twelvefret - Posted - 01/08/2018:  03:00:40

Do you have a time each day or week to play and practice your music?

As you have advanced, do you practice/play more or less?

As you have advanced do you play to perform?

Thank you for responding.

debmurphy1 - Posted - 01/08/2018:  04:56:54

I am a retiree so I play a LOT throughout the day.

As I advanced my practice changed - it is more intense. Meaning, I work more intently on a new or particularity difficult part.

I've also re-started working on my rolls again.

Hope this helps!

...Deb

PKM - Posted - 01/08/2018:  08:19:41

I am currently reading Victor Wooten's 2006 book, The Music Lesson, that a fellow musicians, and very dear friend, gave to me for Christmas. Its an enjoyable read, written much like a Deepak Chopra spin on spirit of music. It has wonderful metaphysical overtones.
I won't attempt to paraphrase, but it will most likely alert the way you think about your music including how you practice.
If you are not aware, Victor Wooten is 4 time Grammy recipient, 2 Nashville Music Awards for Bassist of the year, and original member of the Grammy Award-winning group, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Cheers,

OldBanjoFrog - Posted - 01/08/2018:  08:30:15

I practice when I can, but with work, wife, young child, dog, and a schedule that is constantly hectic, sometimes I just have to pencil in, even 5 minutes whenever possible.

mjt0229 - Posted - 01/08/2018:  10:34:38

I have 2 young kids, which means I have to sneak in practice time either after they go to bed or before they get home from school. I rarely can steal time to practice on the weekends.

Rand - Posted - 01/08/2018:  14:25:37

I found that concept of "practice" lost much of its meaning as I advanced in skills. Banjo playing--and the learning of new music--is a self-stoking fire.  At some point "practicing" just became just  "playing."  

I typically play for 30 minutes or so before work, and my banjo is the first thing I go for when I get home from work.  If my wife is working of an evening, I spend at lease two more hours playing and singing.  Even when watching TV my banjo resides safely in my lap.  When a commercial comes on, I hit the mute and strike up a song (it's the only time TV commercials seems to end too quickly)  in nice weather I lug my banjo and my lunch to work, find a tree to sit under and give myself a concert over lunch.

i can't  remember which BHO member said it when asked about favorite songs, but truer words have never been spoken than their response of: "my favorite song is which song I am working on at the moment!"  Nothing drives me to "practice" like discovering a song I just have to learn.  There are time I have to force myself to set my banjo because I know I am overtaxing my voice.

just play

ScottK - Posted - 01/08/2018:  17:14:14

Do you have a time each day or week to play and practice your music? 

No, but I wish I had time each day to practice and/or play.  Some folk on BHO say they never practice, just play, and that's fine.  But I love to practice.  For me it's like a mental workout.  When I'm not too busy, I like to practice early on weekend mornings when my mind is fresh and I can grab a couple hours of uninterrupted time.  I love to just play, too.  I like to do that in the evening as a way to unwind.  But often I'm too busy, or sometimes too tired, even for that.  These days I'm doing a lot more practicing and playing on fiddle than on banjo.  But I still play an occasional square dance on banjo.  In that situation I'll woodshed on the tunes of the fiddler I'm backing for a few days to get ready for the dance.  



As you have advanced, do you practice/play more or less? 

For a while (many years) I practiced and played more as I progressed.  I got into a band for a couple years, so that kept me busy learning new tunes and playing out every week.  After that I still played pretty frequently in pick-up square dance bands (including a few years in an occasional square dance band backing up Lisa Ornstein), so that kept me busy learning new tunes since each fiddler has their own favorites.  Nowadays I mostly play fiddle week-to-week.  I catch up with a lot of banjo playing at festivals.  Fortunately, there are festivals in the Northwest almost every month these days.  In general, my work has been busy lately and I'm not playing enough.  Definitely less than when I was first really getting into old time music.  But the Portland Old Time Music Gathering is kicking off this Wednesday and I'm taking Thursday and Friday off work, so I'll make up a little for lost time. :-)  I have three great fiddlers and one great banjo/guitar player as house guests for the weekend (so far), so we'll have a quorum for some great jamming.  

As you have advanced do you play to perform? 

Not really.  I don't like performing per se.  For me, old time is just social music.  I was in a band for a couple years a few years ago.  We played unamplified in a local pub every Tuesday for dinner, drinks, and tips.  Lots of our friends would drop by.  That didn't really feel like performing.  We just played tunes and sang a few songs, some folk payed attention to us, some didn't.  We eventually got asked to play some other events, and I was never that into that.  It was like a part-time job I didn't need.  But I enjoyed having the weekly pub gig.  And I did and do enjoy playing for square dances.  I've done a lot of that with that band and many other pick-up bands since.  We have a weekly Every Wednesday Square Dance in Portland which always has a live band, so there are a lot of opportunities to play for dances here.

Scott

BrooksMT - Posted - 01/15/2018:  16:31:51

Some people work best with a set schedule, for everything. I don't.



For me, Short practices (less than 15 min) are necessitated due to bad joints. Turns out, short practice sessions are way more productive than long ones....See Josh Turknett's writings here on BHO if you want a brain surgeon's opinion (fascinating articles, well recommended). Or just consider that a Stanford Nobel prize physicist has proven by experiment that in a typical 50minute lecture, a student only remembers 20%, i.e. 10 minutes worth. The way I look at it, we all have a "new things shelf" in our brain. When we practice, we are putting new things on the shelf. But...once the shelf gets full, continued practice starts knocking earlier things off the shelf. So, long practice is really counter-productive to progress.



I find it hard to set aside hour-long blocks of time (the standard recommendation by music teachers when I was growing up). But, since short blocks work better anyway, rethink your schedule and use those short, spur-of-the-moment, time chunks to practice. It will really help :-)

Smoothness in play comes from the brain's transfer of left brain "practice" to right brain "performance". That takes time, and there is no way, as far as I'm aware,  to consciously speed-up the transfer. Short practices, with rest in between, make practice effective. When I first started playing, it took overnight, say 12 hours, for the transfer. As my brain reprogrammed itself (see Josh), that transfer time happened faster. After 26 months of banjo, sometimes that transfer takes place in 15 minutes. A couple times, it's taken place within a 15 minute practice, whoo hoo! But usually, I don't end the practice with measurably better play. But, provided I did not knock stuff off my shelf, the Next time I try the song, it's magically better. My brain transferred the new shelf practice stuff to the performance bin while I was doing something else :-)

Edited by - BrooksMT on 01/15/2018 16:41:26

banjo bill-e - Posted - 01/15/2018:  16:47:12

I had given up "practice" for "just playing" but lately had not been liking what I was hearing coming from my banjo. Too sloppy!
So, I started with Fretless Fury's "Banjo Blitz" series of youtubes and have been putting in a half-hour a day of working on fundamentals, mainly concentrating on "deep listening" so as to get a good clear tone, consistent volume between strings, less head strikes and other noise, etc.
And, I am starting to like my own playing a bit better. Which is to say that, for me, I need some focused practice instead of "just playing".

n1wr - Posted - 01/16/2018:  05:42:18

Bill: thanks for the point out to Tom Collin's Banjo Blitz. Here's the first episode: youtube.com/watch?v=ttPgCTXuqzg

I play bluegrass, and I wish there was a similar approach for us.

mbuk06 - Posted - 01/16/2018:  06:52:34

I practice each morning before work, and every evening on a daily basis. At the weekend I'll put in roughly the same amount of time practicing but not so neatly divided into a morning/evening session. The duration of my practice has never really altered, but the focus of my practice has changed significantly. Time split fairly evenly between fretted and fretless.



I also play for an Appalachian dance team who perform during the summer and I do practice individually for that role in addition to playing at the year-round weekly dance practice on Monday nights; mainly to keep sharp on the tune repertoire. And I perform with a band but don't practice individually for that, as we have a regular Friday night band rehearsal that keeps us all up-to-speed.

Go to sessions too but don't put in any specific practice for that, as the time at those sessions is the point.

Edited by - mbuk06 on 01/16/2018 07:04:05

Judith511 - Posted - 01/16/2018:  08:01:01

I try and practice every day from 6:30 to 7:30 after dinner...the odd day I am able to fit in an extra 5 minutes or so here and there. On really cold days if we don't go out I practice more in the afternoon before work. Some days I play songs I am learning, I am feeling driven to get better at certain songs and learn new ones. I will probably never perform or play with a group. I doubt there is much in the way of jam sessions around here but you never know. I really play for myself and get satisfaction out of doing so. :)

BrooksMT - Posted - 01/16/2018:  11:53:52

quote:

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Originally posted by banjo bill-e

And, I am starting to like my own playing a bit better. Which is to say that, for me, I need some focused practice instead of "just playing".

---

I agree, my 15 minute suggestion was for "focused practice".  Both focused and unfocused time is needed. My play-for-fun time is not measured - and by taking breaks between songs, my hands last longer. Never underestimate the value of "just goofing off" with your instrument. Unfocused, "I don't care if I make mistakes", time is very valuable for me. I discover new licks out of the mistakes I make :-). And if I want to get better at improvising, letting my "inner music teacher" go for a while really helps.

WayneConrad - Posted - 01/17/2018:  11:27:33

My practice is sporadic both in when I practice, and what I do when I practice. I wish it could be a scheduled and regular as some of you keep it.

If I get up early enough for it (or don't mind being late for work that day), then I get in half an hour or an hour before work. On weekends, a few practice sessions of 30-60 minutes each day, time and willingness permitting. Now and then, go to the park and practice for hours in a beautiful place.

So some weeks, 5-10 hours of practice. Other weeks, less than an hour.

Practice is all different types: Exercises and techniques; just playing to keep from forgetting tunes I've learned; improvising; learning a new tune. One practice may be all exercises, another may be just playing tunes, another will be a mix of different things.

hoodoo - Posted - 01/17/2018:  14:40:24

10-15 minutes before work. Sometimes 45 minutes during lunch and if i'm lucky, in the evening

banjered - Posted - 01/20/2018:  19:49:07

Sounds like a lot of folks here got their priorities all messed up - work and family ahead of banjo - imagine that!

"Ever see a muskrat Sally Ann
Draggin' his pole tail through the sand...."

banjered

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 01/20/2018:  21:41:59

I practice pretty close to every day, but what specific time of day I practice, how many times in a day I practice, and how long I may practice at any given session are all completely variable.

My practice is generally focussed on working out (a new one to me), or refining (one I've decided to change around), or reviving (one that I've somewhat forgotten) arrangements of  songs that I either want to make a video of, or perform or both.

I tend not to think of it as practice, I'm just playing - but since I tend to be playing the same song over and over again, making changes each time, I guess it's really practice, (though I conceive of it as "working on the arrangement"). I'm not trying to teach myself to play it the same way each time - on the contrary, I'm trying to play it differently each time, which, of course, is "playing around with it", so it feels more like "playing" than "practicing".

I definitely play more when I have someone to play for, whether it's a live audience that I can see and that applauds, or a virtual audience that watches my videos and comments. It's the knowing I'm going to "show this to someone" that motivates me to put in the time to try to come up with something new and good to share with people.

I maybe should also mention that I probably spend more time concentrating on delivering the words effectively than I do on the banjo playing. My hands seem to be busy working on my banjo playing without engaging my consciousness that much, while my conscious mind is working on the lyrics and the singing.

Edited by - Marc Nerenberg on 01/20/2018 21:56:34

twelvefret - Posted - 01/21/2018:  06:06:19

quote:

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Originally posted by Marc Nerenberg

I practice pretty close to every day, but what specific time of day I practice, how many times in a day I practice, and how long I may practice at any given session are all completely variable.

My practice is generally focussed on working out (a new one to me), or refining (one I've decided to change around), or reviving (one that I've somewhat forgotten) arrangements of  songs that I either want to make a video of, or perform or both.

I tend not to think of it as practice, I'm just playing - but since I tend to be playing the same song over and over again, making changes each time, I guess it's really practice, (though I conceive of it as "working on the arrangement"). I'm not trying to teach myself to play it the same way each time - on the contrary, I'm trying to play it differently each time, which, of course, is "playing around with it", so it feels more like "playing" than "practicing".

I definitely play more when I have someone to play for, whether it's a live audience that I can see and that applauds, or a virtual audience that watches my videos and comments. It's the knowing I'm going to "show this to someone" that motivates me to put in the time to try to come up with something new and good to share with people.

I maybe should also mention that I probably spend more time concentrating on delivering the words effectively than I do on the banjo playing. My hands seem to be busy working on my banjo playing without engaging my consciousness that much, while my conscious mind is working on the lyrics and the singing.

---

I like your reference to unconscious and conscious thinking.

jojo25 - Posted - 02/13/2018:  16:41:16

I have, for a LONG time, been a strong advocate of trying to play at 2 distinctly different times each day. Now that I am retired, I have a greater rate of success at achieving that goal. By "distinctly different" I mean separated by at least 2 hours. Educational research shows that dividing your learning time into 2 sessions like that...vs. one longer session...doubles your rate of learning. Like you are given twice as many days to live and play the banjo.

If you still are a working stiff, try playing some BEFORE you go to work...and then again when you get home after work. When I was still a working stiff I would sometimes take a banjo to work with me...even in the dead of winter...I usually had a full hour for lunch...I'd go out to my car, start it up, turn on the heater, sit in the back seat and play...I used my "travel" banjo for this purpose so as not to abuse my better banjos.

As to WHAT I play...I tend to play tunes that I am currently enjoying...often new, to me, tunes. And I try to play some "benchmark" tunes...fairly difficult...if not very difficult tunes...that stretch my abilities and that give me some feedback on the status of my chops in general.

it should be obvious that you should play every day...and you probably will miss days here and there...I try to make those "missed" days the exception that makes the rule

One exercise I do...maybe once or twice a week...is to play Bye Bye Blues in all 12 major keys (out of standard open G tuning)...starting in C, then G, then D...and all the way around the circle of 5ths until I get back to C....a great way to learn the neck....and a great way to see and think your fretboard differently

Lately I have been doing quite a bit of experimentation in "off" keys...B flat, A flat, E flat...F, A Major....all out of standard G tuning...a lot of fun...and those flatted keys have me wishing I had a horn section to play along

I do not usually play to perform...if by that you mean praticing tunes I know I will be playing at a gig...some of my muscial buds like to do that and I can see the benefit of such...but that's not the way I usually roll

I am 45 years into this banjo thing now...and I don't think I practice any more or less than in the past...but that is kinda hard to tell, as I really have not documented my time

JimInAlabama - Posted - 02/13/2018:  17:26:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by twelvefret

Do you have a time each day or week to play and practice your music?



As you have advanced, do you practice/play more or less?



As you have advanced do you play to perform?



Thank you for responding.

---

I don’t accomplish much when I have to make myself practice. When I first started on instruments I played or practiced all the time because I couldn’t stop!  So I play/practice when I feel inspired to do it but usually every day.

As a totally green beginner I spent more time (learning basics) than I do now. Once I got to a point where my practice sessions were spent actually playing music I started spending progressively less time. 

I don’t have aspirations of playing clawhammer on stage, but I think even in casual jams we’re performing!

Texican65 - Posted - 02/16/2018:  07:35:17

In my early teens when I first started learning banjo...in middle school...I would play all afternoon after school and into the evening teaching myself...and then all day long on the weekends....I mean 14 hours or so. I’m lucky I started before I had any real responsibility, no job, no girlfriend, no vehicle, no pets. And I continued to play as much as possible through high school into my Navy days on a submarine...taking my banjo around the world.
Now 20+ years later 35, a husband, new father, and railroader...I was so busy that I had to lay the instrument down...for several years. But...as of recent I’m back playing again... reviving that old flame. First 5 mins a day...then 10...here and there...now I’m trying to shorten my shifts at work so I can get home a little earlier than everybody else to practice for 30 mins a day...it’s what I look forward to...besides my family of course. I’ve got 24 years to go til retirement...I’ve GOT TO LIVE IN THE NOW...I may never make it to retirement.

Dow

twelvefret - Posted - 02/18/2018:  05:23:59

Just checking back in and to say thank you for your posts. I am sure your experiences will help new learners on their journey to banjo proficiency.

skuzzer - Posted - 02/18/2018:  05:43:15

I pretty much play all day long, sometimes not with the banjo in my hand, but mentally still playing or working on new bit !!Thar aint no rules , Just pluckers .

VirginiaPicker - Posted - 02/18/2018:  05:50:46

I just started some lessons again after a few years of playing. That is forcing me to pickup the banjo when I normally would not have, say after 8:30pm on weeknights. As much as I love playing, I seldom want to hear the banjo at that hour after a long day.

Whats nice is on Tues & Thurs my wife takes the kids to the YMCA for swim, and that gives me a good 1.5 of playing if I don't work late. On the weekends I go to one of two jams normally for 2-3hrs. I try to pick up the banjo as much as I can, but with the Spring fast approaching I think most of my weekend playing will be focused on my Jams.

pneumatic001 - Posted - 02/18/2018:  08:05:28

I’ve been taking lessons for almost 8 months. Every Tuesday night I learn a new song and try to get it ironed out by next Tuesday. I aim for atleast 30 minutes (typically an hour) of practice a day, usually at night in the basement after my son goes to bed. During my winter layoff I leave the case on the dining room table and l’ll practice for an hour here an hour there, in between daily chores and projects. As of now I practice to learn and be a better banjo player with the hopes of one day being able to jam with others but that day is going to take a lot of practice!

VirginiaPicker - Posted - 02/18/2018:  08:12:13

quote:

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Originally posted by pneumatic001

 As of now I practice to learn and be a better banjo player with the hopes of one day being able to jam with others but that day is going to take a lot of practice!

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I'm the opposite. I've been "practicing" by jamming with others for about a year. There is no substitute for that learning curve. I'm just back into weekly lessons this month.

I'm trying to remember how to practice and learn whatever song note for note as instructed. My first homework was a melodic version of Angeline the Baker. I played it okay previously, but it was something I had worked out by ear. I like my blended version better, but much like you I'll bring back my "learnt" version of the song this coming Tuesday night.

twelvefret - Posted - 02/19/2018:  14:54:10

quote:

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Originally posted by pneumatic001

I’ve been taking lessons for almost 8 months. Every Tuesday night I learn a new song and try to get it ironed out by next Tuesday. I aim for atleast 30 minutes (typically an hour) of practice a day, usually at night in the basement after my son goes to bed. During my winter layoff I leave the case on the dining room table and l’ll practice for an hour here an hour there, in between daily chores and projects. As of now I practice to learn and be a better banjo player with the hopes of one day being able to jam with others but that day is going to take a lot of practice!

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I hope you realize your goals. When I was learning to play "flat pick guitar" I spent a lot of time slowing down recordings and then playing along with those recordings up to speed. When I started playing with others I didn't have any problem keeping up. I still enjoy playing along with YouTube recordings.

pneumatic001 - Posted - 02/19/2018:  15:30:32

twelvefret
I can only try, any recommendations on what to use to “slow” songs/YT videos down?

twelvefret - Posted - 02/20/2018:  03:38:29

quote:

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Originally posted by pneumatic001

twelvefret

I can only try, any recommendations on what to use to “slow” songs/YT videos down?

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I've heard about some software that can be used. I was trying learn by picking up the needle from the LP and playing over and over. Later I got a cassette recorder  that slowed the recording and maintained the pitch. Have you checked into a software program or CD player? It is important to keep the pitch.

Once I started learning this way I was able to stop weekly lessons. I was able to justify the cost of the recorder because it was less than the lessons and plus I was not limited to one song per wek.

BrooksMT - Posted - 03/09/2018:  09:41:10

If you have a Windows or Mac computer, Audacity is a great program for slowing songs. It's freeware/donation accepted. I've been using it to slow, change key, and adjust pitch (for old recordings that predate Snark). I've used it to record and adjust youtube, .mp3, DVD, CD, live music (mine), you name it :-). Any questions, glad to help.
bkmart@hotmail.com

audacityteam.org/