How long do you practice?

[adam0408]

I always say that I need to get more practicing done, but I can never seem to do it, because of endurance issues and time issues. I go to a liberal arts college, so its not all about music and I have lots of other stuff to do.

we have an hour and twenty minute rehearsal every day, and that weakens my chops sometimes for when I wish to go practice later in the day. The most I probably have practiced recently is 2.5 hours, not including breaks.

[ahowle]

Four hours of PRACTICE (not rehearsal, not playing duets, but actual practice in a practice room by myself) would be a light day, or a day where I had too much stuff other than practicing (like rehearsals, a lesson, or classes) for me. 5-6 hours of practice is pretty standard. Add rehearsals and a lesson to that, and I'm playing 9+ hours most days.

[ahowle]

WOW! Thats alot!

I don't think of it as being a lot. In fact, I hope to begin playing more than I already do. My brain, however, is often turned to gravy by the end of the day and the trick will be to maintain mental focus for longer.

[quinterbourne]

I used to practice 5 or 6 hours a day. It's just a matter of building up the endurance to do so. Unfortunately, with academic study, I just no longer have the time to put in much more than a couple hours a day, especially when I add in 2-4 hours of rehearsal most days... but I make the most of those two hours I do practice.

The problem with practicing so much: eventually you get really good, then lots of groups get you to play with them... so you don't have time to practice very much (because you're always rehearsing), so then you start to suck... then those groups let you go, so then you start practicing a lot again... it's a bitter neverending circle. I've learned to be very selective in regards to who I play with.

[TubaRay]

In my opinion 5-6 hrs. of practice constituting a standard day is a great deal of practice. It was never standard for me, and I worked very hard at things when I was both an undergrad and grad student. From your comments, it sounds as if the very problem I would expect you might have, is one you are having--staying focused. If you are mentally able to meet the demands, the physical shouldn't be that difficult.

I remember when my chops were the strongest, I would practice through breaks given during rehearsals. I had no fear whatsover that my chops would get tired. They didn't. When the band would go on tour for three or four days I would feel as if my chops had lost something. This would occur despite playing two or three hourlong concerts per day.

I am a strong believer in a person doing what works for them. I don't know what your goals are as a player. It sounds as if you have some high goals. As long as you can stay motivated, focused, and enjoying the practice, I believe you are on the right track. Most importantly, where you mind is willing to take you, your body will most often follow.

Best wishes.

[Mark]

To paraphrase Socarates: "long enough to get it right".

[ahowle]

Thanks tubaray,
Yeah, you're right - I don't have any problems with physical endurance for the most part (however sometimes after several hours of practicing higher exerpts at a high dynamic I do become physically tired). The main thing that will make me unable to play anymore is mental focus. For a while I would practice in blocks of several hours at a time with no breaks at all (not even for a sip of water), and I thought that because I did not become physically tired that I was okay. However, I started to realize that I was completely mentally unfocused and I was not really getting much done. The biggest thing that helps me practice for 6 "straight" hours is to take a 5-minute break every 25 minutes, no matter how I feel, and go do something outside of the practice room that is completely different, whether it is taking a walk, checking my email, or whatever. In fact, both this post and my previous reply to this thread are what I've done during my practice breaks. The breaks keep my sixth hour of practice in a day just about as efficient as my first hour. It may have something to do with the fact that I rarely physically get tired as well.