Question to COB and the musisicians on the board about practising

[\m/Jason\m/]

Question to Janne and Henkka;

How many houers a day did you guys spent on practising your instrument (before you we're real Pro's like you are now)?

Why I am asking this? Well, actually I'm going to quit school after this year to concentrate on music for a whole year because I Really want to go to Jazz Conservatory. so..practising my ass off!! :hotjump:

 

[Janne Warman]

When I studied in Pop/Jazz Conservatory I practised like 1-2hours a day but when I quit studying there (1998) I kind of quit practising too.

 

[BodomiC]

I practise regulary about 1-2h a day, but it always takes different bunch of time for different ppl to gain some usefull skills

 

[Tut Ankh Amon]

i WOULD like to practice everyday, all day long, but i can't

so i have to stick with airdrumming

(which is actually very helpful, i got all of my hand/foot independence by doing that )

 

[Stun]

It really depends how much you feel like playing. I didn't have a guitar for months but every single time I picked up my friend's guitar (which wasn't often) I was better than before. I've been practicing for two or three days now (just borrowed a guitar) and my skills are about equal to when I had my own guitar (and played it every day for months).

You have to be in the mood, like Styg said... just don't let your fingers fall out of practice. It's bad enough if you lose the calluses (sp???) on your fingers (which I did), but it's a lot worse if your fingers lose their "muscle memory" (effects your speed greatly; I'm glad my fingers still have their muscle memory). It's a little difficult to explain and I don't feel like it so I'm done.

And yeah, if you're a drummer, like Tut said, air-drumming is THE best thing for practice, cause you don't have to have a kit to do it.

 

[Day_Before_Dawn]

I usually go through every bodom album, every night. As this covers most of what i need to practise. So this is probably 2-3 hours. I also give about 20 minutes to concentrate on sweeping only, because this is my greatest challenge at the moment.
I personally believe you shouldnt over do it on the practising because if your not careful you will grow sick of your instrument. I would say 1-4 hours a day should be sufficiant for you to be constantly improving.

 

[RockBodom]

Why not just find your own pace and build upon that?

 

[HauknessX]

does playing certain songs screw up your muscle memory for other songs? cause i used to be able to play the chorus riff in children of bodom and now i think i played another song that screwd up the memory for it. does this happen to any one else?

 

[Stun]

Well, I suppose it could screw with the muscle memory. Esp if they were similar. But if you practice both you should have no problems.

Someone said you should be careful not to practice too much. Very true! I used to practice constantly and got so sick of guitar I stopped playing for a long time. Now I'm taking it easy, working myself back into it.

 

[BodomiC]

I just wanted to add that I do separate pracitsing and playing. I tell myself that these two hours Im doing only some spiders, simple sitring after string picking and then after short brake I can begin playing songs learning new ones and stuff. But I never connect those things in one.

And there are times that practise + playing gives me over 5h of pure pleasure :-]

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I usually turn on the tv sit at the computer and play. Work on what I need to work on, play my songs and try to make them better. The time varies, depends on how long im gonna watch tv.

 

[IcedFlames]

Just a quick question. Did everyone in here take lessons at one point or another, or are there people in here that are entirely self-taught? I've been playing bass a year now, and I've taught myself. I want to work myself into guitar sometime soon, but I don't know if I should take lessons.

 

[Tut Ankh Amon]

my band's bassplayer learnt all by himself, and in less than 2 years of bass he was covering Dream Theater stuff AEUheauha
the dude is an animal

I'm almost 100% self-thought too, but i'm starting to study formal techniques again

 

[\m/Jason\m/]

Cool, I also practise in front of the tv.. good for muscle memory

But what do you guys mean by over-practise and stuff?!
Gettin bored by doing the same exercises all the time?
Well, yeah that's stupid. I do all kind of things when practising.
Just don't practise the same things all the time.


Dammn, I'm a lucky Bastard!! I just found out there playing @Dynamo too
I've seen COB in Hardenberg on april 26th '03!! It was most beautiful day of my life
(Got the playlist from that gig hanging on the wall in my bedroom so I can think of think of that particulair evening when I'm felling asleep) ...and now I'm going to see them for the second time @ Dynamo Open Air and for the 3th time @ Wacken!!!

 

[Stun]

I'm self-taught (I've played for a couple years). My friend Adam is self-taught too, and he's really good (I'm nowhere close to as good as him). Not anything like Alexi, I mean, he's more into Grateful Dead and mellower stuff. But he can go really fast when he wants to. I think he's been playing for 4 or 5 years. I wouldn't bother going to a teacher, just make sure you get the right picking technique down. Going up and down with the pick is usually twice as easy to go fast as just going down. My friend taught himself the theory stuff with guitar books he bought (he's also got books full o scales, chords, and exercises)

 

[HauknessX]

i never took lessons so i had to figure out scales and stuff by myself and figure out different chords. but while of been playin there have always been people like my brother or friends that have told me how to do chords and paly songs, so its not like im a 100% self taught, i just never had lessons.

 

[nikon87]

I took lessons for a year , but it was only some pop/rock/jazz chords and stuff . All of my heavy metal playing is mostly influenced by other guitarists . (And I don't mean Alexi ''The God'' Laiho here)

EDIT : Ofcourse I have to say that I use some Laiho techiques myself , well you gotta know that I'm left handed but I still play like right handed people . (It's a bit harder , but my progress has been good so far ; played now for 1½ years)

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

self taught, had a friend show me the begining ropes!!

 

[Day_Before_Dawn]

pretty much self taught. I actually learned alternate picking and scales in my first 6 months from watching Kirk Hammet on the TV, and when i finally wen't to a teacher I could solo quite well but couldnt play a single power chord, lol.
Ive been playing just over 2 years now, and id say im average-good player. As far as im concerned what makes a player is their influences. My playing has gone very Alexi sounded over the last 6 months or so. Not really on purpose, just because there the band I listen to and respect the most. So there is going to obviously be influence.
So i think if you have the RIGHT influences and practice every day. You will be a very good musician in 5-6 years. Im personally hopeing to reach Alexi standing by the 6-7 year mark.

 

[the alumnus]

zakk wylde said he practiced 8 hours a day. honestly, i don't know how he managed. i think 2 hours a day is solid, personally. i guess whatever feels best for you.