Does practice equal depth?

piofusco

Inspired
I am 23 years old as of last week. I have been playing since I was 10. That means I have been playing for 13 years. Of all of the fads and hobbies I went through, music has stuck around. I go through phases where I will practice everyday for 8-10 hours and other times where I don't want to play at all.

What always surprises me is the wealth of ideas I have when I come back to the guitar and play. Today, for example, I finally decided to pick up my guitar after weeks of not playing. I set up my recorder, pressed record, and began to play. Just like I expected - presto - a new idea. I often wonder, "why bother playing/practicing everyday? Why not just play periodically and cash in on these bursts of creativity?"

I like to believe these ideas are the sum of all of the experiences going on in my life. Because I have been playing for 13 years, perhaps my experience allows me to express my ideas more effectively. If my years behind the guitar were a person, a 13 year old is capable of self expression. I like to think I am "more perceptive and aware" than my peers and because of this I am "always playing/practicing." (;

Is a guitar players growth determined solely by the number of hours he spends behind the instrument?
 
No. Not solely. Practice develops capability and proficiency, and you may be inspired to play something new while practicing, or not. Any experience one has may contribute to creativity.
 
Is a guitar players growth determined solely by the number of hours he spends behind the instrument?

Definitely not. I'd be beyond Guthrie Govan by now if that were true. :) To a some extent everyone will need a certain amount of time to form a foundation but after that I think growth is determined by the individual.

What always surprises me is the wealth of ideas I have when I come back to the guitar and play. Today, for example, I finally decided to pick up my guitar after weeks of not playing. I set up my recorder, pressed record, and began to play. Just like I expected - presto - a new idea. I often wonder, "why bother playing/practicing everyday? Why not just play periodically and cash in on these bursts of creativity?"

The answer to that question (IMO) depends on your goals. For example if you want to be the next virtuoso then chances are you'll need to practice everyday unless you have natural talent oozing from your pores. On the other hand if you are happy with your current abilities and creativity then go with what works. There's no right or wrong way.

I like to believe these ideas are the sum of all of the experiences going on in my life. Because I have been playing for 13 years, perhaps my experience allows me to express my ideas more effectively.

I totally agree that everday experiences can come out in your playing. The more you play the more "in tune" you are with the instrument. The more "in tune" you are the more you can do in terms of expression. You think it, hear it, or feel it and it comes out.

A buddy of mine told me about this guy he met. The guy is a world class painter. In the conversation the painter tells him that he doesn't perceive the world as the average person does. Without thinking, he see's the world in shades of colors. After seeing his work I believe it. Oil paintings that look like photographs. That's being in tune with your instrument.
 
Is a guitar players growth determined solely by the number of hours he spends behind the instrument?
Nope. It's not just hours of practice. It's more about how much thought and effort you put into your practice.

It's human nature to stick with what's familiar when you pick up your guitar. But if you practice thoughtfully, make an effort keep learning new things while steadily improving on what comes naturally, and spend time working on things that come hard for you, you'll leap miles ahead of where you'd be if you only practice when the mood strikes you.
 
Recharging your batteries is important to any creative activity in my opinion. Not playing an instrument for several weeks will result in a temporary drop off in your abilities, but as most of us know it comes back quickly when you start playing regularly. I make it a point to have at least one day a week that I don't practice a specific instrument as much to avoid over practicing injuries as to give me some time away. I also practice four different instruments, so it's hard for any specific instrument to become stale.

I strongly agree with the notion that quality of practice is more important than quantity of practice. I'm very guilty of spending hours noodling around and not practicing the right things, but I don't worry so much because part of playing an instrument is supposed to be the "fun" and noodling or just playing songs might not advance my playing but it's the whole reason I got into playing in the first place.
 
For me, it seems my creativity gets better the more I play. But there have been times when I took a break and it seemed magical when I picked it back up. I've been playing on and off for over 30 years and still haven't figured it out?
 
I play often to keep my fingers fresh, but to spark new ideas it usually helps me to take a step back for short periods. I would imagine it's the sort of thing (creativity/inspiration) that depends on the individual.

Also, I saw the most amazing set of juggs last night.
 
Being able to speak doesn't mean you have anything interesting to say. Same goes for music. Doesn't mean you shouldn't talk. Successful writers always say they write just to write, and inspiration and value is bred from that. Talent without the skill to express it is just like talking, jumbled thoughts have to be synthesized in a clear and meaningful way or its just gibberish baby talk, which coincidentally is what 99% of my playing sounds like. It's only good to me because I'm not trying to say anything specific, just trying to make the words and phrases sound OK.
 
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I've been playing for about 15 years and gigging regularly for over 10 (I'm 33 years old). Time definitely does not equal growth. It depends on what you're doing with that time/practice. I think you're on the right track with your experiences coming out in your playing, but the missing piece is how you're getting that experience. While you're out experiencing life, you are exposed to other influences, which is why you have different ideas when you come back to practice. Exploration is the key. Whether that's traveling to some new country or exploring a new style, scale, or instrument, both are going to influence you in ways you weren't influenced before and spark new ways of thinking and feeling. I believe both methods are important and you should balance life and practice to stay fresh and, almost more importantly, relevant.
 
Does practice equal depth?
Well, that would be up to you.
What if that creative burst you speak of is an insane riff or idea in your head that you can not get your hands to achieve because you don't practice?
My practicing (at this point) is so when I hear something in my mind, I can bring it into reality with my hands and instruments. I practice so I can be comfortable in any musical situation with quality to spare.
Period.
Same things/ideas can be applied to music theory as well. If I write a random riff, its to my advantage to know what it is and how everything else applies to it, so I'm not digging in the ether trying to find the right notes.
If know my root and riff is Phrygian I can make educated decisions about where to go or what to do next.
Practicing give you the technique, the muscle memory, and knowledge of self that you need to know to improve/gain depth. Doesn't matter if its archery, building a boat, or teaching your self to meditate.
My 2 cents.


*Oh, and the most growth I've ever experience started by being forced into an improv situation and actually had to apply my knowledge.
That started when I was 15 and has never stopped due to the fact that I like it. :)
 
Practice can aid, or hinder depth - you can get 'locked in the box' easily. LISTENING is a sure-fire way to increase depth. Especially listening to music from all over the world. And listening to vocal music. Frank Zappa said that as he got older, he didn't listen to guitarists - he listened to vocalists and took his inspiration from them, much as Coltrane et. al. did...
 
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