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Finding the time to play and practice…

By Strings Direct – 29 August, 2023

Finding the time to play and practice… How do you find spare time? It must be wonderful to have tonnes of time on your hands to play and practice at leisure – imagine that!  We all love the guitar so much and want to make ourselves the best we can be with the time we have, yet sometimes it’s hard to get that quality time with it. The trials of a busy life: work, kids and juggling/cuddling with your wife while watching TV tend to take over, and instead of knuckling down to woodshed guitar stuff, we find ourselves in a painful and tricky balancing act. Long practice sessions vs. shorter bursts. There is no proof that doing something for long periods of time is any better than smaller chunking and shorter focused practice bursts.  You can achieve a lot by mixing it up and re-doing exercises over shorter periods of time. Have a watch of this video: And this too: So with that in mind, you should definitely think about dividing your practice sessions into small chunks even if it seems hardly worth the effort.   Guitar Addiction Group Thoughts Steve fury: Work full time, mon - fri, 0700 - 1500, up at 4:30 every morning, back home at 1630 in the evening. Three kids, homework, extra-curricular activities. One very patient wife... Try to practise on the couch at very low volume while others watch TV before. I guess they are all used to it. Although, the missus does get a little sick of the widdly widdly from time to time.... But still the greatest hobby in the world.... Can't wait to retire and play full time smile emoticon Eric Steinert: No family to raise yet, but I'm pursuing an independent music project on top of working full time. I play and write every evening I get home around 7pm, almost like having two jobs. I'm a graphic designer by day, and use those skills and experience to further my ambitious music career (creating art and attempting to market myself). When I have no weekend plans Ill spend about 8 hours each day playing. Some weekends I feel pretty burnt out and need to just put it away, but it's simply something I want and don't plan on quitting in the near future. I love what I create but I can always be better. If it’s something that you want enough, the challenge will become effortless; the extra work won't feel like work. I can imagine how raising kids would hinder you in that respect, but if you want something bad enough it's never impossible. If one thing makes it all worth it, IMO, it doesn’t matter what level of technicality you can play at. It's been my experience that over time you find a voice and a niche you are passionate about and that gives you plenty of drive to keep going Scott Stirling: Life is a juggling act mate - you either give up on the music and dedicate all available time to your job wife kids etc or stay single and child free to pursue the music - failing that be prepared to juggle smile emoticon. Warren Robert: Easy... Teach everyone you know... Your Boss, Kids, Wife how to play then it's 100 percent guitar!!!!!!!! Though, efficient practice, balance and juggling is likely a more reasonable alternative Jeppe Boesen Garfunkel: I play when my baby is sleeping. 80% of my time at the moment is unplugged. But that isn't bad! I've been playing with a lot of distortion, so my dynamics and picking hand isn't that good. This has improved and I'm picking much harder and precise now. I actually prefer playing unplugged, because there’s nothing to distract me, like a setting on a given effect etc. Loz Ruston: This is always a tough one. I often try and pick something which I can work on so I can set up some ground work whole I'm sat on the sofa with my family around (so I don't have to concentrate to heavily on it) like a particular pattern or whatever, then when everyone's in bed I focus on it and try and out it through the wringer. Great question though!! Eric Sala: Just play guitar man, don't think too much about it and be happy Hisham Al-Hussaini: No wife, no kids. Working pretty well for me Aldrich Alvarez: 10:30am-3pm work 4-5pm practice 6-11:30pm then practice a little bit at night again till whenever then sleep, repeat Miguel Batalha: Timer, excel, drum machine/loop.   Victor F F Hernandez: Lol get it in when you can   Matthew Dover: I just don't practice.   Jack Korhorn: it took me 20 minutes a day. just make the best outta whatever time ya get. work towards the goal, whatever it my be. the simpler and more realistic seem to be the most gratifying.   Cliff Sample: I generally play while everyone else is asleep. Lucky enough to have a dedicated room in the basement.  
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