In the summer months I work 10 hour days, I'm a older guy four years from retirement. Anyway when I get home after working ten hours I don't really feel like doing much and that includes banjo practice. I have to force myself to practice I'm not in the mood and don't play very well. But I notice that it seems even the not so good practice makes a difference.
Any chance you can keep a beater banjo at work, and practice over lunch or breaks? I say this because we developed a full on jam group at work, and got a good 30-45 minutes on our lunch breaks. Over the years that made a huge difference
Edited by - Dean T on 09/17/2024 19:25:13
Even 10 minutes a day keeps some of the rust off. I used to play slower and tried to keep it clean after a long day’s work.
I work a ten-hour day as well and usually practice for an hour in the morning before work and for an hour after. I work from 7am to 5 pm. My morning sessions are often spent working out arrangements and writing out tab. I practice from 5:30-6:30 after work, before cooking dinner for my wife and me. I'm 75. I have been playing for over 40 years and never get tired of it. Honestly, I am not that good, but try to keep improving. I play with a group one evening a week where we work on learning new tunes. I think that keeps me motivated. I need to come up with an arrangement and be prepared to keep up with the fiddles.
If you are mot already playing regularly at a jam or with friends, perhaps finding one will spark your motivation. It really does for me.
I also used to get up early and practice before I went to work. That way I was fresh and not tired from a day of work and problems. I also practiced after supper while Dave watched the kids and kept them busy and out of my hair while I practiced. It helps to have a spouse that understands and helps.
I still practice early in the morning. Not as long and not as fast, but I still try to keep the fingers nimble and able to make those neat melodic runs.
I have a full time career, and I'm a football head coach. This time of year, my playing comes in 10 minute stints a couple times per day. I have a banjo on wall hooks near my office chair, and grab it whenever I can. I try to work on anything new in the 10 minutes before bed, to help drive the learning in.
quote:Originally posted by Dean TAny chance you can keep a beater banjo at work, and practice over lunch or breaks? I say this because we developed a full on jam group at work, and got a good 30-45 minutes on our lunch breaks. Over the years that made a huge difference
N?o, but that would be good. This is my office
I think my wife would kill me if I played my banjo at 4:30 in the morning before work. Even though I'm not really motivated after work, when I pick up my banjo and hear the way it sounds I enjoy it. Next week I'll be back on 8 hour days so I'll get more practice during the week days. I love the weekends, plenty of time then to relax and play.
In your case it really comes down to desire. If you got that bug in you to really want to learn you'll find a way. That drive that burning desire to want to get good a playing the banjo is so important.
There's no short cuts.
I feel for you in that your work takes up so much of your time and that you are too tired. Your age has a lot to do with that. Just keep the banjo out in a stand in plain sight, not in a case. At least that way you can easily pick it up even for just a few.
Even for the most gifted, naturally talented player there really is no alternative to putting in the hours of practice required to develop the skills involved in playing at anything more than a basic level. Playing five-string banjo well is a difficult, complex task. I don't see how anyone can offer the original poster guidance in this as we don't know of his personal circumstances or other demands on his time. I can only say that playing banjo well is hard, you have to really want it, and if you really want it you'll find time and energy to put in the work.
In my early learning days I was living in an apartment. My wife worked full time, and my employer offered a 'flexi-time' working pattern whereby staff could begin work any time between 7:30 and 9:00, and finish between 15:30 and later. I took full advantage of this to finish every day at 15:30 and put in two hours' practice before my wife and neighbours got home. This was great for my playing, and great for my wife and neighbours, but my employer (quite rightly) took it to be a lack of commitment on my part and I'm sure my work career suffered as a result. However, that was a price I was prepared to pay to make progress in my playing, and now (after being retired for almost 18 years) I'm still glad I made that choice.
I have a banjo fitted with a Mikes Banjo Mute displayed on a stand. The mute makes the banjo sound like a quiet harp and I can play banjo most anytime without bothering household members in fact, my family enjoys the muted sound. When I watch a sports game on TV I use the opportunity to simultaneously work on my banjo chops building muscle memory. I find that my practice time has increased significantly.
I attend 3 jams a week if I can.
Sundays 1-4,Mondays 6:30 - 9 and Thursdays 4 - 7.
This fills the need to be with my friends and play regularly.
I feel ready when the phone rings for an impromptu gig.
My saddest time was when I lived in an apartment near Brown U. football field.
Walls were so thin I didn't even feel comfortable playing guitar.
The only way I could practice the banjo was by stringing up a solid-body electric guitar as a banjo (spike behind the 5th fret for the 5th strings) and not plug it in.
One of the biggest reasons I can't live in a city.
I started back on 8 hour days this week, I love it. I still wake up about 4:30 have some coffee watch some news wake up a little bit and then I play my banjo for about 45 minutes. Having fun till the snow flies, then it will be early mornings again. I'm taking vacation three days this week to go to a blue grass festival.
