Comments on: How Do You Define “Practice?”

By: brian macmillan

brian macmillan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:18:59 +0000

good points! the fun factor is an interesting one…even what that in itself means can be cloudy. I think there are so many different types of experience that we can derive from music; playing, practicing, composing etc..I have been feeling lately that my perception of “fun” is evolving..I am more inclined to look for feelings of “satisfaction”, “challenge”, “expansion”, “understanding”…when these aspects come into play while i’m practicing, that has started to become the fun! I’m thinking lately that, like going to the gym or doing some kind of activity aimed at toning the body, it’s all about attitude and approach..when the things that used to be a drag or tedious to me about practicing and exercising can be somehow turned into the “fun” parts of it, I know i’m on the right track..thanks for the inspiration bouge, i’m going to go practice right now.

By: Where’s The Fun? | Christine Bougie

Where’s The Fun? | Christine Bougie — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:06:50 +0000

[...] weeks ago I wrote this piece about practicing, specifically about deliberate practice. A couple of reader’s comments got me thinking more [...]

By: Christine Bougie

Christine Bougie — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:09:06 +0000

@James – I agree. Where is the “fun” in the deliberate practice model? The first 3 or 4 years of playing guitar where all about fun, for me. I never thought that I was practicing at all. Just having fun.
Then I grew up and began attaching more grown-up ideas to it…and suddenly “fun” is something that has to be consciously brought back in to the practice. It’s always fun to play/perform, but the idea gets planted somewhere along the line that practice shouldn’t be fun, it should be hard work.
I wonder why fun is missing from that list. I’ll look into that book and find out…

@elena -Your comment really made me think. I’ve got too much to say about it in this little comment box, so I think I’ll blog about it soon instead.
Thanks!

By: elena

elena — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:12:55 +0000

The link to Accidental Creative really piqued my interest… as a visual artist freshly out of school, I’m having a hard time keeping my creative momentum going, and my plan (which I have yet to put into action) has been to make “secret art,” the kind of thing I used to make during school and hide under my bed instead of hand in for an assignment.
I’m finding it difficult, maybe because my “secret art” had to exist in tandem with the work I didn’t particularly want to make for class. Does unnecessary creating have to coexist with necessary or guilty creating, as a relief or counterpoint to it?

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to reading your thoughts on unnecessary creating.

By: James

James — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:52:30 +0000

Really cool post, Christine. I think you’re absolutely right that practice has to be deliberate, or mindful, or whichever word best describes that optimal mix of intention, concentration and persistence. But all these big words do miss one important thing that I think Matt’s comment got at, which is that some portion of it should be just fun. I remember reading an article by Robert Fripp where he suggested that after doing all that deliberate stuff, one should always end the practice by throwing out judgement and having fun, and I agree. Perhaps this falls into the category of “unnecessary creating”?

By: Christine Bougie

Christine Bougie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:43:14 +0000

@matt – I also tend to disagree with that one. There is an important difference between “hard” and “challenging.”

Another point that isn’t addressed in these 6 traits is whether or not it’s better to focus on your strengths or weaknesses. I think that’s kind of related to the issue of hard vs. challenging.

ok. now I’d better get to some practicing, too…

By: Matt Roberts

Matt Roberts — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:33:41 +0000

This is a really interesting and inspiring post, thanks Christine!

The only point I might disagree with is that practice should be “hard” in the sense of being unenjoyable. Lately I’ve been thinking about how when you really love something and get a lot of joy out of it, that is when your mind really fully turns on. I still think practicing should be “hard” in the sense of “challenging”, but I think it is important to enjoy that challenge.

Anyway, food for thought. I should actually be practicing right now…

By: Tim posgate

Tim posgate — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:46:50 +0000

Wow. Hours of planning.