Skip to content
What does everyone ...
 
Notifications
Clear all

What does everyone think about...

15 Posts
15 Users
0 Likes
2,162 Views
(@greenstuart)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 59
Topic starter  

practicing or learning tab in front of the TV as opposed to being in a quiet room?
Is there much of a benefit in practicing in silence??
Regards...
Stuart


   
Quote
 geoo
(@geoo)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2801
 

I think there is alot to be said for keeping your practices as a practice. Studying your lesson, a quiet room, etc. That said, I think there is alot of time in between when there is something to be learned from playing any time and every time you can get your fingers on the strings. Why not a little (or alot) of both?

Geoo

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
ReplyQuote
(@Anonymous)
New Member
Joined: 1 second ago
Posts: 0
 

I agree with Geoo but it also depends on your learning style as well. I think that for MOST people quiet is needed in order to really absorb the material. However everyone is different and if you can learn new material with the TV on the more power to you.

Give yourself a test. Study/practice with the TV on for 30 minutes. Put your material away and try to play/write down EVERYTHING you studied during practice WITHOUT cheating. Or better yet, have someone else test you on the material. If you can repeat it with no problem then the TV won't be a concern.


   
ReplyQuote
(@barnabus-rox)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2957
 

A very interesting topic being a beinner myself , I try to hide away from the wife and kids , and have a hour or so to myself . Sometimes I even get a couple of hours before they find me . I ll be watching this post with great interest and thank you greenstuart for raising this subject , I am sure there will copious of different replies
hilch

Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am


   
ReplyQuote
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

i have a tendency to play the same sort of thing over and over if i'm front of the tv. it's good for getting a more familiar feel, especially if your going to be sitting in front of the tv anyway... but if you want to actually learn anything new or get better, you have to focus on what you're doing.


   
ReplyQuote
(@goodvichunting)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 326
 

I don't think one can truly practice in front of a TV.
You could of course play something you know well but I certainly wouldn't advise learning something new while watching TV.

Latest addition: Cover of "Don't Panic" by Coldplay
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=502670


   
ReplyQuote
 Taso
(@taso)
Famed Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2811
 

Learning something new while watching TV isn't such a bad idea actually. If you are learning something, but looking at the TV your mind isn't totally on what you are doing. Ok ok, so what's so great about that right... Well, this can be a good way to make sure you know something, and your hands can do it without you really thinking about it. This will be important for singing while playing, or anything else. It'll allow for more distractive occurences to take place without you being distracted when you're playing.

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
ReplyQuote
(@josephlefty)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 373
 

I learned and got good at all my arpeggios in front on the TV half laying down with an acoustic guitar in my lap too tired to do anything else after long days on the job.

It is a relaxing sound too.

If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.


   
ReplyQuote
(@gunslinger)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 345
 

I think mikespe hit the nail on the head: it's all about how you learn.

My fiance has to have some sort of noise in the background to study (which I'm good at providing for her). I prefer radio or TV going in the next room myself, and I used the A/C fan when we first moved into this apartment, but now I've grown used to that (mostly because it's ALWAYS on...summertime in Texas is hot).

However, my brother was always the one who prefered to be somewhere that was soundproofed.

Our songs also have the standard pop format: Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, bad solo. All in all, I think we sound like The Knack and the Bay City Rollers being molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath.

Kurt Cobain


   
ReplyQuote
 TimL
(@timl)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 41
 

I have to answer both. I don't watch much tv, but when I do I usually have a guitar in my hands, but I'm just noodling around getting a feel for things. To actually sit and practice or learn, I don't do it in front of the tv. The other disadvantage of doing it in front of the tv is not using an amp and I tend to get sloppy.


   
ReplyQuote
 gene
(@gene)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 159
 

I can just fool around in front of the tv, but if I really want to learn a part of a song, I have to concentrate, and that means moving away from the tv. But now that I have started learning the guitar, it's amazing how many comercials on tv are filled with little guitar pieces.


   
ReplyQuote
(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

I hardly ever watch TV - for years I didn't even own one.

When I started to play as a teenager, though, I'd play along with Saturday morning cartoons. They're full of music, so I'd try to repeat phrases I heard. I think it was good for me.

On the other hand, I couldn't see actively (mentally at least) watching something and trying to play at the same time.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
ReplyQuote
(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

I don't watch much TV except for sports.

When football's on, I have a guitar in hand.

But then, for every 5 minutes of air-time there's 30 seconds it that you need to watch, so the guitar is usefull for filling in the empty space. I also tend to watch football with the sound off, since the commentators usually don't seem to be watching the same game as anyone else.

I can't imagine being able to watch a real show and get any usefull practice done. But I could see noodling around while watching TV, and I'd never suggest you NOT do that, but I'd never agree that it should be called practice.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
ReplyQuote
(@jimscafe)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 119
 

I often watch a DVD late in the evening and if I am having problems getting a chord change down pat, then I can do that while watching the film.

A good way to train your fingers to achieve a chord shape you are having difficulty with


   
ReplyQuote
(@bennett)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 297
 

I often watch a DVD late in the evening and if I am having problems getting a chord change down pat, then I can do that while watching the film.

A good way to train your fingers to achieve a chord shape you are having difficulty with
Same here. I don't practise per se in front of the telly, but if I'm watching something I'll pick up the guitar and just practise chord changes and such. I generally don't pick/strum though since I wanna hear the movie ... nor do I wanna drown out the sound of the movie for the wife. :)

When I practice 'properly' though, I generally prefer silence. Reason being I like to really hear the notes so I can train my ears and also so I can give my full attention to the concepts.

From little things big things grow - Paul Kelly


   
ReplyQuote