[Grateful Dad]

I've been in school pursuing my teaching degree and this semester I have been student teaching. I have had no time to practice regularly, all my time is devoted to school or family/home concerns. I am not practicing daily like I am used to and the rust factor is creeping in.

I did take my drums out last weekend and subbed for my buddies drummer who could not make the gig. Besides that I'm only playing bass once per week when my band rehearses.

What is your strategy for holding back rust from not playing? (I should put a practice amp in the shitter and play while I drop the deuce...."idle time" ya know)

It is kind of a moot question because the only answer to not playing is to play!

Thanks for the opportunity to vent and complain!!

Now back to lesson planning!

G. Dad

[acidrain30005]

Just noodle around whenever you can. Personally I practice a lot unplugged when I'm just sitting watching TV.

Unfortunately the less you play the worse the rust becomes, so just play as much as possible!

[DeadlyHeptet]

According to Kimock, playing as often as possible creates muscle memory. So if you can play even 15 minutes as many times a day as possible, it would be more beneficial than playing for a longer period of time less often. That still does not answer how to get more of those mini-session in, but I hope it helps with the little time you have.

[Grateful Dad]

According to Kimock, playing as often as possible creates muscle memory. So if you can play even 15 minutes as many times a day as possible, it would be more beneficial than playing for a longer period of time less often. That still does not answer how to get more of those mini-session in, but I hope it helps with the little time you have.

Good advice and well taken, it is all about scheduling time.

All this work will pay off soon. I was laid off in 2009 and went back to school to change careers. I am looking forward to graduation in December.

Now back to lesson planning on a Saturday night

WOOOOOO friggin' HOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[jester536]

Been teaching for 20+ years and playing guitar for 30+...believe me...the time you're spending prepping is well worth it. The classroom can be hell if you're not prepared. As with everything experience pays off...you'll get better at prepping and quicker at it...then you'll be able to find some time to practice...and there is absolutely nothing that lets you wind down from a day in the trenches like picking up your guitar and going to your "happy place". Hang in there!

[aiq]

rust never sleeps...

teaching is demanding but you will learn to plan more quickly and you will learn what to do and what to leave out. to work smarter if you will. join the union if you haven't already.

as to your practice, don't use work as an excuse. as others mentioned even a few minutes a day is better than nothing. I keep a guitar ar school - mine is safe and secure.

after 17 years when I leave school I really leave it so I practice in the evening nearly every day.

[paulkogut]

Balancing career, family, and practicing is no small challenge. I hope you find a balance that works for you.

I agree with the Kimock quote about the importance of muscle memory. To play well, at some point, you need to put in a lot of physical repetitions. But when practice time is scarce, there's things one can do to make the most of the time you do have.

The thing with muscle memory is, that the muscles do what the brain tells them to, and that's what they remember. So the more sure/confident of what you're going to practice beforehand, the better the muscles will remember, too.

I don't know what type of material you're hoping to work with, but for example, lets consider an A dorian scale at the 5th fret. What are the notes in the scale? What is the whole step/half step pattern? How will you finger the F#? What scale patterns might you play (thirds? fourths? triads? etc) You don't need the axe in hand to answer these questions. You could spend little bits of time during the day (commute, in line at the store, etc,) working out an answer, and then when you finally get a minute to practice, you have a real concrete idea of what to do. This approach can keep the feel of practicing "alive" when time with the axe in hand is scarce.

All the best,
PK

[tcsned]

I feel your pain G.D., when my daughter was born almost 4 years ago I barely touched a guitar for about a year. I was in grad school, working, and trying to take care of my girl who was very high maintenance. Then I took a corporate job and it was worse. I took a hiatus from my band that lasted about a year. My playing was incredibly rusty. My hands hurt and my fingers felt like they had cement in them. I started back slowly and now am playing pretty regularly again. I am just now starting to feel like I am getting back to the place where I was before Katie . . . and Philip. Now I am getting ready to leave the corporate world behind and go back to school full time till the dissertation is done (about a year). I will again be in a huge time crunch trying to get school finished and still earn enough money to keep the family afloat. I am determined not to backslide like I did ever again and find a way to keep playing as much as possible. Paul's suggestion is a good one. Know what you want and need to work on before you pick up the guitar so that the time is well spent.

I was lucky to have been able to make ends meet for 10+ cobbling together gigs, teaching guitar, and running a music store. I got tons of playing time in. Not that I think that I am anything great but my playing got a lot more polished than it would have otherwise. Now I am lucky to play something every day. I feel like I am at a place where I am not getting any worse but not getting that much better either. All of us who have to contend with work and family issues struggle with balancing music into an already full life but it is doable, maybe not at the level we all would like but everyone on this message board seems to manage. For me it has been great having this outlet to discuss musical ideas and such as it keeps guitar closer to the top of my mind than it would have otherwise. I feel more engaged than I did before I started talking with the folks here.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Grateful Dad is a player ...
jammed with him maybe 15 times ... @ that time he was a 'Phil'
Does a mean Ship Of Fools ! Phil chord city Yo !
It will come back G. D.
Barely played for most of the summer myself.
Time off can be good I think ...
I'm back ; doing some lessons ; learning
Just gotta start the jamming again

[tcsned]

G. Dad, what are you studying to teach? I'm finishing my PhD in education (Instructional Design).

[Grateful Dad]

G. Dad, what are you studying to teach? I'm finishing my PhD in education (Instructional Design).

I am getting my degree in elementary education. When I was laid off in 2009 it was a natural choice for me to go for elementary ed. Working with kids demanding but it is very rewarding, much more rewarding than working in the stressed out corporate world. After graduation next month I'll need 9 more credits for a masters degree which will open up more possibilities for me careerwise.

The responses I have received from my original post have been most encouraging. I took advantage of my extra hour on Saturday night (daylight savings time) to practice and get back in the fold. The days of 2-3 hour practices may be temporarily gone but now I'll just practice when I can steal a moment.

[tcsned]

G. Dad, what are you studying to teach? I'm finishing my PhD in education (Instructional Design).

I am getting my degree in elementary education. When I was laid off in 2009 it was a natural choice for me to go for elementary ed. Working with kids demanding but it is very rewarding, much more rewarding than working in the stressed out corporate world. After graduation next month I'll need 9 more credits for a masters degree which will open up more possibilities for me careerwise.

The responses I have received from my original post have been most encouraging. I took advantage of my extra hour on Saturday night (daylight savings time) to practice and get back in the fold. The days of 2-3 hour practices may be temporarily gone but now I'll just practice when I can steal a moment.

Right on G. Dad! There is no more noble profession especially working with the little ones. Good luck with finding a gig and finishing the MA.

You should get a job in Blacksburg, I would be honored to have my kids in your class . . . + another good Deadhead to jam with