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Post by Zi on May 10, 2023 7:11:14 GMT
I haven't touched a musical instrument (except to move a recorder out of the way) for a couple of weeks now. Does anyone else have to do kick starts? I've had to do a lot of them mostly because of health issues or accidents (I do accidents very readily). You'd think that by now I'd be seriously good at kick starting but I'm pretty hopeless, I think.  Suggestions anyone? |
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Post by corenfa on May 10, 2023 8:06:35 GMT
Play something for fun and don't have too much expectations. Tell yourself "just 5 minutes" and you'll probably find you've done half an hour before you realise
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Post by keff on May 10, 2023 16:06:33 GMT
Play something for fun and don't have too much expectations. Tell yourself "just 5 minutes" and you'll probably find you've done half an hour before you realise This is very true. I have a couple of books of music from Andrew Lloyd Webber's shows which often do the trick for me. It is sometimes difficult to keep the enthusiasm up if we are under the weather, injured or worried about something. At the moment it is the latter category thats doing the damage and resulting in less practice than ideal. |
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Post by Zi on May 11, 2023 7:14:06 GMT
corenfa - That sounds like a positive way forward and I'll give it my best shot. When I've done serious re-boots (after many months of not being able to play) I've started the tutor book again but I can't face that right now so choosing something fun sounds a lot more appealing. Thank you! keff - I hope things resolve asap. I'm having to prioritise other things and once the prioritising is over I'm way too tired for the non-prioritised stuff... 
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Post by pavane on May 11, 2023 9:26:08 GMT
I find going back to the start of tutoring books I've done before really demotivating, I just think "oh no, back here again". I prefer to play through something I have done well before and it generally comes back enough that I feel reasonably positive - all is not lost after all. Then I try a different book, or dip in partway through something I have started before, but not finished. Going right back to the beginning is just torturing yourself.
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Post by Zi on May 11, 2023 17:37:49 GMT
That's interesting and I can understand how that might feel. I usually don't mind that much. The first parts are easy and I zoom along and then usually by the time it's got hard, I'm back into the swing of things. I'm not really sure I've got a 'I can play that well' thing... but I do have things I like playing. But this time, I really can't face all those things that aren't things I like. I can't even face getting my practice book out and making a plan for practice because I've had to do so much other planning that I'm planned out... The bit I'm finding hard it the actual doing... picking up instrument and playing it (or attempting). I'm not even full of good intentions... I think I'm doing that 'tomorrow' thing as well...  |
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Post by Zi on May 24, 2023 8:19:48 GMT
I wish I could say that something profound regarding the kickstart has happened but it hasn't... However, some of the 'life' stuff has (almost) been resolved so my inaction is now down to me... I have looked at my recorder a couple of times so far this week so at least I'm not avoiding eye contact with it...  |
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Post by pavane on May 24, 2023 9:50:27 GMT
Looking is good! Pretty much all my instruments are on stands where I can clearly see them, and they can see me, and I'm aware of the reproachful gaze some of them give me when I haven't played them for a while. I did half an hour on a particular recorder yesterday for that reason, but there's another one lurking at the back of the stand that's now looking extremely cheesed off!
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Post by Zi on May 25, 2023 8:01:45 GMT
'Baleful' is a good word for their expression too... I came across a rhythm book just now and came over all enthusiastic... Once I'm past next week things should be less 'messy'- I hope! The trouble is any spare energy is being used up by the garden and it's an unequal struggle which the rabbits have now joined the opposing side and I'm unable to feel any wrath against them despite the fact that they (or the pheasant) dug, pulled up and chewed my sunflowers... all 40 of them! But any way, I'm always relieved when it's not just me that is reproached by their musical instruments!
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Post by keff on May 25, 2023 9:52:14 GMT
Not quite in need of a kick start but due to worries over mental health of close family member I am not doing as much piano practise as I should. We are doing a little work in the garden and slowly getting on top of weeds.
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Post by Zi on May 25, 2023 12:22:45 GMT
Sometimes the garden is a good place to go for solace. Take care of yourself!
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Post by pavane on May 25, 2023 15:02:35 GMT
Baleful is a masterful description of how they look!
It must be the hottest day of the year so far here. I did some grass cutting but was being sunburned so Mrs P and I went out for lunch instead! Now I'm trying to work up the energy to do a bit of playing.....
Keff: hope all works out well. Gardening can be very therapeutic. Not very successful today (we actually went out to get some sun block, just got a bit waylaid) but I usually find my own little world of mowing with ear protectors on almost meditative.
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Post by keff on May 25, 2023 16:59:07 GMT
Zi and pavane, thanks for your messages.
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Post by Zi on Jun 8, 2023 20:18:45 GMT
Still haven't got the kick start thing going... However, other stuff has now been resolved or has 'settled' - one more thing early next week and thereafter really I'll be running out of excuses...  |
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Post by Misty on Jun 10, 2023 10:35:24 GMT
I need to kick-start again too after a crazy few weeks (recorder teacher away and don't know when she'll be back, daughter moving away from home, all sorts of hiccups disrupting my time). I'm hoping things might be more settled now and I can get down to some solid practice. Daughter doesn't like me practising flute - she says it's too high and piercing, so I kept it to a minimum for too long. I didn't dare get the piccolo out! I squeezed in a half-hour of recorder practice yesterday, and am duetting with a friend this afternoon.
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Suggestions anyone? 
