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06-23-2003, 12:49 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Franklin, Tennessee | | | How do you focus?
Hello All,
My Niece moved away a few years ago and is here a couple of weeks while out for school. I love my Niece dearly and I`m starting to get a real taste of what its like to have Children.."myself divorced with no children". She at times has a few of her 10 year old bud`s over and...  WOW!! How do you guys Practice DB when the Big O`l Thang the center of attention in the Living Room, One pluck of a string and BAM!!..your surrounded...I mean, my Teacher gave me a good Bit of Homework for the week and I dont see how on Earth you guys get in Practice with Children present. Children are great, I just wonder how you do it. I work alot of afternoons so my Practice time is either like 12 or 1am or like 12 noon. Do you guys/gals have times set aside for being alone? I`m sure this sounds Silly...
Dave
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Last edited by davegr8house : 06-23-2003 at 12:52 PM.
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06-23-2003, 01:06 PM
|  | Student of Life Forum Administrator | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisville, KY | | | I practice either in the afternoon when the kid's at daycare, or between midnight and 3 AM, when he and the wife are asleep. This is a tough one, but I think it's workable. |
06-23-2003, 02:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cary NC | | | I get up between 5 and 6 am and practice until the kids wake up between 7:30 and 8. They're not in school yet, I fear in August when my oldest daugther goes to kindergarten I'll only get an hour in!
Night and weekends if I get to play at all it's the guitar, playing lullabies, children's songs, etc. Best to do things the children can participate in. |
06-23-2003, 02:12 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: West Tennessee | | | I have a 10 year old girl and an 8 year old boy. They are both quiet, well-behaved, and get along wonderfully--while asleep. The rest of the time it is open warfare. With my two, occasionally they come in and want to pluck the beast but soon go on to other things leaving me to play. For the most part, when the new wears off, there is no problem. There are times though if I am learning something new or really working on something, I do not allow them in. Take it from me, telling kids "Not now" on occasion will not scar them for life not destroy your relationship with them.
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06-23-2003, 10:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Franklin, Tennessee | | Hey Guys,
It is fun to entertain my Niece. She loves Music and for her age can carry a tune singing. My Teacher tells me not to play what I know how to play when practicing. Practice is for learning new. Of course I warm up with familiar Etudes and scales. When people are near I feel as if I have to preform and not make mistakes. I`m working on the Cello Part to Unfinished Symphony that for me has some pretty tricky Bowings and of course sounds like crap at the moment and today I got that tilted head concerned look so I thought I might just wait till I get time alone 
All well thanks for the replys.
Dave
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Last edited by davegr8house : 06-23-2003 at 11:06 PM.
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06-24-2003, 09:25 AM
| | Sam Shen's US Distributor
Sales Manager, CSC Products Inc. | | Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rochester, NY | | You'd be setting a good example for her by working through the hard parts in her presence I think. She'll see how to go about breaking down a difficult passage and such, and she'll witness patience, which is important for children to see in the instantaneous reward society we live in.
You can also instruct her to tell her friends that your practice time requires solitude, not an audience. Most kids enjoy the authority to tell their friends that they can't go in here or there. 
G/L! |
06-24-2003, 12:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | I use the Big Ol' Backyard Banishment Technique, combined with the Deadbolted Back Door Maneuver. But really, my kids and their friends are so used to me working on music, they pay scarce attention to me anymore. As long as the paychecks keep arriving.... |
06-24-2003, 03:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: SE Wisconsin | | | Both my kids, ages 6 and 9, are musicians, so I've brainwashed them into respecting the importance of practice time. I don't allow any interruptions when they are practicing, and they're pretty good about leaving me alone when I'm in the music room. My wife works 2nd shift every other week, though, so I'm Mr. Mom 14 nights out of the month.
My wife, however, is more jealous of the big wooden lady standing in the corner than she'd like to admit. Funny how little questions and conversations seem to pop up when I'm practicing.
So, between the wife, the kids, the gigs and the 9-to-5, I steal a half hour here and there when I can. I just try to focus on whatever goal I'm going for, rather than mess around and play stuff I know already.
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06-25-2003, 12:14 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Franklin, Tennessee | | | All are interesting comments. Thanks....
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06-25-2003, 05:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Anyplace cold or air conditioned | | | four year old here. (not me, my kid)
My trick is this: I'm lucky enough to have a room dedicated to double basses.. .. .. er .. and computers, and books, and reading, and tool room, and humidor, and, etc., and, well, its a bit crowded in here. anyway, during genuine bass practice, a toy "Men at Work" sign is hung on the door, and all citizens of this house know thee time periods are sacrosanct. Normally this works pretty well, but the understanding is, I'm not allowed do emails, read books not directly practice related, surf the internet, or play with other big boy's toys. During this sort of non-bass-practice activity I'm to let him climb on my lap and "help" with whatever I'm doing, or find a reasonbe way to prevent same.
Recently a small problem has arisen as I have become something of an Alexander Technique zealot, and regular practice is frequently interupted for short bouts of lying on the floor or other bits of kineathetic weirdness. If they don't hear more or less continual zoom-zoom-zooom or boom-boom-boom coming out of my little room, I'm acused of cheating with the Men at work sign, and the little monster feels he has the right to come in past the sign. |
06-27-2003, 05:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tracy CA | | | The kid is old enough at 10 to understand practice time. Ask her to give you some time to practice then give her some time to perform with her.
If she can sing like you say work up some tunes with her that is parctice to.
Joe
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06-27-2003, 06:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Ridgewood, NJ | | Quote: Originally posted by myrick
Recently a small problem has arisen as I have become something of an Alexander Technique zealot, and regular practice is frequently interupted for short bouts of lying on the floor or other bits of kineathetic weirdness. If they don't hear more or less continual zoom-zoom-zooom or boom-boom-boom coming out of my little room, I'm acused of cheating with the Men at work sign, and the little monster feels he has the right to come in past the sign. | Haven't you impressed on him and Mommy the importance of releasing your psoas?
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