How much time do you spend practicing?

Mike Shefrin · Posted 30 Nov 2006 6:19 pm

I'm just curious as to how much time you guys out there devote to practicing on your steels.I realize that for some it's harder to find time than others. I myself try to spend one to two hours a day practicing. Even when I don't have time, I always manage to spend at least half an hour at it every day no matter what.

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

2 to 4 hours most days. Scales, harmonized scales, rhythm tracks.

I am single now and kids are out of the house!

Alan Rudd · From: Ardmore, Oklahoma

Not enough! An hour if I'm lucky!

George Redmon · From: Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.

i practice only when the mood hits me right. During that time i can get more accomplished then a druge routine that forces me to do something i may not feel i want to do. Sometimes i may sit at the steel for literally days. Then there are times i may go days without touching it. I really think it goes back to the days when i drank heavy. Old habits are hard to break. But i have to be in the mood to practice alone.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

I posted a topic awhile ago on this subject its good to get fresh ideas, if my memory serves me right bobbe had a good response, it is not the amount of time rather the quality if technique. I do agree with this as I was always told this.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

I'm on a dailey routine. I get 2-3 hours dailey. Everyday, I spend 1--1 1/2 hours every morning. Usually involves coaching my daughter 5 days a week. About three times a week I get back home and sit down at 5:30 until 10:30 P.M. Once a week I go out and gig. Week ends I try for more.

Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

i try to spend at least as much time playing, as some here on the forum spend typing

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Mullen SD-10 3&5 / nashville 400
Hilton volume pedal

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i try to spend as much time as i can
anywhere between 1 & 4 hours if not more
w: the appropriate breaks in between
lunch, coffee, supper, & the kids homework

Jimmie Martin · From: Ohio, USA

you must be retired calvin. some of these guys post an awfull lot. whether they need to or not.

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

2 to 3 hours a day , on average. I believe there are days that practice is more productive than other days but any touch time is important.
Hook

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www.HookMoore.com

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

15/30 minutes of dedicated structued practice everyday beats 3 or 4 hours of wandering any day of the week.

I attempt to get in at least 4 days a week of structered practice with set goals.This routing can go on for months doing the exact same thing everyday.

And Calvin, sometimes AFTER we sit and go thru our routines a little social time on the Forum is a great way to wind down.

t

Jerry Lee Newberry · From: Prim, AR USA

I usually can't get Jerry out of the house to do his jobs before he goes out to the music room to play a while. Sometimes he's out there at night to,but more often it's all morning.

Sometimes we worry about Austin. He may go a week without touching his steel and then their's times we can't keep him off of it. He seems to stay at the same level for a while and then BAM!!!!! he's jumped up a notch. He makes us nervous sometimes, but then most of the time everything turns out ok.

Donna

George Redmon · From: Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.

Donna, it sounds like austin is doing pretty good to me. If it works that way, then it's fine. That is the way i practice as well. Everyone around here knows, when i go to practice, i will be unavailable for anything for a loooong time. Then i may go for days on end and not touch it. Just depends. It kinda reminds me of the kid that would like to be out playing with his friends after school instead of sitting at the piano hours on end. But hey..if it works that's the answer for you. And Tony i agree with you 100%. This forum is a very valuble learning tool. It should be as much a part of your pratice routine as sitting at the steel...and after all....who doesn't like home baked possum with sweet potatos, gravy, and homemade huckleberry pie....yummm

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

15-30 minutes at most, wish i could do more.

Andy Jones · From: Mississippi

Usually 45-60 minutes a day.If I'm in the mood,a little more;if not in the mood a little less.I agree with Tony about quality and quantity.My job requires me to be away from home for 2 days and then I'm home 4 days.When I'm gone I take my lap steel to work and practice my C6 stuff.I'm a fireman,so I have lot of down time that I can practice.Some one has to do it!

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I usually play 30-40 minutes before I go to work every morning, it just starts my day off right. About 45% on steel, about 45% on guitar, the rest mandolin or fiddle. Our band rehearses on Thursday nights for a couple of hours, and I usually practice and hour or so on Saturday nights on the stuff we are doing on Sunday morning.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

P Gleespen · From: Toledo, OH USA

When I was a kid playing bass, I used to practice a couple hours a day minimum. Then when I went to college I upped it to about four hours a day.

Now that I'm a daddy playing steel, I spend a couple hours a day changing diapers and doing laundry. I fit in practicing when I can (during naptime, after bedtime)...I'm lucky if I can get in a good focused hour.

...needless to say, I was a much better bass player than I am a steel player.

[This message was edited by P Gleespen on 01 December 2006 at 08:08 AM.]

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

Not near enough. Most of the time I practice about 5 minutes before the gig starts. Normally, I practice about an hour a month except sometimes I get excited to learn something and I'll practice hard every day for a while. Too many toys. At least with the swing band I get a good workout on both necks and have all the room to stretch out as far as I am capable.

Phillip Lee Thompson · From: Canby, Oregon

Many years ago at one of Scotty's conventions in St.Louie,I saw the Great Buddy Emmons waiting to go on stage. I was actually able to get close enough to ask this question: Buddy,your playing is flawless,how many hours a day or week do you practice? He smiled and replied" I used to hit it hard every day,most all the time - but then I realized one day after doing a show,that I was leaving some of my best playing in the practice room" !!

I took that to mean that if your moving forward and enjoying the Steel,go for it. Otherwise,give it a rest untill you really want to practice. Phillip.

[This message was edited by Phillip Lee Thompson on 01 December 2006 at 09:00 AM.]

Ted Solesky · From: Mineral Wells, Texas, USA

I envy you all. I practice when the mood hits and that's about once every 2 weeks. But I do know from experience that putting in the time does make you more confident on stage. Your pickin is more precise.

George Redmon · From: Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.

I enjoy jazz, standards, and big band music. So i often take hints from horn players and the like. And i came across these articles on practice and i find them very helpful. I do believe your mind must be, for lack of better words, "in the mood" to practice. I also think your body should also be in the right frame of thought so to speak for practice as well. I take breaks often from my marathon practice sessions. And do simple excersises. I also try to play a little before each playing date. If possible the same day, but at the least the evening before. I hope you glance over these two articles and find something there that's helpful. Both were written by educated music scholars. http://www.alexandercenter.com/pa/musicpractice.html http://dominicsmusic.com/Leblanc_Bell_helping.htm

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Excellent article, George. Thanks.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

not so much that it hurys my playin. CC

Frederic Mabrut · From: Olloix, France

I try to stick from half an hour to one hour a day, but it's not easy all the time.

I totally agree with Tony Prior sayin':
"15/30 minutes of dedicated structued practice everyday beats 3 or 4 hours of wandering any day of the week."

...but It's so much fun to wander a bit!

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I spend 4 to 6 hours a day on music, it's what I do besides make barely enough money to spend all my time on music. But, sometimes the six-string gets the best of me and takes over, though I try to at least get some picking exercise on the steel in every day. I'm really trying to spend more of that time on my reading, transcribing and arranging skills. For example, by working out the necessary positions and pedals needed to play a simple bouree from Bach in C6th tuning - however slowly - I can make probably about quadruple the progress towards becoming a better musician than anything else combined. Obviously, you practice towards your needs.

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