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Looking for suggestions…
So, I’ll try not to be overly long, but we’ll see. I am struggling with how to fit the paractice of all of my loves together. I occassionally sit in with an Irish Pub band so am really wanting to enhance my understanding of Drop D tuning, as well as get better at some odd time signatures. I also love my electric guitars and want to improve my playing there as well. I’m a rocker at heart, and love learning new songs to play in that genre. Finally, I just really want to improve my playing in general, and be able to sit with a guitar and play for my own pleasure as well as entertain others (I can’t play and sing at the same time, so that is out!). I also play around with a madolin occassionally.
I’m finally after a long lay-off finding the motivation to play again, but am qorried I may overwhelm myself and get frsutrated and lay (all of) my guitar down again. I am obvioulsy subscribed here, but I also access lessons through Guitar Zoom and the Online Academy of Irish Music. I enjoy all of them.
So, any suggestions on how to structure practice (and still go to work and see my family, lol)? Do I just choose one master to serve?
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4 Replies
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@brian welcome back after your hiatus from guitar. That happens to most people at different times. You do have a lot of musical interests, and to have work and family too can make it seem overwhelming.
My suggestion is to break it down. Like the quarterly TAC parties, prioritize the next 3 months. What do you want to accomplish. Then write an action plan to follow to get there. I can see where trying to do it all could become self defeating. Break down practice times. Practice smarter, not longer. This might be warming up with the TAC daily, then maybe some finger exercises or scales on either electric or acoustic. Keep the sessions short though. Practice 10-20 minutes (set a timer, so you stop after a short time), and then do normal life things, and then when there is an opportunity for another 10-20 minutes, practice some songs that are of interest to you, or take a lesson on one of your other sites, or practice something you’ve been working on. Then when you can, take 10-20 minutes and just let go and do whatever your heart desires.
Finally, be kind to yourself. If you find you’ve taken on too much and become frustrated and overwhelmed, stop, reassess and begin anew. Guitars are so forgiving with their time. There’s no rush to do it all at once. Whatever you don’t get to, reassess quarterly and reprioritize. .
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Wow Brian, I know exactly how you feel, so many possibilities and not enough time or energy to accomplish them all. Loraine made some great suggestions regarding a specific plan and laying it out formally so you can see it on paper. Over the past six months I had to scale back, not quit and not only serve one master as you say, but simply look at the pursuits that carry similar themes. Maybe focus on the acoustic-Irish-sing along- and entertainment aspect as a segment that is achievable. Get some momentum going in the area and add the electric and rock aspect another time or visa-versa. I found that if I dilute my focus and energy, I become frustrated and just tend to give up. Any progress you make in one will enhance the other at a later time.
There are so many resources. Pick a few and stick with them, you will find better focus and peace of mind. I would love to connect with an Irish band in my area…you’re a lucky guy.
Michael
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Lorain and Mychael, thank you both so much for your advice. I’ve delved back into TAC and been doing the daily challenges consistently (6/23 will be two consecutive weeks).
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</div><div> Awesome!! Keep it up! Hope everything works out and you find balance.</div><div>
</div><div> Just an fyi, typically when responding to others tag them by using the ampersand sign before their screen name and click on the drop-down when it appears. This will notify that person that there’s a response or message to them (typically will show on the top right bell of their screen). I tried doing this with your screen name, but it didn’t come up. You might want to change your nickname, which is your user screen name (something a little more unique than just Brian. Maybe your first name and first lett of your last name, or a nickname or something about you that explains who you are, etc.) on your profile page and we can see if that allows others to message or tag you. Another way to tag someone with a response to their post is to hit the reply button on their post (upper right of the response post will be a left arrow to use to respond).
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