I was reading the following, it had an incredible impact on me and I had to share it with you all.
The following is from Toastmasters September Issue:
"John Erskine was a highly regarded American educator, musician and novelist noted for energetic, skilled work in several different fields. Erksine said he learned one of the most valuable lessons of his life when he was only 14 years old. It took place when his piano teacher asked: "How many times a week do you practice and how long do you practice each time?" Erskine said he tried to practice once daily for an hour or more. "Don't do that," she responded. "When you grow up, time won't come in long stretches. Practice in minutes, whenever you can find them - five or 10 before school, after lunch, between chores. Spread your practice throughout the day and music will become a part of your life."
So did the advice work, what do you guys think? Here's what happend =D
"It was advice he accepted and acted upon. Erskine became a concert pianist who performed with the New York Philharmonic. Later he served as president of the Julliard School of Music and director of the metropolitan Opera Association. He also went on to teach literature at Columbia University and wrote 45 books. His most famous, The Private Life of Helen of Troy, was written as he commuted to Columbia."
Boy when I read the part, "then music will become a part of your life." I was so moved by that statement, I envisioned myself being surrounded by the all the wonder and beauty of music that I would be playing. Oh so powerful for me!
Thanks for sharing the story. I have heard that too - it is better to pick up your guitar for 10 minutes, several times a day than to practice for 1 solid hour.
when something you love doing becomes a part of your life then I call it following your bliss.
not an easy road. but the correct one.
Hey, this made me feel pretty good about myself. :D
I have never been a disciplined type when it comes to practice. Now, when I started I used to practice about 6 hours a day or even more. I just wanted to learn so much. I do not have that kind of time to practice anymore. So I just pick up the guitar whenever I am around it. I might pick it up for 2 minutes before I go to work (it is always on it's stand ready to go). When I get home I might practice for 10-20 minutes before I rush off to do something important. During the evenings I pick it up for 10 minutes at a time maybe 4 or 5 times total. And once in awhile I will play for hours straight. I really don't have any sort of schedule or any definite material to work on. I usually practice songs that I have on my mind at the time. Once in awhile I will work on a technique.
Guitar is absolutely a big part of my life, I never realized that the way I practice makes it so. I always thought I had poor practice habits. But I do play guitar almost every single day and have now for 34 years.
And I never practice for the sake of practicing. I simply play guitar because I have always enjoyed it. It is never work or boring to me.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
"And I never practice for the sake of practicing. I simply play guitar because I have always enjoyed it. It is never work or boring to me."
Thus spake Wes......and that's exactly how it should be! I love playing guitar, I'm very rarely more than a few feet away from one and I'll pick it up at any opportunity......
I've found the last few weeks incredibly frustrating - I severed a tendon in my middle finger, I haven't been able to play properly since - couldn't play at all the first few weeks.....I still can't play barre chords, have to do them as half-barres - but the most frustrating thing of all is, I can't play for more than a few minutes without my hand THROBBING like mad.....
I will never, ever, ever moan about practising ever again!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I struggle to find a hour a day to practice and probably do 10 sessions a day in 10 minute sessions , I thought I was cheating made me feel a lot better about my practice sessions ...
For the record I still can't play :lol:
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
Thanks for sharing, xposed! It was very helpful to hear that as that's very much how I am, also. Playing is a huge part of my life. Like Wes, I too thought I had poor practice habits, though I knew the fact I played a lot was a good thing. I always just play because I feel like it or because I need to express something(and if there's a guitar around you can bet I'm playing it). And when I do actually practice practice, it's still really spontaneous and joyeous because I really want to learn it. I can only hope that my piano playing with become this way. Then again, I probably should give my self some slack as I'm only on my second lesson :)
It's also really nice to hear that as I've invisioned myself in the future teaching music, similer John Erskine's story, and I often worry that if I really want to teach music maybe I should be more enthused about practicing and do it for long periods of time. I guess not! It's becoming more and more clear that there are many paths to the same destination, and that there's one for everyone. Thanks again.
Hey, this made me feel pretty good about myself. :D
hahaha :D
I know the feeling
"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."
-Guitar World :lol:
