Non-professional guitarists: how much time do you get to play?

mellowsun · August 2014

As someone who has a non-guitar-related day job that sees me getting home around 7.30pm, I get frustrated at not having enough time to play the guitar.

Usually it's limited to a 15 minute noodle in the evening, or occasionally a spare 30 minutes or so to record a rough track into a portable recorder, e.g. for the fretboard challenges.

I think I use GAS as a substitute for not having enough time to properly play, so I buy more kit I don't need or use instead.

How common is this among forum members I wonder?

not_the_dj · August 2014

Same as you. The odd few minutes to here and there, but rare to have any decent time to play (jobs and young kids etc).

I gig on average twice a month though, which I thoroughly enjoy, and if we're adding in new songs I'll try and learn what I can in the evenings, but I am usually under prepared!

It has made a difference having a Yamaha THR10 sat perminantly in the living room, that's saved me a lot of set-up time as non of my stuff is out and ready to go at a moments notice.

Likewise GAS increases as playing time decreases!

VimFuego · August 2014

when I worked the regular 9-5 (ish) then yup, that sounds familiar. I would be lucky to get 1/2 hour a day. Now I work for myself I get a good hour or more a day (but have no money for GASSing).

Catthan · August 2014

I work 8-6 on average so I got 8-11 to practice-play daily but that usually works out to be 9-10. no family yet, just me being lazy and easily distracted.
gig once a week average and rehearse 2-3 evenings a week.

Danny1969 · August 2014

I think the Gas'ing is the problem with a lot of players. They substitute the buying of gear to make up for the fact they don't ever really play ........ so they don't even need the gear they are Gass'ing

I'm like Vim, no money to Gass but I do get to play around 30 hours a week

Adam_MD · August 2014

I'm the same as well. I leave about 6am getting home around 7pm. By the time I see my other half and cook dinner I usually get 30-45 mins in most nights but sometimes I just can't be arsed and all I want to do is sit and play Skyrim or watch some tv. Weekends I'll usually get a few hours of playing/recording in.
I also totally agree that the less time I spend playing the more I gas for stuff I don't really need.

mike_l · August 2014

Are you saying us GASheads are making up for a shortfall elsewhere?

You're probably right. I try to practise, but lose my way, noodle the same old things, and don't really progress....

I try to get in 1 hour a day, sometimes I do, mostly I don't.

I'm better on early finish as I have a proper evening and time to do it.

xSkarloey · August 2014

Yes, I'm pretty limited in the amount of time I can commit to playing.

I really need to find a way around this. There is scope for it, but I need to rethink a lot of things to make it work.

PolarityMan · August 2014

Minimum of 4 hours rehearsal a week. There are some weeks I'll spend a lot of time writing and recording and others that I wont touch a guitar outside rehearsal at all.

Panama_Jack666 · August 2014

I take me guitar to work and practice on me lunch. I would love MUCH more time to practice!

axisus · August 2014

Longish working day. leave home 6.30am and usually back around 6.30-7.00pm. Wifey doesn't cook for me so I sort my own food out which soaks up time. I generally get 30-90 minutes in most week days though, as I prefer instruments to watching TV. I also have instruments at work so occasionally I have an hour at lunch as well. Weekends I play several mini sessions throughout the day. I just wish I used the time more constructively!

guitarfishbay · August 2014

Try to play every day but it really does vary between a few strummed chords and multiple hours. I have at least one 4 hour practice session during the week and usually another session at the weekend of equal length which is either writing or recording.

I sold my games consoles years ago and I don't watch TV unless I'm eating. Guitar is more fulfilling than either as far as I'm concerned. I would like more time to exercise if anything! Right now music is my no1 outlet and takes up the majority of my spare time.

freakboy1610 · August 2014

mellowsun said:

I think I use GAS as a substitute for not having enough time to properly play, so I buy more kit I don't need or use instead.

This is so true. 20 years ago I played guitar every day for at least an hour or two. I had a couple of big amps, a couple of small amps and several guitars. Now with work, wife and two kids I'm lucky to get an hour a week and have no spare cash for GAS but I've still spent about 20 hours this week (mostly on my employer's time) considering whether I should spend £20 on a new bridge for my JM Jazzmaster!
:-\"

RocknRollDave · August 2014

Lucky to be gigging regularly, but outside of that I only really play in my lunch at work.

I doubt if I manage more than 10 minutes overall per week at home.

hubobulous · August 2014

It goes in fits and starts for me. We rehearse each week for around 2hrs, but at the moment we are consolidating the setlist rather than learning new songs.

The room I play in at home has been used as a bit of a dumping ground over the last couple of weeks so I've only really played in the lounge, but that'll get back to normal soon.

GAS is absolutely inversely proportional to the amount of playing time that I have, or perhaps that's the other way round!! But if I'm not in the mood to play at home, I don't beat myself up over it. If I'm lacking in inspiration, I've got a list of tapping, chords, slide guitar, country, hybrid picking and modes to delve into, not to mention new songs, so it just depends on how I feel as to what I play.

But when I'm in the zone of learning a new song or technique, I feel very enthused and time flies by when practising, normally for over an hour each evening in those situations.

mellowsun · August 2014

It's interesting that a couple of people have mentioned having an instrument at work as a way of getting a bit of practice in at lunchtime.

I think I'll look into this, although we don't have much free space in the office, there is a roof garden I could use!

bazxkr · August 2014

Lucky if I get 30 mins to noodle a week lately. Need to move my life around

cheers Baz

Lew · August 2014

As much as I want!

But I don't have kids and do have the best wife who doesn't give me the shit you lots partners do judging by posts ;-)

The best thing to happen to me was to stop shift work. I felt like I had no time for anything then.

sweepy · August 2014

I try to average out an hour a day over the week, sometimes more, although whether its a constructive hour is open to debate

bigjon · August 2014

90 minutes' practice 4x per week, plus occasional prep for gigs / song-learning etc.

I try and play 2 gigs or jam-nights per week

Iamnobody · August 2014

OP I think you've pretty much described me there...

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Non-professional guitarists: how much time do you get to play?

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