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When I practice I have to have constant mini breaks , glance out the window, look something up online put my bow down and have a stretch, look for some music or just have a stare out of the window. I’m not sure what it is I’m comfortable playing, I just think maybe it’s the constant looking at notes and the concentration !
I’m wondering if anyone is the same or are you constantly playing notes your whole practice time !? If you are how do you do it ? Is it something that improves over time ?
Katie
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I get a similar thing.
I guess I always attributed it to me having worked all day and being tired, but then I notice I do it on days when I'm better rested too.
For me, it's more like my body, particularly my bow arm builds up tension. The tension needs to be released so I'll put the violin down for a minute and go get a drink or something else, then come back to it.
Playing the violin demands a relaxed concentrated state of mind and body. I admit I am not always in that state, so I let off some of the tension build up in various ways.
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Personally, I take frequent breaks, and although not consciously pursuing thoughts about the music, I think my mind and body are digesting what I have just done. For a casual player like me, this works well. For a dedicated student in search of perfection, it may not work.
My bottom line is that I'm out to please me, not others and if it keeps me interested and progressing, then so be it.
The old curmudgeon!
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I’m the same as you starise, I practice before work and during and I’m not exactly relaxed. Also get tension. And JohnG I was going to say I do it for me and I’m pretty ok with my progress. We have a bird feeder right by the window as well and this is what I see…
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I have sparrows who sit in a bush outside my window about tèn of them, they all watch and listen, tap their feet and rock from side to side and then all together start to sing along when I play something they like, well thats what I would like them to do:)
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When I'm working on a new piece (or even fairly new) I have to take breaks and stretch/get up in order to relax. I believe this is because of the extremely high level of concentration that learning something new takes. If you don't take the breaks, your mind will switch off and go wandering on its own anyway.
To prove this, go back and play something you know very well and is simple compared to what you're working on now. Pick a few of those early pieces and play them one after another after another and see how long you can continuously play before you stop. I'll bet it's a lot longer than you can play the newest piece you've go on the music stand.
Mixing old and new gets the longest concentration time but even then you're limited in how long you can keep it up. Recess in school was created to give kids breaks from learning and even then a lot of kids will stargaze during class and tune out of what's going on. It's human nature.
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For me, stamina comes from the pleasure of listening to GREAT music and being part of it!
When I feel I need to take a break (or get too frustrated) - I'll just switch to working on another piece of music, but that's because I surround myself with tunes I already love to play AND tunes that challenge me to learn new skills and improve ones I have.
If I'm not interrupted, time will fly - trying to get some tunes to sound how I want to hear them, or with the challenges new ones present. Then, playing along with videos or tunes I call up on 'Alexa', is like I'm right there along side the group!
I think 'stamina' builds SLOWLY over time. Don't think any is even expected the first year. I read somewhere that we should be working on starting to increase stamina, play longer pieces, in the 2nd year. I started by playing a couple short tunes together. This past year I've strung many more together, but also tackled more difficult pieces.
Daily life is all about interruptions, but when I'm left alone, my upper left arm will tell me when to quit... or Bugsy jumps up on me - desperately pleading with meows, head-butting my Viola & bowing hand. 🤭
Come to think of it - everything, to me, is about perspective - so rethinking this 'stamina' thing...
Maybe 'stamina' is built from motivation. The more enthused we are, the easier it is to stay motivated, easier to practice more → more stamina!
Music is NOT dots on paper!
If we think of music as just notes on paper, doesn't that disconnect us from what music really is? Music is almost like a living entity - felt, heard, it touches us, changes how we feel and we can shape it's character!
Composers give guidance in their written notation, but musicians bring the music to life! Bless the ones who always play supporting parts in an Orchestra, I don't know how they stay motivated to practice. (lol)
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For me, listening to the likes of Alma Deutsher, Gol Shaham and other greats inspires me to try, try again!!!
Will I ever make Carnegie Hall? Yes, if I buy a ticket.
Thing is, I ENJOY playing so just listening or playing makes me happy.
-Jim
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Katie M said
When I practice I have to have constant mini breaks , glance out the window, look something up online put my bow down and have a stretch, look for some music or just have a stare out of the window. I’m not sure what it is I’m comfortable playing, I just think maybe it’s the constant looking at notes and the concentration !I’m wondering if anyone is the same or are you constantly playing notes your whole practice time !? If you are how do you do it ? Is it something that improves over time ?
Katie
I'm not completely sure what your question is.
When you do the, mini breaks, are you not playing the violin, or do you play and look out the window, etc?
The reason I ask is because I would practice like that all the time. IOW, not focused on my playing rather focus on all kinds of things. Mostly it was when I practiced a lot and allowed auto practice mode to kick in. I suppose this type of practice is good for some things, but not for great improvement.
If on the other hand you need help focusing on practicing, perhaps you need those breaks. There is nothing wrong with taking breaks when you feel the need. Obviously you'll progress a bit slower but that is fine. Also, you may be the type of person who needs a bunch of short practice sessions spread throughout the day rather than long ones.
Do you have anything that motivates you to practice? Do you ever play with others? Have you ever tried playing with backing tracks? What is the most fun thing you ever do on your instrument?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Katie M said
When I practice I have to have constant mini breaks , glance out the window, look something up online put my bow down and have a stretch, look for some music or just have a stare out of the window. I’m not sure what it is I’m comfortable playing, I just think maybe it’s the constant looking at notes and the concentration !I’m wondering if anyone is the same or are you constantly playing notes your whole practice time !? If you are how do you do it ? Is it something that improves over time ?
Katie
I’m reading this as you get easily distracted, find it hard to concentrate on one thing? This is totally how I practice. I warm up playing familiar tunes then move into whatever I’m working on, work on until I’m done for the day, feel like I’m making some headway… sounds straightforward, right?
Not so much, lol. I end up stopping to take pictures of my fiddle, google something that popped in my head about the tune I’m working on (I guess kind of practice) then end up googling something that has nothing to do with my practice and might end up down the rabbit hole with random crap. Then I remember I’m supposed to be practicing and play my tune some more.
Stuff like this is why my practice includes moments like this, So no, I don’t play notes the whole time, but somehow keep learning, lol. Yes, I did make this stop motion during my practice.
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