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There was a time when I played 7 hours daily , went for about 4-5 months. Since then, life is getting busier and busier (screw you capitalism) and my practice time has reduced to like 2 hours on average and it's decreasing even more. Fortunately, barring picado, my technique is decent, alongside my ability to play steadily along side a metronome. No where near a pro, but still respectable of how much I did considering 0 guidance.
My question is at this stage, how much time of 'focused practice' is needed so my skills don't start deteriorating?
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
With just an hour a day you can keep your skills in good shape. Or is it an apple a day? meaning technically.
But then there is also the repertoire. Keeping in shape the pieces you learnt or even getting them in better shape, or learning new pieces, or composing stuff need more hours..
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Stu)
quote:
At what stage?
He said 4 months of 7hrs a day practice with “no guidance”. We know for a fact part of that time was spent doing rasgueados backwards like Ben Woods. It appears he chose “capitalism” over calling that Indian flamenco dancer lady I recommended, so his goal is hobbyist. “No guidance” is probably by design, so his question is likely rhetorical and he wants assurance that whatever minimum amount of efforts he can put in will be rewarded by maintaining his current level.
The old statement by Segovia was that if he misses a day of practice, he knows it. If he misses a couple days his wife/family knows it. If he misses a week then everybody knows it. John Williams claimed he only practiced 30 minutes per day (this is hard to believe since he has hours and hours of repertoire that wouldn’t be able to play through for a concert until the actual day of the show).
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Ricardo)
He wants to do *this* *that*. *He spent 4 months practicing Ben Woods' rasgueado.* *He didn't talk with the lady that I asked him to.* How are you able to come up with the most stupendous assumptions every single time? What kind of world do you live in? Do you think everything works just like you think they should?
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
quote:
ORIGINAL: metalhead
He has done this a lot before. He has helped me here, but that doesn't mean he gets to taunt me everytime.
I have put enough time and effort into addressing several of your questions and concerns such that, based on your previous replies, I have earned enough right to make assumptions or guesses as to what (after everything discussed) you are on about….even if my assumptions are incorrect. I am not taunting anyone, my response was to Stu in hopes to clarify HIS questions you had not responded to…likewise you have every right to clarify and correct which ever of my assumptions are totally off base. I know the world does not work “just like I think it should”. If it did, I would not be here daily addressing questions about the art form I love and consider a main focus of my life. I did provide time frames of practice to your main point…how minimal time can one put in before seeing the deterioration. It is quite rapid even for top level is the point.
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Ricardo)
It felt like a taunt, why else would I accuse you of taunting me. The only thing that you got right was me not contacting the lady. Ben Woods rasgueados were performed by me until October last year. And for a good reason. That was also the time my guitar got setup my a pro luthier and I seriously started practicing up until of March of this year. Me not contacting the lady has a reason, I've already addressed them, but you don't consider them serious enough.
You specifically highlighting *0 guidance* isn't a taunt? You saying I'm looking for assurance isn't a taunt? What exactly is it I would assurance about? Assuming I spent my time mindlessly doing rasgueados wrong for 7 hours isn't a taunt? You could have said them a lot better but who am I to advice you.
It mostly seems like you felt like I was boasting about my playing, and I'm sorry if you felt that. The *7 hours* was provided to help people understand that I've developed a decent muscle memory for all the techniques barring picado. The *0 guidance* wasn't to boast of what I'd done either.
Posts: 2732
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
I can see that maybe his words read a bit harshly. but dont get too upset. just focus on the prize.
Let's have that bulerias video man. What I'm trying to understand is if I'm in any potion to give you advice? are you a hobbyist? or advanced?
However, what I'd say is if you wanna play/practice then do it. I'm not a pro at all but I just HAVE to play! It's not even a question of how much to preserve tech. This kind of question doesn't come up for me as I'm compelled to play. And I have a madly busy life with 2 young kids. I crowbar my practice time in when I can and hope to get back to accompanying and maybe even gigging. (but i admit, I do get stressed that I cant play as much as i want)
But you're worried about loosing your technique as you have less and less time.
I think like Andres says you can play an hr a day that's great and enough....to a point! (which is why I wanted to know your goal/level, but maybe the fact you are asking is clue enough)
I make big leaps in playing with half an hr a day....but that could be to do with my level too? intense practice or practicing the right things is a big help. and i always found the key to motivation is inspiration!! write that on my tombstone! Finding a falseta that you cant put down, and its in your head all day and all you wanna do is learn,study, play it!
If you don't play at all your technique will suffer. If you play lots (correctly) it will get better. playing somewhere in between will get you somehwere in between.
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
quote:
ORIGINAL: metalhead
There was a time when I played 7 hours daily , went for about 4-5 months. Since then, life is getting busier and busier (screw you capitalism) and my practice time has reduced to like 2 hours on average and it's decreasing even more. Fortunately, barring picado, my technique is decent, alongside my ability to play steadily along side a metronome. No where near a pro, but still respectable of how much I did considering 0 guidance.
My question is at this stage, how much time of 'focused practice' is needed so my skills don't start deteriorating?
I’ve been making progress with an hour a day, im a hobbyist though and a quick learner, so your mileage may vary. I also take a day off once a week, though it depends on the week. I cant imagine going much more than a hour without having to split it up to several sessions in the day. If you have kids like i do, dedicating more than in an hour is day and being able to fit more sessions in is where it starts to consume the rest of your life and gets to be overwhelming. If you’re single, or kids are teenagers or moved out, than it might be easier to get more practice in. I’ve also come to realize that with an hour a day that expectations must be realistic otherwise it gets stressful, you also have to drop certain pieces to make room for new ones given you only have an hour. It took me a while to appreciate the journey and not focus so much on the goal, guitar is a long journey. From what i understand most professionals practice 3-4 hours a day, I’ve heard of some practicing more but this seems to the average. This is based on the fact i research the crap out of everything, my previous guitar teacher also practiced 3-4 hours a day. He was a pro that would do gigs also, he was really good.
Posts: 2732
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to trivium91)
I think having breaks is just as important. Often found I practice something ahrd for a few days. get worn out or have a few days away. come back and its all been processed and learned and just flows!
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Stu)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Stu
I think having breaks is just as important. Often found I practice something ahrd for a few days. get worn out or have a few days away. come back and its all been processed and learned and just flows!
That makes sense, sleep is really important aswell. REM Sleep in particular, so prioritizing that, one would think, should increase learning speed.
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
Arthur Rubinstein was asked once to give a masterclass at a prestigious music institute. One of his quotes during that event was "no matter what your teacher tells you, 4 hours of study a day is more then enough. Funny enough the institute itself had a polici that those studying less then 7 hours a day were not welcome to study at the institute. Funny enough Rubinstein is said to change habits after his child was born, studying 6-9 hours a day with impressive results :-).
I'm pretty sure 2-4 hours of quality time traning a day is more then enough to uphold ones skills (and even to grow) and knowing how exhausting a really serious hour of study can be I wonder if more then 4-5 hours of full focus traning is even possible, focus wise.
John Williams is a special case, from a techicall point of view he didn't really have to practice a new piece and as a result was able to record a piece for CD in the time most others need to open the book.
_____________________________
The smaller the object of your focus the bigger the result.
Posts: 2732
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Erik van Goch)
quote:
Funny enough Rubinstein is said to change habits after his child was born, studying 6-9 hours a day with impressive results :-).
how convenient. "What's that dear? baby needs changing/feeding/ rocking to sleep?? Sorry ill be in my music room studying for errr 6 to 9 hrs"....(phew)
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to metalhead)
quote:
ORIGINAL: metalhead
Do you accept my apology?
Of course. No need really this is the “Internet”.
I guess I forgot that the internet is the safe space where everybody says only nice things to one another, especially complete strangers, and very diplomatically applies the “if I have nothing nice to contribute I will remain silent” mantra to each and every carefully worded post. (That is sarcasm obviously).
To be fair, I don’t waste my time with people that are not going to learn or advance, I just ignore them. However, if someone shows potential, I might come down harder on them to steer them in the right direction. I guess it is that way with many disciplines, not just this flamenco genre.
RE: How much time should a flamenco ... (in reply to Ricardo)
Your orginal comment implied I was a lazy guy who is intentionally sabotaging his growth which is why I got pissed. Contacting the lady isn't so easy, I've the contact, and if ever by an chance the right time comes I'll do it.
Anyways, I've said sorry for my comment too and i hope you actually accepted it. Truth be spoken , a lot of things you've said here is a reason I know half something in flamenco. So don't be pissed.
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meaning technically. 
... but also 
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