No Discipline

dean111music

Is anyone else frustrated with lack of discipline? To much to learn? Practice plans that don't work?

I thought this would be a good thread for everyone to write down there experiences with what has helped them improve and to help me

I normally find myself sticking with a practice plan for a couple of weeks then after that goes tits up. End up trying to work on something else. Do you change your practice plans regular? Do you work on one topic only at a time?

There are a lot of distractions like youtube where you will watch something then want to learn it, then move on to something else etc 

Personally i like to work on

Ear Training 
Fretboard Knowledge 
Technique
Improv
Comping
Slide guitar 

Its hard fitting it all in, or feels like each area isn't getting enough time

CarpeDiem

I'd suggest breaking your practice time into chunks. I would also try learning one new song at a time and sticking to it until you've learned it, and ignore the distraction of YouTube until you are researching something new. Whilst the internet can be useful, get it to work for you, and not the other way around! (I've just read the book 'How Google Works' and one of their objectives was how to get people to spend more time watching videos. )

Sporky

For cello my teacher writes a set of specific exercises for the week in a book. I do those every time I sit down to play. I also then play whatever pieces I fancy; generally this includes whatever we were working on in the last lesson, one or two things I know well (good for warm-ups and reminding myself that I can actually play a bit) and one piece I'm working on but haven't played in a lesson yet.

I also have a set of general exercises that focus on tuning or position shifts or timing which I do less regularly (and probably less regularly than I should).

That approach seems to ensure that I always make general technique progress, but I also get to actually play quite a lot so it's not constant scales or arpeggios or othersuch useful-but-boring work.

BRISTOL86

It’s amazing what paying for lessons does for your focus. 

I now pretty much look only at the material and techniques I’ve been specifically tasked with in my lessons, as I’m now mad keen to get back to another lesson and prove that I’ve been working hard at it.

I used to be all over the place with my ‘practice’ which wasn’t really practice at all in any meaningful sense. I’ve made more progress in 4 lessons than in the 4 months that went before. 

JAYJO

Im missing tons of Discipline simply because i have never had a tutor. I know when it gets tough i put the kettle on. I get there eventually in my own time but it takes me much longer as i am not getting the push i need and things quickly become disorganised.

Funkfingers

Lestratcaster

I went to ACM for 4 years and having private tutorials as well really got me into a regime of what I needed to work on.

Now I teach others I understand the importance of focus, structure and discipline to practice. All my learners are weekly and I set them weekly exercises or songs to learn and expect them to have made progress the following week.

If you're still learning or not advanced its very difficult to know what to work on and what order to do it in as there's so much to do.

Sporky

JAYJO said:

Im missing tons of Discipline simply because i have never had a tutor. I know when it gets tough i put the kettle on. I get there eventually in my own time but it takes me much longer as i am not getting the push i need and things quickly become disorganised.

I think the approach should/can be different depending on your goal.

If you want to make a living at it then you do need to be disciplined and work very hard. If it's a hobby then you need to do whatever you need to do to enjoy it.

darthed1981

I'm sorry but I saw this (as someone with no discipline in my practise etc) and only thought of this

Edit: fiddlesticks video link broken, let's try this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s_KOk4dk98  

mburekenge

yep. Reading this when I should be practising.

1979

The internet is a big distraction when there is so much you want to learn. A work/reward system  might benefit you? Also keep a diary of what you did on particular days and you’ll see your progress which might keep you going when motivation drops

richardhomer

Some people are very good at practicing - I’m really not - it bores me to tears. Or to put it another way - I’m a lazy musician. 

I think you have to be true to yourself - if you’re naturally ill-disciplined, you might improve on your ‘natural’ self a bit - but in truth you’re probably not destined to be a great technician....

octatonic

I was ill-disciplined until I found a method that worked.

dean111music

octatonic said:

I was ill-disciplined until I found a method that worked.

Please say  

octatonic

dean111music said:

octatonic said:

I was ill-disciplined until I found a method that worked.

Please say  

It isn't a simple thing to explain, so forgive me if this doesn't come across well.
A method that works for me might not be the one that works for you either.

That said, I do a few different things:

1. Daily exercises for accuracy and synchronicity between the left and right hands.
2. Daily transcription of songs and solos.
3. Regularly playing with others.
4. Not slacking off when I get bored or distracted.
5. Hitting it little but often. 6 x 20 minute practices is better than a 2 hour session.

That is essentially it but it is something that took a long time to develop and the specifics of each point are pretty varied.

I did this with guitar and bass.
When I wanted to learn drums (about 5 year ago) I also added in regular lessons with a professional player who had an even more efficient method for learning that instrument, which is to break everything down to 2-3 things at once.

The main thing though is I made it the focus of my life.

dean111music

Wise words! Thanks man. I’ll give this a go! 

octatonic said:

dean111music said:

octatonic said:

I was ill-disciplined until I found a method that worked.

Please say  

It isn't a simple thing to explain, so forgive me if this doesn't come across well.
A method that works for me might not be the one that works for you either.

That said, I do a few different things:

1. Daily exercises for accuracy and synchronicity between the left and right hands.
2. Daily transcription of songs and solos.
3. Regularly playing with others.
4. Not slacking off when I get bored or distracted.
5. Hitting it little but often. 6 x 20 minute practices is better than a 2 hour session.

That is essentially it but it is something that took a long time to develop and the specifics of each point are pretty varied.

I did this with guitar and bass.
When I wanted to learn drums (about 5 year ago) I also added in regular lessons with a professional player who had an even more efficient method for learning that instrument, which is to break everything down to 2-3 things at once.

The main thing though is I made it the focus of my life.