no less than an hour.

I am a beginner.  I am learning to play by reading sheet music.  My teacher assigns me at least three new songs a week.  This week my assignment was to play the Bridal Chorus from “Lohengrin” and Guanatanamera.  LH and RH extended positions (note reading review) key of C. These songs are teaching theory and solo. 
My hymn for this week is Battle Hymn of the Republic.  I practice at these 15-20 minutes a day on each song.  Each week I learn at least three songs.  I can see myself increasing. 

I also practice some of the simple songs by chords in the keys that I know how to play in.  Now my ear training is at a stand still,  I am not improving much in this area. 
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: chevonee on May 21, 2008, 08:32:41 AM
this is exactly why i started the thread on mixing it up

and the one hour practice

I think we try to kill ourselves with the progressions in every key

and the scales in every key

it gets monotonous and makes practice labor intensive

lately I have begun to spend less time on that sort of thing and more time learning how to play songs

and I notice a big improvement


I find that if you spend the whole portion of time on a key that you are not that familiar with
it is better then just struggling through every key for the sake of saying you did it


for example

instead of playing a progression through every key

I may do it in two of my most unfamiliar keys

I may spend 20 minutes doing this all week

what has happened now is that those keys are much more familar

and because each key has a key that is closely related

then I have  become more familiar in two more keys as well

if you rotate the unfamiliar keys you will have spent the same time over the course of time
as you would if you went through each key every day



I think those of us who are self studying need to be careful about drilling to the point of burn out

the goal of playing keys is playing music

so if you can devote the majority of your time to playing music
songs grooves I think that is more rewarding then
drills



You are absolutely correct. Thanks diverse I really needed to hear this. God bless you sir!
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 21, 2008, 08:37:06 AM
You are absolutely correct. Thanks diverse I really needed to hear this. God bless you sir!

you are welcome
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: T-Block on May 21, 2008, 08:46:23 AM
Hmmm...I must be a different breed of musician because I absolutely LOVE drills.  I don't get bored easily when it comes to music, so I can easily spend 5 hours on one thing and feel great.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 21, 2008, 09:19:55 AM
Hmmm...I must be a different breed of musician because I absolutely LOVE drills.  I don't get bored easily when it comes to music, so I can easily spend 5 hours on one thing and feel great.

yes and no
we all have differing tempermants patience levels etc

I am fond of drills
but I got to a point where They become tedious
I have a short attention span and need to integrate a lot of variety into my playing
so although drills do the job

I am miserable doing them unless I keep them short

or maybe a one month boot camp of drills

but then they have to end

and be transformed to a warm up comprising maybe 20% of my practice time at best.

there was a time in the beginning when al I did was drill but that wasnt music


the way you drill if I remember you are playing grooves

so although they are drills they are extremely musical
so you are in essence composing not just merely drilling

everyone isnt so talented or knowledgable to understand how to keep things in time
how to voice lead so that the chords progressions make musical sense

that is why studying songs is a good way for some to really reap the rewards of their practice
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: 4hisglory on May 21, 2008, 09:24:12 AM
Hmmm...I must be a different breed of musician because I absolutely LOVE drills.  I don't get bored easily when it comes to music, so I can easily spend 5 hours on one thing and feel great.

I like drills also BUUUUUTTTTT first I have to seee and UNDERSTAND how it will be APPLIED first.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: sjonathan02 on May 21, 2008, 09:25:24 AM
I like drills also BUUUUUTTTTT first I have to seee and UNDERSTAND how it will be APPLIED first.

Ahhhhhhhhh, now we may be gettin' somewhere.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: diverse379 on May 21, 2008, 09:59:51 AM
I like drills also BUUUUUTTTTT first I have to seee and UNDERSTAND how it will be APPLIED first.

thats interesting

I am definitely different

I do the drill without too much question and discover the uses in time

I think it comes from my martial art days

I would do a drill and find that it had several functions not just one

I also found that it was in the repetition that the true learning took place
it became automatic
and because it was automatic I could respond instintively which was far better then having to think about it


I used to do a form that required my waist to move and twist with every motion
I never questioned why I had to twist my waist with every move I just did the form as depicted inthe book

one year prior to learning this form I sparred a brown belt who fractured my sternum

a year later i sparred him again
and although he hit me in the chest several times it didnt hurt

after we were done I thanked him for not hitting me as hard as he did before
he answered
I hit you harder you just werent there

The twisting of the waist with every move prevented him from landing a clean blow

sometimes if you are looking for answers before you learn the method
you may never learn what you really need to learn to save your life

well in music not your life

but I hope you get the point

maybe people dont know how to articulate all the blessings you will derive from the drills

maybe they left something out
maybe the benefit is just something you will attain

I think I just do my research on who the best authors are
the best drills that the masters did

And I just do what they did
having faith that I will get similar results
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: Fenix on May 21, 2008, 11:08:00 AM


sometimes if you are looking for answers before you learn the method
you may never learn what you really need to learn to save your life


I think I just do my research on who the best authors are
the best drills that the masters did

And I just do what they did
having faith that I will get similar results

You know what, this is absolutely correct. I noticed that too when i first started playing guitar. I was trying to rush and play advanced stuff before i even knew the basics. Of course i was frustrated and disappointed. However when i slowed things down, i noticed that i got better day after day simply by doing the exercises fully and doing them well. Drills may be boring, but they really help when you notice that your playing is MUCH better than it was.

Now i am convicted to going back to picking up my guitar books and going through them again.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: T-Block on May 21, 2008, 01:50:41 PM
the way you drill if I remember you are playing grooves

so although they are drills they are extremely musical
so you are in essence composing not just merely drilling

everyone isnt so talented or knowledgable to understand how to keep things in time
how to voice lead so that the chords progressions make musical sense

that is why studying songs is a good way for some to really reap the rewards of their practice

Yup, that's me all the way.  My whole thing about drilling is understanding.  Once I understand something, it no longer becomes a drill in the sense of the word.  So, maybe u are right D, you've taught me something here.
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: akikodean on May 21, 2008, 01:54:49 PM
Oh God! I have to "practice"!! (ToT)
Title: Re: Practice per Day...
Post by: musallio on May 21, 2008, 03:21:06 PM
Hmmm...I must be a different breed of musician because I absolutely LOVE drills.  I don't get bored easily when it comes to music, so I can easily spend 5 hours on one thing and feel great.

Drills,imho, are the best way to practice!!! U don't even feel the hours go by.

I was surprised for instance, that I practiced for..lemme c...1,2,3,4.. 7 hours yesterday & it felt I had only just started because I had so much I still wanted to do..My studies forced me to head to the library.

Today I did 4 hours & studies cut my fun short >:(

Practic eeveryday?: Depends on whether the board is ready to be played or safely tucked in its case..
I prefer it being ready because I don't spend over an hour..I just "snack" on it throughout the day.
If it's packed, then I "feast" once-and-for-all for the day.. :)