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My cue for you to be lazy haha.
But for real from October '24 to October of '25 I was hitting 2-5 hours nearly every day shedding, mostly some cross neck major/minor mixed pentatonic stuff over 12/8. In the last month I just started hitting a wall that really got frustrating. I was feeling burnt out. It was like none of it was paying off at gigs with the results I knew should be there.
So anyways in the last couple weeks I cut back to about an hour or hour and a half daily, even skipping a day here and there (post reported LOL), just staying stretched out and doing chops maintenance. Went to the last couple gigs in that state, boom, it all came together. So I guess this is a friendly reminder that some down time processing can be required to digest all the intense work as otherwise it can start eating into your brain and creates a kind of musical paralysis on the stage instead of just playing it freely with the moment's feeling like we should be doing.
Your thoughts and experiences are appreciated.
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11-30-2025 04:14 PM
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Yeah 'the grind' can have the opposite effect that one would like. But things can come together if you're feeling relaxed.
You mention hitting a wall - in technique, speed or what?
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From my Zen studies...
Breathing in .. very important
Breathing out..very important
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Quality is more useful than quantity. If you slave away all the time you just wear yourself out. Practice hard then give it a rest. Give the brain time to process what its been doing, which it will do.
It has its own pace, it can't be rushed. Then, when the time is right, out pops the result, as you experienced. This is why it's so important to only practice good stuff, not mistakes. Feed the brain excellence and it'll return the favor.
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Just in improvisational ideas and the execution of them in a way that comes across as soulful and flowing. Was getting to the point of overthinking it. It has to flow from feeling to fingers not from staid, over rehearsed moves.
Originally Posted by James W
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It can be hard to maintain your focus when you practice for long periods of time. Following a set practice regimen with regular break periods can keep you on track. It should be varied so you don't spend too much time on any particular exercise or get bored and end up noodling the time away. Re: ideas showing in my playing, it seems that I must be able to hear and play them without having to think about it for that to happen.
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Was it Herb Ellis who said you should learn 50 songs a year, one every week, then go fishing for 2 weeks? The brain needs time to digest.
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The hardest part of the grind... waking up at 5 am
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Yes, everyday, concentrate on only your Breath for at least 20mins. Originally Posted by wolflen
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Many years ago I played bass. Don't remember that I needed a break and I took one. Barely played for a couple months. Then suddenly really missed it and practiced for a day or two and called my teacher. I went to his house with a bit of fear having hardly touched my instrument for too long. I got to my lesson and played through a tune, expecting to hear a list of faults but instead he said....wow you've really been practicing, you sound great! I was honest and told him the truth. He replied, maybe you shouldn't practice too much. I was stunned but also enthused to jump back in and make music every day. Nothing wrong with taking a break. We often think that is a negative thing because we're often on the clock and employers who are paying us for hours worked are obviously not in great favor of us stopping while they're paying us.
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' Originally Posted by DawgBone
what's your profile?
Are you married?
kids?
full time job??
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Calling you Framus folk
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