Not enough practice time

Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

There’s an interesting thread on practicing (http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=168140) that got me thinking along a similar theme;
I play 2-3 nights a week, every week, and work 5 days, 40 hrs/week at my day job. I’d like to practice a little each night, but many times barely get to touch my steel until Wed or Thursday night, and even then it’s just to change strings or chart out a couple of new songs for the weekend.

Our bandleader can call off any one of a couple of hundred songs at the drop of a hat (doesn’t work off a set list), and between trying to hear what song is called off, remember what key I’m in, and struggling to hear the drummer’s count, I’m relying mostly on auto pilot to get through the intros!

I do try to keep the intros and signature licks true to the original recording, but fudge a little now and then. Sometimes I purposely throw in a different intro to a standard just to try a new lick….which is the point I’d like to make; this is my practice time….on the job, in front of people.

Our band has never had a rehearsal. I usually receive an email on Wednesday night (if I’m lucky) or Thursday of 1-5 new songs that we might play that weekend. I spend Friday during my day job listening to an ipod and charting out at least the intros and leads. I do rely on charts for the first few times we play the new stuff.

Anybody else in this predicament? I’ve been doing this for years. I’m lucky if I can get through any typical steel instrumental mostly because I never get to sit and practice them, and it’s far and few between that they’re even requested/called off anymore. I find myself being very envious of those who get to learn the standard steel instrumentals and get to spend time working up all the great stuff that is put on You Tube these days. I just can’t make the quality time in my weekly schedule to take advantage of those wonderful lessons and instructional materials.

There’s so much great info available these days that it’s massively overwhelming! When I started, it was difficult to find someone that knew what the pedals did… Whoa!

Anyone else feel this pain?
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Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I NEVER charted a song in my life.

No band I've ever played in......used set lists.

WHY WORRY?

If they call out "Bonaparts(sp?) Retreat" in "F"......
just give a standard turn-around or intro' and be done with it. What's to worry about?

I know some of the folks here urge newer players to get in a band, some as early as three and four weeks of beginning playing,......... HOWEVER, I feel this is a tremendous disservice to the new player.

You MUST HAVE the basic understanding of music and your guitar. Without it, you're gonna be lost forever with no hope of finding your way out of the maze. With that mindset, STRESS and confusion!

If you don't know/understand your guitar then you're truly not ready for stage work. Sounds rough but that's the way it is, IMHO. You can never hope to chart every song you do.......you'll be buried in paper work.

Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

Good for you Ray!

You got the rest all wrong. I've got a great, peaceful, rewarding, but very active life.

My post has nothing to about stress, it has to do with the lack of time to practice. And mostly because most of my steel time is being paid for.

I was attempting to compare the benefits/shortcomings of playing a lot/practicing little to practicing a lot/playing a little.

Hope that clears it up a little better. Smile

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Always remember you're unique..... Just like everyone else

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

Steve

I believe I am the author of the other thread on practicing (too much) that you are referring to. I well remember trying to maintain my playing skills while going to school and working a real job. It's tough but not impossible. I do believe you have to force yourself to touch the steel every day, even if just to do some scales and what-not for 15 to 30 minutes. Your muscles need to stay in shape. It sounds like you are using your time wisely given the competing demands placed on your time.

I am recently retired so I have the luxury of unlimited time to practice. In my thread I am exploring the other end of the practice spectrum. I believe we all have vastly more potential than we use, and that if we make a concerted effort to any particular endeavor we can accomplish amazing things. Seems like a reasonable goal for retirement.

Keep picking and grinning.

Paul

Nathan Golub · From: Durham, NC

Steve, that's a situation I can relate to. I work a Mon-Fri 9-5, have two weekly band rehearsals (for two different bands), 1-3 gigs on the weekends, and sometimes one during the week as well. There are about six local bands I play with and occasional one-off projects as well. Not all of these are on steel, but the majority are. Ideally I like to put in 1 to 2 hours of practice a day during the week (1/2 hour before work, 1/2 hour right after and then whatever time is available in the evening) and a bit more on the weekends. That doesn't always happen though—if I get back late from a gig or practice with my steel gear in the car and I have something going on the next day, I'll sometimes just leave everything packed up. While I currently have two steels, I'll need to sell one soon to cover the purchase of the other, or else I'd leave one up for practice and one for gigs. This has been my schedule for the past year and a half or so.

So all that said, I've definitely noticed certain benefits and drawbacks to a heavy playing/lower practicing schedule. I've become much better at improvising on material I haven't heard much or at all, as well as learning songs much quicker than when I was just practicing at home more. I'm very comfortable doing this on stage and turning mistakes into better ideas. I'm also comfortable under a variety of performing situations, like less-than-great on-stage sound, odd stages and other distractions. And playing with a variety of different bands is great for having to learn to adapt to new music and musicians. Unfortunately I have almost no steel instrumentals in my repertoire. I've been looking forward to putting in a good amount of time really learning the C6 neck, but most of that has to happen with groups that are OK with me fooling around (i.e. messing up) with it at a gig or practice. Also, the more subtle aspects (hah!) of my technique have started suffer, especially my vibrato.

So I've been getting back into a woodshed-mindset lately. Part of that is just making the effort to have my gear set up at home and being more disciplined about practice. Like you, I'm very happy with my job and the non-music aspects of my life, so this is in no way a complaint. I feel very lucky to be busy playing music I love with musicians I like and respect AND have the security of a full-time job to pay the bills & mortgage. Figuring out a way to balance playing, practicing and a job is tough but important (to me, at least).

Stuart Legg · Posted 29 Sep 2009 11:36 am

Unless you’re some kind of genius and have endless time to practice I would think charts would be a great help when trying to keep up with the top 40 country.

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I had been doing, what, you ARE doing, for about 20 yrs. I played 4-5 nights a week plus held down a 40-50 hr work week. I never practised at all, I didn't need to. My playing was as sharp as a tack and very improvisational. But, like you, playing a great instrumental was totaly foreign to me. I was asked to play a few steel shows and never was happy with my outings. Being a backup steel player, playing intros and endings correctly with fills, was all I knew. It WAS a great learning experience and made me stage savvy.
Nowadays, I don't play out that much and have more time to "hone" my craft and amuse myself. There's so much to learn and catch up on. I've even started teaching a couple of students.
However, I do miss, a lot, all the gigs I had. Everything seemed a little fresher back then. Unfortunately, I get a little bored sometimes.
Thankfully, my band has 3 gigs lined up for October and I'll be able to use my new found licks.

Walter Bowden · From: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Hey Nathan, are you gonna sell the Fessy or the Emmons p/p? That's gotta add some extra "stress" to what looks like a very busy schedule.
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John Lemieux · From: Ontario, Canada

Wow Steve you dont need to practice you lucky dude.
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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Steve,I'd trade places with you in an instant-except for the day job.JMHO,having a chance to play for 8 to 12 hours a week in a gig environment where you have to get it right the first time every time is the very best practice you can get,and you'll be a better player for it than if you practiced at home all the hours you work on both jobs put together.

My thought is that depending on how much control the bandleader likes to have over the material,it might be worthwhile to take a day or two off the day job,woodshed some of the steel tunes you want to do,and bring them to the band.If he'll let the band do them,then you get to polish the material until it shines.Even if he won't,what's a few hours off the day gig going to matter in the Grand Scheme of the Cosmos? You'll still know the tunes.

Cameron Tilbury · From: Peterborough, England, UK

I would love the practice time some of you guys have. I leave the house at 630am and don't get home til 8pm, Monday thru Friday. I have time for a bite to eat, relax for a few minutes and catch up with my wife and dog...then go to bed.
I have a hard time getting much more than an hour of practice on Saturdays and Sundays. It's really frustrating after being away from playing for so long.
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Nathan Golub · From: Durham, NC

Walter, it will be the Fessy, though at one point I'd love to get another. I just can't afford to keep two steels right now. As nice a guitar as it is, choosing between that and the p/p is not a difficult choice for me!

Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

Paul,
I took your advice last night and forced some practice time on myself. I had the privilege to play to some BIAB songs Andy Sandoval sent me a while back...thanks Andy! The greatest part was when our 5 month old puppy curled up at my feet, and the wife poured herself a small glass of wine and asked if it would bother me if she sat and listened for a while.... Very Happy

Nathan,
I too have a steel/amp to practice on at home all the time. Without that capability I'd hardly ever get any practice time in! My gigging equipment is almost always packed up. I also enjoy the "one offs" sitting in with some of the more progressive groups...I definitely enjoy the diversity!

John De Maille,
You know exactly what I'm talking about. I DO appreciate the opportunities I'm currently afforded. I'm pushing 60 and don't know how many more years I will want to do it this way...I have a wife I could easily spend 25hrs a day with.

John Lemieux,
I am lucky AND I definitely need to practice!!

Dave,
I'm going to do what you suggested. One song, slowly, at a time. Our band plays one venue that I think would enjoy an instrumental, even if it was just a break song....

Cameron,
I hope you're a young man! I did 14-16 hr days back when I had my own business and I can tell you life's too short for that schedule!
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Always remember you're unique..... Just like everyone else

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

Steve,
I just turned 60, this year. My doctor told me, I was burning the candle at both ends and holding the center over the match!
I still miss playing all those gigs, though.

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

When I first started to play at the guitar I never came out of my room except for school and sometimes for supper, I was the same way with pedal steel.
Now when I am gigging all the time, I miss the practice time and when I am not gigging I make time for practice and miss the gigs.
If you just have to play... you make the time for it.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

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