Time spent on practice/theory/perform/pray/teach?

[kewlpack]

I'm just stirring the pot a little today, so to speak. Answer the following:

Approximately, how often (or how much time do you spend on):

1) Practicing guitar each week?

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?

4) Praying (overall)?

5) Teaching (the Word)?

I threw in the last 2 (4 and 5) after the fact because it just struck me that we spend enormous amounts of time on things we are passionate about - perhaps we should become more passionate about praying and teaching!

That said, I was originally only wondering how much time you guys are putting into your craft. Thanks for your input and feedback in advance.

In Him...

[kewlpack]

Approximately, how often (or how much time do you spend on):

1) Practicing guitar each week?

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?

4) Praying (overall)?

5) Teaching (the Word)?


Allow me to go first.

1) Practice: about 5-8 hours a week. Not as structured as I want, but I get a little progress each week.

2) Theory: about 4-5 hours a week. Sometimes more if I'm going through a book.

3) Playing: about 4-8 hours per week. Four hours at the jam on Friday nights (approx); and we do Kids P&W every other week, so that accounts for the other four hours. Maybe another 1-2 hours recording when I feel like it.

4) Praying: Daily, throughout the day. It's like picking up the phone with the Lord in the morning and keeping Him on the line all day long. However, I haven't been praying intensely as of late - and I need to change that! I would like to hit 30+ minutes of intense prayer per day. I used to do that all the time... (when I preached).

5) Teaching: Hmm... this varies a lot. I would say daily because I do find myself quoting Scripture and teaching at work, at home, with my wife and daughter, and on the forums, and then whenever I get a chance I teach at our small group (or 1 on 1 studies). Again, however, I miss the opportunity to teach intensely (as in preaching or big studies at church) and doing Bible studies with the lost. I have gotten lazy in that respect.

Father, forgive me for spending too much time on myself and not enough on the things that last forever. Help me to revive the zeal and the passion that is in me for the Kingdom! Set me on fire so that others might be saved from "the fire".

Bless your holy name!

In Christ. Amen.


God bless you guys.

[seagullplayer]

1) Practicing guitar each week?

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?

4) Praying (overall)?

5) Teaching (the Word)?



1) Not enough, most weeks about three hours.

2) Not enough, most weeks 30 minutes. :cry:

3) P&W with teens every week (15 minutes+/-)
Some weeks another 20 minutes.

4) Everyday, many many times thoughout the day. I'm just not sure.
But it's not enough. :cry:

5) Every week; Teen group (30-45 minutes) Adult SS class (45 minutes)
At least once a month Sermon (30-45 minutes)
Ministry visits, hospital, nursing home ect. (4-5 hours)
This does not include any of the "prep" time.

For one of my ordination classes last year I had to keep a journal of every hour for one week. It is very interesting to see where our time is spent.

[ptrallan01]

Practicing/theory? I do it while I'm doing other things so it is hard to decipher. I tend to play while I read online, watch tv, talk to my wife. I spend a few minutes (10 to 20) everyday on arpeggios and scales, right now working on maj7 arpeggios.

Praying 15 minutes before I get out of bed, again at lunch. These are formal prayer periods, informal is virutally impossible for me to answer.

Performing 2 hours on Thursday (choir/band practice) 20 minutes on Sunday.

Teaching the word:
1.5 hours on monday (Substance Abuse Ministry)
2.5 hours on friday (Bible Study, currently Gospel of John chapter 17 this is the third week on that chapter going on 11? months on the book)
.5-.75 hours preaching on sunday
Misc time at meetings, at work etc 4-6 hours a month.

I just completed my last course in my bachelors so I have also been studying pretty intensely for that.

[wishus]

1) Practicing guitar each week?
Varies... 2-5 hours?
2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?
Currently 0 hours.
3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?
2 hours - band practice.
4) Praying (overall)?
I donno. A lot of little prayers probably add up to a couple of hours.
5) Teaching (the Word)?
0 hours, but I am in a couple small groups where we study and discuss, 2-4 hours a week.

My practice time is a combination of practicing improv, practicing songs for my band, and composing. It's not structured. I'll start out jamming and practicing current songs, and work on new stuff if I'm feeling creative.

I took music lessons (voice, theory, composition, lead guitar) for a year and a half, ending in Dec. 2004. I learned a lot of theorey, scales, etc. and so the improv and composition part of my practice time sometimes involves experimenting with things I learned and getting more familiar with them. I haven't found myself thirsting for more knowledge because I am still working on integrating what I learned into my playing and composition.

I'm not spending as much time on music as I would like, because of a computer project I've been working on. Once that comes to fruition, my spare time should balance out to include more practice. I used to practice 5-9 hours a week. In my dream world, I would practice 5 hours a day.

[wishus]

I tend to play while I ... talk to my wife.

I get in a lot of trouble for that. If the wife walks into the room, the guitar goes on the stand. She won't settle for anything but my full attention. :lol:

[jazzrat]

I'm just stirring the pot a little today, so to speak. Answer the following:

Approximately, how often (or how much time do you spend on):

1) Practicing guitar each week?

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?

4) Praying (overall)?

5) Teaching (the Word)?


1.Most of my practicing is learning new secular tunes for our alt. church.
Prolly 6-8 hours a week
2. one or two hours. not much patience for formal study.
3. Wed. night choir/band practice 2 hrs
Sunday AM 4 hours
Sunday PM 3 hours
Another approx. 4-6 hours per month for jazz gigs
4. We pray as a family in the morning before school/work
prayer time at practices and pre-service
I pretty much have the line open all the time, but should set aside
some dedicated time
5. Not so much since we stopped leading the little kids choir.
Prolly an hour a week between my son and helping with the children's
dept at church.



I threw in the last 2 (4 and 5) after the fact because it just struck me that we spend enormous amounts of time on things we are passionate about - perhaps we should become more passionate about praying and teaching!

That said, I was originally only wondering how much time you guys are putting into your craft. Thanks for your input and feedback in advance.

In Him...

[SAguitar]

Approximately, how often (or how much time do you spend on):

1) Practicing guitar each week?

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?

4) Praying (overall)?

5) Teaching (the Word)?

1) Practicing: I practice at least an hour a day on the average.

2) Learning: I incorporate that into my practice sessions, so I don't think of them as separate.

3) Performing: Lately, in the last many years, this has been only at church, or church-oriented stuff, so that would be about 3 hours per week.

4) Praying: Hmmm... I try not to stay disconnected with the Father, and frequently talk to Him throughout each day. It would be hard to add that time up, but in the evenings, I probably spend about 20 to 30 minutes in prayer regularly.

5) Teaching: I'm not a teacher, per se, but I am an assistant worship band director, so in that respect, I guess I teach how one has to be a worshipper first before one can lead in worship. I would hope that just walking my walk is, in a sense, teaching.

[kewlpack]

Great input guys! Keep it comin'. To me, it is cool to see how a person balances the musician and disciple throughout the week.

Groovy.

[Ascension]

I practice at least an hour every day. I usually spend a couple of hours a week on theory learning new chord voices scales ect. We gig an average of three times a week and sometimes as many as 5 usually playing a min of an hour and most times two or more. I pray all through out the day and dedicate at least two hours. I don`t right now consistantly get a chance to teach much but have in the past .

[BigJim]

1) Practicing guitar each week?
Humm. Well, I don't really practice as much as play and try to come up with things that sound good. Hey, I guess that is practice :oops: . On occasion I try to learn a new piece of music. I play/pratice about an hour a night, sometimes longer.

2) Learning music theory, scales, technical stuff?
I took a music theory class in college, now I just try to remember what I learned. In the last year I have been playing more than ever and have started to learn all the notes on the fretboard. From there, for me, the scales just fall out. Also I work on listening and developeing my "ear" more.

3) Performing (jams, bands, church, etc.)?
Worship on Sunday's, about 2 hours (pratice/rehersal, and service).

4) Praying (overall)?
Not enough time (forgive me Lord...I try :cry: ). I have conversaions (in my mind) and think about God all day. So I guess you could say I pray throghout the day informally. But I don't dedicate enough time in prayer.

5) Teaching (the Word)?
0 hours. I meet with the pastor of my church to go through dicipleship training once a week and bible study once a week. I'm still growing and learning. Having come to Christ and submitting to His Loardship in the last year I have a ways to go before would feel comfortable teaching.

BTW the diciplship training I am going through is here:
http://www.disciplers.org

It's a great series. It has tought me what it means to be a Christian and how to grow closer to God. The lessons also tolk about how to diciple others. The pastor at my church is on the planning board and he has been guiding me through the lessons.

-Jim[/b]

[Teleguy]

...I guess I teach how one has to be a worshipper first before one can lead in worship...


That's true.
You can't take 'em anywhere you ain't been yourself! :cool: