Noting how much people have shared about themselves in response to the “how good are you” thread, I though another open ended question might be fun.
How about everyone tell us how much practice they manage to fit in to their busy lives, and how they structure their practice.
I generally manage to find time for only 1/2 hour a day through the week and maybe 1 or 2 hours a day at the weekend - but that gets divided among all my instruments (piccolo, whistle, guitar, bass, autoharp). That makes my progress pretty slow. Sometimes I feel I’m only managing to maintain the status quo rather than advancing. Lately I find myself concentrating on playing on pitch (dreadfully tricky with an Irish keyless piccolo) and memorising new tunes.
Champ, good topic! I’m a beginner and sometimes I don’t think I get enough practice time. I get 30-45 minutes on weekdays and a total of about 2-3 hours on the weekend. With this amount of practice I I do find myself improving steadily but more slowly than I’d like.
I usually have a whistle with me wherever I go, and I frequently take it out and play a tune or two, but I rarely manage any kind of formal practice during the week. I toodle while watching TV/Movies, waiting for food to cook at dinner, before bed, etc… but I rarely concentrate very hard on it. On the weekends I can usually find the time to sit down and concentrate on what I’m doing for at least a couple of hours (split between whistle and button accordion).
I have whistle lessons about every other month, and I usually make room for real practicing for a couple of days before my lesson so I don’t embarrass myself.
I try to get about 45 minutes to an hour of at least three instruments in in a day. Usually in 15 minute increments, or half an hour at the most. I try to pick in advance what I’m going to work on (speed, reading, ear training, technique), and then go for it. That doesn’t include time I spend just tootling away when I’m at the computer or out walking (one of the only times I’m not selfconcious about people hearing me play). I still think I could stand to work harder, but I think everyone thinks that no matter how much they practice. =)
I try to get about 45 minutes to an hour of at least three instruments in in a day. Usually in 15 minute increments, or half an hour at the most. I try to pick in advance what I’m going to work on (speed, reading, ear training, technique), and then go for it. That doesn’t include time I spend just tootling away when I’m at the computer or out walking (one of the only times I’m not selfconcious about people hearing me play). I still think I could stand to work harder, but I think everyone thinks that no matter how much they practice. =)
Does practicing while driving count ?
I can get in twenty minutes a day on the road, safer than a cell phone. Especially good when I’m having a hard time with a certain riff and I can just work it over and over.
The whistle time at home has been cut by the arrival of the violin.
Somebody mentioned he got 50 or 60 tunes/songs down pat over the past year. I must be Very Slow on the pick up.
I try to get in at least four hours of practice a day. Sounds like a lot, but I spread it out, and just play anywhere at any opporuntity. Some day’s I’ve gotten eight in, when I’m hybernating during the long winter here, but when I get stale and I’m STILL not getting it, I take a day off, so I can come back fresh.
I try to get in at least two hours per day, and more if I can manage it. On Saturday or Sunday of an Illinois winter, I’ve been known to play most of the day. ( That’s why I have my pennywhistles: My wife wanted a break from my Bb military fife. )
My time is divided between my fife and my pennywhistles, not necessarily in that order. Like Anna, I find that if my fingers are tying themselves in knots instead of dancing over the fingerholes it’s best to take a day or so off. When I’m getting bored it’s time to learn a new song.
I get in 45 minutes everyday at lunch in my car (fear not, it is safely parked at the time) and another hour in the evening most nights.
Weekends I usually pick up the whistle whenever I have a bit of spare time and as a reward for practicing all week, usually use the time to try and learn a new tune.
It seems like most of us have the same pattern. I practice 1/2 to 1 hour weekdays and a couple hours or more on weekends. As to what I play. I occasionally perform, and when that’s coming up I’ll play (mainly)the tunes that will be in the performance. At other times I’ll play whatever I’m in the mood for or what I’m learning at a time.
Dang!! YOu folks practice a LOT! I get only sporadic minutes here and there. I have whistles all over the house, and one or 2 at the office ( I am the Whistling Podiatrist), so I can often find time for tune or 2 in between the rest of life. Lot of my laughingly called spare time at home is spent making whistles rather than playing them. 'course, that involves some playing too
I tend to practice off and on throughout the day as I have time. Since classes haven’t started yet I have a lot more time on my hands.
At my previous job I’d take my whistle to work and go outside and practice on breaks. I always leave it by the computer when I’m at home so when I’m waiting for something to download or if I feel like trying to learn a tune off an MP3 it’ll be there.
I usually pick up my flute several times daily and run through the tunes I know or start trying to learn a new one.
I fuss around for a total of maybe 15 minutes in the car each day, and up to 45 minutes in the evening while I unwind from work and dinner is cooking. On the weekend I may get in another half hour or so. Then I play in two sessions a week, totalling about six hours of listening/playing/faking.
Depending on whether I’m trying to learn a new song/tune on the dulcimer, that may use up some whistle time, but the fact is, my husband and pets don’t mind the dulcimer practice at all, but occasionally object heartily when they have to listen to me shoot for the really difficult notes on the whistle over and over and over.
The GOOD news is that we just found out I can practice in the front room, with the door closed, and it isn’t really bothersome to the two birds in the next room, or the husband asleep upstairs.
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