The consensus seemed to be that the most important part of practicing is using your mind, and being mindfully relaxed, and then the physical playing of the instrument follows from that.
i don't totally agree with that. young people practice for hours a day and it makes them great. I think you're listening to a bunch of veterans talk about what they are doing after years and years of practicing and working very hard. I'm sure each of them put in thousands of hours of practicing. That might be the point.
a good book about Genius is 'The Tipping Point'. It explains some of this.
If Warren Wolf says he doesn't practice, just remember he did! For hours every single day. At least that's what I've heard him say. And he started at age 4 I think?
So we have to put in the hours one way or another. IMHO
I believe if you're not playing all the time, then you need some scales and arpeggios and as much practice time as you can. Once you are playing 5 nights a week, then everything can change. I practiced non stop until I was 40.
No disagreement there. Everyone has to pay their dues putting in the hours at the instrument. Everyone. But even practicing stuff like scales, I think you make better progress with a mindful, and consciously relaxed approach. David Friedman uses 20 minutes of free improv to set himself up. Warren hikes and gets clear that way. For me it’s breathing and thinking about what results I want to get so I don’t just go on autopilot. Also I have to stop practicing when I’m getting tired and also break up the practice by switching among several different things, no one thing for too long.
Comments
Mind over mallets
Mary-Marie Wed, 07/15/2020 - 02:17
The consensus seemed to be that the most important part of practicing is using your mind, and being mindfully relaxed, and then the physical playing of the instrument follows from that.
i don't totally agree with
tonymiceli Wed, 07/15/2020 - 13:24
In reply to Mind over mallets by Mary-Marie
i don't totally agree with that. young people practice for hours a day and it makes them great. I think you're listening to a bunch of veterans talk about what they are doing after years and years of practicing and working very hard. I'm sure each of them put in thousands of hours of practicing. That might be the point.
a good book about Genius is 'The Tipping Point'. It explains some of this.
If Warren Wolf says he doesn't practice, just remember he did! For hours every single day. At least that's what I've heard him say. And he started at age 4 I think?
So we have to put in the hours one way or another. IMHO
I believe if you're not playing all the time, then you need some scales and arpeggios and as much practice time as you can. Once you are playing 5 nights a week, then everything can change. I practiced non stop until I was 40.
Just my take.
Getting the most out of practice
Mary-Marie Wed, 07/15/2020 - 18:03
In reply to i don't totally agree with by tonymiceli
No disagreement there. Everyone has to pay their dues putting in the hours at the instrument. Everyone. But even practicing stuff like scales, I think you make better progress with a mindful, and consciously relaxed approach. David Friedman uses 20 minutes of free improv to set himself up. Warren hikes and gets clear that way. For me it’s breathing and thinking about what results I want to get so I don’t just go on autopilot. Also I have to stop practicing when I’m getting tired and also break up the practice by switching among several different things, no one thing for too long.
This was awesome! You should
Oliver_M37 Thu, 07/16/2020 - 13:05
This was awesome! You should definitely do it again.
I agree with Oliver!!!
mwalbridge Fri, 07/17/2020 - 13:43
In reply to This was awesome! You should by Oliver_M37
I agree with Oliver!!!