Comments on: What to practice when time is of the essence? http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html double bass news, stories, downloads, podcasts, and more! Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:59:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tom http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-15044 Tom Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:55:56 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-15044 I'd say that even if you can't spend all day practicing, every bit helps even if it takes longer to get there. I read somewhere that virtuoso players have usually invested 10000 hrs in their skill. I'm way too old to make that kind of investment, but I still feel I'm progressing. When I'm pushed for time I used to find I'd try to do as much as possible and skip through things. I found a better approach was to make a plan for what I'd do and try to achieve over a couple of weeks. I found it better to say spend a 1/2 hour practice just working on intonation one day, scales the next, master first 8 bars of a piece the next and so on. And also be able to stop when you've done your bit. Over time it really does add up. I’d say that even if you can’t spend all day practicing, every bit helps even if it takes longer to get there. I read somewhere that virtuoso players have usually invested 10000 hrs in their skill. I’m way too old to make that kind of investment, but I still feel I’m progressing. When I’m pushed for time I used to find I’d try to do as much as possible and skip through things. I found a better approach was to make a plan for what I’d do and try to achieve over a couple of weeks. I found it better to say spend a 1/2 hour practice just working on intonation one day, scales the next, master first 8 bars of a piece the next and so on. And also be able to stop when you’ve done your bit. Over time it really does add up.

]]> By: Rich Gulya http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-13154 Rich Gulya Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:57:52 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-13154 Looking for the ideal practice routine, I've found y'all on this site. My only difference is that that I pick the 5-string banjo. I've recntly broke my foot and can't work, so I'm home with much practice time on my hands. I've been doing these all day sessions spoken about and my fingers have been really in shape. When I started playing 35 years ago, I was a lost kid who did nothing but pick a banjo after the death of my mother. Although I did not structure my practice sessions, I literally carried my banjo on my back everywhere I went and constantly played. As I put in this sort of dedication today, I find myself getting very happy with my picking, even as my hands are getting older and stiffer. I suppose the moral of the story is "The more you play the better you sound". Rich Gulya Looking for the ideal practice routine, I’ve found y’all on this site. My only difference is that that I pick the 5-string banjo. I’ve recntly broke my foot and can’t work, so I’m home with much practice time on my hands. I’ve been doing these all day sessions spoken about and my fingers have been really in shape. When I started playing 35 years ago, I was a lost kid who did nothing but pick a banjo after the death of my mother. Although I did not structure my practice sessions, I literally carried my banjo on my back everywhere I went and constantly played. As I put in this sort of dedication today, I find myself getting very happy with my picking, even as my hands are getting older and stiffer. I suppose the moral of the story is “The more you play the better you sound”. Rich Gulya

]]> By: Joe Lewis http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-1255 Joe Lewis Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:37:00 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-1255 Ditto - maybe 12 years for me since pulling a day like that. I actually would map out my practice sessions in detailed little schedules beforehand - 5 minutes of some certain exercise, 10 minutes of this etude, 20 minutes of that solo, and then on to the excerpts. The breaks tended to be longer than any actual playing of course...<br/><br/>Nowadays I'm happy to find a 2 hour chunk of time to devote to practicing, and I find myself practicing in a far different manner. Before, I would map out a laundry list of things I <i>had</i> to take care of, and not stop until I had every single item checked off. Now due to time constraints I am far more selective about what I'm going to work on, and similar to what Matt <a HREF="http://hellafrisch.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-practicing-la-parilla.html" REL="nofollow">discussed</a>, I tend to go straight for focused spots that need tending to rather than playing through something.<br/><br/>I have also found a great tool for checking myself by doing periodic recordings of whatever I am working on. This gives you the chance to play through something start to finish, but has the added benefit of making you a bit self-conscious, and you can play it back for yourself to hear The Truth™ and pick out what things you need to work on next time. Ditto – maybe 12 years for me since pulling a day like that. I actually would map out my practice sessions in detailed little schedules beforehand – 5 minutes of some certain exercise, 10 minutes of this etude, 20 minutes of that solo, and then on to the excerpts. The breaks tended to be longer than any actual playing of course…

Nowadays I’m happy to find a 2 hour chunk of time to devote to practicing, and I find myself practicing in a far different manner. Before, I would map out a laundry list of things I had to take care of, and not stop until I had every single item checked off. Now due to time constraints I am far more selective about what I’m going to work on, and similar to what Matt discussed, I tend to go straight for focused spots that need tending to rather than playing through something.

I have also found a great tool for checking myself by doing periodic recordings of whatever I am working on. This gives you the chance to play through something start to finish, but has the added benefit of making you a bit self-conscious, and you can play it back for yourself to hear The Truth™ and pick out what things you need to work on next time.

]]> By: Jason Heath http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-1246 Jason Heath Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:53:00 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-1246 The 9 hour practice schedule is definitely far in the past for me--it's probably been 10 years since I put in one of those sessions. Still, I think that there's something to be said for an all-day practice session (with lots of breaks) here and there, although, like Matt Heller mentioned, I wouldn't make a practice of it.<br/><br/>I can't remember the last time I've practiced more than three hours in one day. It's been years..... The 9 hour practice schedule is definitely far in the past for me–it’s probably been 10 years since I put in one of those sessions. Still, I think that there’s something to be said for an all-day practice session (with lots of breaks) here and there, although, like Matt Heller mentioned, I wouldn’t make a practice of it.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve practiced more than three hours in one day. It’s been years…..

]]> By: Joe Lewis http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-1245 Joe Lewis Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:25:00 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-1245 Jason, your schedule above sounds frighteningly close to what I used to do back in the early days... ;-) Jason, your schedule above sounds frighteningly close to what I used to do back in the early days… ;-)

]]> By: Elaine Fine http://doublebassblog.org/2007/11/what-to-practice-when-time-is-of-the-essence.html/comment-page-1#comment-1228 Elaine Fine Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:46:00 +0000 http://doublebassblog.org/?p=1730#comment-1228 I don't think that it is possible for an adult to make any improvement on 15-20 minutes of daily practice when playing a stringed instrument. Some kids manage to do it, which might have something to do with being children.<br/><br/>If you have a considerable amount of technique already, it is possible to maintain a functional level of technique on an hour or so of a mix of Sevcik, Dounis (for violin), carefully-chosen etudes, and solo Bach. After an hour of focused technical practice, I like to believe that every additional amount of practice time contributes to improvement rather than simply subsistence. I don’t think that it is possible for an adult to make any improvement on 15-20 minutes of daily practice when playing a stringed instrument. Some kids manage to do it, which might have something to do with being children.

If you have a considerable amount of technique already, it is possible to maintain a functional level of technique on an hour or so of a mix of Sevcik, Dounis (for violin), carefully-chosen etudes, and solo Bach. After an hour of focused technical practice, I like to believe that every additional amount of practice time contributes to improvement rather than simply subsistence.

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