When I had a band I was trying to play every day (at least 30 minutes) by myself and 2 time a week with a band. Surely there were different periods, but mostly like this. If you think strictly about “practice” - than provably 2-3 times a week cause some days were devoted to composing, arrangements, sound chase, noodling and other stuff)

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

Last edited: Jul 01, 2023 03:11:44

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https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com

Last edited: Apr 01, 2024 09:03:44

I will practice everyday, even if it is for a couple of minutes. I can’t remember who said this, maybe Kenny Werner, but they had the on minute practice routine. It goes something like this.

Practice a specific technique, or part of a song for one minute, then go on about your next couple of hours or day doing other things that you need to get to (non musical). Anytime you have a minute, do the same thing. For example, you want to improve tremolo picking. Anytime you have a spare minute in the day, do that. Over time it will improve. In order to be successful you need to give all your focus to the one thing you are practicing, not jamming or doing something else. It really only works if you have your instrument out and easily accessible.

I have done this a couple of times when my life was too busy to get in much practicing, and it worked like a charm. Being focused is the key.

You can also practice things in your head if you don’t have an instrument. Not ideal, but it can work. I think I heard this from Billy Cobham.

Rev

USK rarely practices as we tend to gig fairly often, and have played together for more than 25 years. We may get together if we have some new tunes to learn, or a recording session coming up.

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Jul 01, 2023 13:13:47

Is it a fact if life, that some folks practise for a shorter time than others to achieve the same results? Plus, some technically proficient stuff can be dull, then some kid comes along whirling his pick like a dervish and everyone cheers.

Last edited: Jul 02, 2023 03:48:59

Something that I read in an interview with a well known musician years ago. The interviewer ask if he practiced every day. His response was....yes, because the audience might not notice, but I definitely would. Words and advice to live by.

Happy Sunsets!

Miles Davis famously said that he didn’t practice, and while I believe that, the statement is a bit incomplete. Davis obviously had mastery of the instrument, and every time he played, he was putting into practice the discipline of good technique that he had learned back in his earliest days of learning the instrument.

I used to make my living as a guitar teacher, and I worked hard to promote good technique to my students. If a player learns and practices good technique, to the point that it is internalized, every time you play has value as practice of good technique.

Please excuse the digression, but it’s for a good reason. I find the term “muscle memory” borderline offensive. Muscles don’t remember. The proper term in procedural memory. Procedural memory is like a batch processing script in a computer; a series of steps used to accomplish a task. If I leave my house, I

1. Approach the door

2. Open the deadbolt

3. Unlock the doorknob

4. Twist the doorknob

5. Pull the door open with my left arm

Ok, you get the picture, even something as simple as opening a door involves a number of steps that have to be followed in order.

Practicing an instrument is a study in procedural memory. When I play, I start with positioning my left hand properly, holding my pick properly, starting at the correct position for the song I’m playing, and then I play, hopefully using all I’ve learned about technique. When I play a song, I am using procedural memories for technique, and for the melody and chords used in the song.

A couple of days ago, I played a song I hadn’t played in months, and I botched it. I went through it once, refreshed my memory, and was able to play it with ease. Simply put, I refreshed my procedural memories, and I had the song. Here’s the point I feel is most important; by using consistent technique, I was able to tap into established procedural memories, and learning/relearning a song simply becomes a matter of remembering the song, and applying standard techniques.

Miles Davis said that he never practiced, but in reality, every note he played was practice. He may not have sat down to play exercises and/or scales, but he applied his knowledge of good technique to every song he played.

For my own practice, I usually play a variety of songs, with an eye cast towards using good technique. Occasionally I may run into a phrase that is difficult to play, and I’ll stop and figure out the best technique to play that passage, and concentrate on playing it as cleanly as possible, emphasizing precision over speed. Once I have it flawlessly, I go back to playing the song, slowly at first, being careful to apply the technique I had worked out. The entire process usually takes little time; just a few minutes, but it adds to my store of techniques I can apply to any number of songs.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

chiba wrote:

synchro wrote:

Miles Davis said that he never practiced, but in reality, every note he played was practice. He may not have sat down to play exercises and/or scales, but he applied his knowledge of good technique to every song he played.

BOOM! Nailed it.

Somebody the other day reminded me that "practice doesn't make perfect, practice just makes permanent" and also that "only perfect practice makes perfect." I try to take that to heart every time I pick up the guitar.

That was one of the most difficult lessons I had to learn. For the forst ten years, I was a very undisciplined player, and I had to devote several months to unlearning bad habits, and replacing them with good habits. It was, in the final analysis, the best thing I ever did for my playing, but it was not a walk in the park.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.