A Player Faithful To Practice Will Exceed Expectations

[Bill Hankey]

This rule of the thumb works for me. Without regular practice, a player's steady hand will require much practice to return to its former skills. If others have experienced these turn of events, I would appreciate discussing those changes. Thanks..

[Travis Hillis]

I agree. Gotta keep practicing. After I started playing steel I rarly played guitar. Now I suck at guitar. Not that I was any good in the first place...

[Steve Becker]

wow- lack of practice results in diminished skills--what a revelation that is!

[Brian Henry]

Practice by itself is of no effect. Only perfect practice will produce a perfect player

[Brett Day]

I played keyboards before steel so after that I'm more used to playin' steel, so I practice more on steel and my vocals too.

Brett

[J D Sauser]

One famous trumpeter once said (in an interview I watched): "If I don't practice only ONE day, the instrument will make me pay for that sin for FIVE days."

I think one can practice silently, even without an instrument too.
I have, sometimes for several years in a row, had virtually no access to a steel and I have kept up my knowledge of the fretboard by exercising mentally and also, believe it or not, posting here about chord positions and pedal knee lever combinations. Obviously all the while, technique suffered quite a bit... but it comes back faster than I ever thought.

... J-D.

[Christopher Woitach]

It's true that time off from practicing can result in temporary loss of technique, but sometimes there is value to be gained.

A couple of years ago, I had shoulder surgery that required my left arm to be immobilized for 6 weeks - the longest I had gone without playing guitar for 33 years. I spent a lot of that time on my back, watching movies, and practicing in my head. When I was finally able to play again, although my technique had suffered, and although the surgery required weeks of physical therapy to able to move my hand below the 5th fret, I found I had gained an entirely different perspective, one which has changed my playing in many wonderful ways.

While I certainly don't ever want to be unable to play for weeks in the future, I'll never be scared of it again.

The caveat to this is that I HAD played constantly for over 30 years before this happened, and I have a strong theoretical foundation. It might have had a different ending, otherwise.

I still prefer constant practice!

[Duane Reese]

You know, I've found that letting oneself get a little rusty can be the answer to getting out of a rut. It takes a little bit more effort to get polished again, but sometimes it's worth it. Know what I mean, Vern?

[Les Anderson]

There can be no argument to this thread. No practice and the wanna be lazy musician becomes a non-musician.

[Chip Fossa]

It's the old adage again,

"Too close to the forest for the trees"

Sometimes you can love something to death.

I think every now and then, an artist should just abandon his pursuit, take a long hike, and smell the roses. Get your head into another place, whatever it is. Doesn't matter that much this other place, as long as it's away from the steel guitar.

I've done it, and you'd be surprised how much fervor you come back with, when the time is right.

It's like, you almost have to force yourself to miss it. Deliberately miss it. Then the craving should start; and a whole new interest will have been born.

JMHO.

[Bill Hatcher]

you can practice all you want, but if you are not working on the right thing you will be spinning your wheels.

[Chip Fossa]

A point well taken, Bill.

I absolutely agree. The steel has so many aspects to it's totality.

Deciding which aspect to work on, and for how long, can be problematic.

In a way, who knows which part of the steel one should focus more on, at any given time?

Tough call, sometimes.

How can you tell, really, when you are spending too much time on any one aspect of the steel guitar? And if you are, indeed, spending too much time on one thing, is it really wasted time?

Good point Bill. You brought up a very conflicted issue, for sure. I got no hard answers, that's a fact.

[Rick Collins]

Yes.
And, if you know the entire tune always practice it as if you
are playing before an audience. Listen to yourself playing.

[Ben Jones]

if i practice I will get good? who woulda thunk it?

[Bill Hankey]

Rick Collins,

Most players rely on trial and error out and away from critiquing general audiences, before displaying a level of musicianship worthy of presentation. (A very wise and proper method to add credence to the benefits of hiring available musicians.) Many bandleaders have learned about the sudden rush of popularity within the group, as well as a total sound package in any country band. Of course R.R. has taken the steel to levels of entertainment never seen before. The instrumentation churned out by Robert, is a full swing of the imagination. He's been quaking influential prognosticators to the limit; those who know so very little about the pedal steel guitar.

[Rick Collins]

Admittedly, I have some kind of block that keeps me from enjoying R.R.'s playing.
Accomplished players seem to endeavor to have arrangements that utilize an array of harmonics, glissandos, modulations, octive changes, etc. to keep their music from becoming boring.

I'm keeping an open mind, but right now, I don't comprehend so many glissandos in the same tune and seemingly odd sounds coming from a steel guitar.
Simply, I don't see the allure.

[Bo Legg]

Practice is for the young, not for old retired folks to waste their remaining time.

A larger number of us here on the Forum have practiced and played most of our life. Retired 60+ and at this juncture don’t need to waste very mush of our remaining time practicing.

Those things we couldn’t do on the steel before we reached retirement are suddenly going fall right in place with practice.
Yeah sure! Even if we do get it chances are we’ll forget it.

If we don’t have better things to do with our retirement than practice, we need to seriously conceder changing our life.

At this point in my life I just play gigs as often as I can and then put all my gear up and do lots of other enjoyable things until I can play again.

Just go play the damn thing.

[Mike Perlowin RIP]

Admittedly, I have some kind of block that keeps me from enjoying R.R.'s playing.

It's called "taste" Rick. We all have our likes and dislikes. And when we say "there's no accounting for it," although that's usually meant as a put down, in truth there really is no accounting for it. Some people like anchovies on their pizza and some don't. Is either one right or wrong?

Getting back to the subject at hand, this is something that also varies from person to person. I sometimes go for weeks at a time without touching my steel, and then when I resume playing, I may be rusty for a little while but it all comes back in a couple of hours.

In 1974 I fell and landed on broken glass, severing one of the tendons in my right hand, and had to have surgery to tie the 2 ends together. (The surgery was successful and my hand is fine, and I have had not any problem with my hand for 35 years.)

But I could not play for over a year. The doctor made it clear that if I strained my hand, it could undo the results of the operation, and forbade me from touching any of my instruments till he gave the OK.

When I was finally allowed to resume playing, (only for 5 minutes that first day) I got back all my chops and technique in about a week. It was as if the accident had never happened.

BTW, after the operation, the doctor gave me some exercises to do to restore movement and flexibility to my hand, and told me that the degree to which I would recover depended on how much I did them. Needless to say, I was highly motivated to get my picking hand back up to snuff, and did them compulsively all the time. The doctor later told me he had never seen a faster or more thorough recovery from this type of injury.

[Barry Blackwood]

A Player Faithful To Practice Will Exceed Expectations

I would think this statement goes without saying. Really, what is there to discuss?

[Bill Hankey]

Bo Legg,

You are not a mystery man! I can read you loud and clear! Your last departure from logical conclusions is really fascinating. Technically, it's an example of intermingling pure logic with questionable careless resolve. Then, as of now are you saying that ignoring our long practiced routine of not allowing our gains on the pedal steel to slip away, by winding down the integrity thusly accomplished, and concentrate more on retirement? I feel sure that many leading musicians of the past, would argue if they were present, with such abrupt contradictions to their way of life. Oh yes, I can see very clearly the profoundness of your words. Pitiful, that we must reach an age when ultimatums are forced upon us. Without naming dedicated musicians that quickly come to mind, Bo, you must agree that their hearts were shattered when they became separated from the music they shared with others. I've gained a better understanding through your words that "To each his own" are powerful incentives, to "listen up". I would declare an intermission to fully question you about how the possibility of health issues, more common in retirement, could severely modify a clear sailing image. I truly respect your strong implications, that retirement is first and foremost. I tried to rationalize retirement, when my steel cried out to be played, surrounded by happy dancers. I'm inclined to believe that the awards of hearing the music, surpasses the thoughts of giving in at any age.

[Joe Alterio]

[Some people like anchovies on their pizza and some don't. Is either one right or wrong?

Well....yes. Anchovies are always wrong on a pizza.

[Mike Perlowin RIP]

Anchovies are always wrong on a pizza.

[Ben Jones]

A Player Faithful To Practice Will Exceed Expectations

I would think this statement goes without saying. Really, what is there to discuss?

no doubt. sky is blue, water wet etc

[Charles Davidson]

Hey Bo,Don't allways agree with you [sure you don't give a damn] BUT your post above is 100 PERCENT RIGHT ON YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

[Bo Legg]

BC I do give a damn. Weinses be almos' kin folk. I was born in Decatur, Alabama. YOU BETCHA,DYK? BAMA BO