Staying motivated through isolation

[Jhu32]

Ever since my state had been given a stay-at-home order, I've been forced to stay inside, giving me time to work and play music. However, I am having a hard time finding the motivation to practice. What are you all doing to stay motivated?

 

[project_c]

Same here in London. Honestly my advice is to take it easy and don't force yourself to practice hard if you don't feel like it. This is an unusual situation and we need time to get used to it, and dealing with that can take away some of the normal creative energy and motivation we're used to. When I have no motivation I normally just run through a bunch of scale / arpeggio exercises which helps me stay in shape, and I leave the creative stuff and in-depth learning for another day.

 

[ArtechnikA]

I hear you.
I pushed really hard to nail an audition (did), learn 90 minutes of material for a show 3 weeks after that (went great), and get primed for a busy spring and summer.
And now that's all on hold until at least late June.
In theory, I have a gig early May (different project) but even if that materializes, it's 4 weeks away...
Very hard to stay motivated... But I know that if I don't keep active on the fretless and upright, those skills, muscle memory, and callouses will fade.
There's yard work to be done (there always is...) but it's been cold, windy, and rainy...
Every winter I tell myself it's time to get serious about theory, so I'm trying to convince myself that this is the opportunity.
Ari Cap's theory book and Allan Meyerson's Jazz Improv books await...

 

[Bunk McNulty]

It is hard when you don't have a deadline. It took me a while to realize that if I don't play enough, I'll lose the calluses on my right-hand fingers. So I'm doing something I've never done: Playing scales, finger exercises, etc. It's kind of like telling yourself to eat your vegetables, they're good for you.

 

[CallMeAl]

It's been really hard to work on stuff for my band. I've had the most success with:

A) deep-diving into stuff I never have time for (walking jazz transcription and learning funk and Motown lines)
B) playing other instruments (acoustic guitar, uke with our "family band.") if I had a piano in the house, I'd probably be playing a lot of that
C) just plain rocking out to my favorite songs. It's not practice, just a mood-booster (usually after my corn-teen beer ration )
D) just take a break for a day or two.

Good luck brother. Strange times, indeed.

 

[roccobass]

This may sound narcissistic, but it is beneficial. Do you have a full length mirror or any other reflective surface in your dwelling that you can practice in front of? Not only does it help dispel the isolation aspect, but it helps you on your fingering techniques and posture. Seriously! If this is not enough, add one good strong IPA to the mix, but only as a last resort!

 

[hrodbert696]

On the one hand - go easy on yourself. This whole situation means a lot of anxiety, depression, or just ennui for most of us and you don't have to pile on with guilt for not being as productive as you imagine you should. Let yourself adjust.

On the other hand, keeping busy and productive can be the best thing to help deal with the negativity of the situation. I'd suggest giving yourself a schedule, or at least a to-do list. Get up in the morning, eat breakfast, shower and dress yourself properly even if you're not going anywhere. Have a list of things to be getting done over the day, try and break it into tasks of 15, 30, or 60 minutes.

Don't treat the day as a great void of empty time, I find that paralyzing. Instead, say between breakfast and lunch, give yourself two or three things to do: walk the dog, fold a load of laundry, X amount of time for whatever your work is, 20 minutes practicing scales, whatever. Then lunch, then another block from lunch to a mid-afternoon snack (I guess my life revolves around food!) with a similar list, and another snack to dinner.

Some people love hyper-scheduling and having everything planned out to the minute. Me, not so much. But I have a post-it on my computer with a list of daily task reminders. Some of it's just stuff like getting a chapter of reading done (I'm a history professor, that actually counts as work). That way when I stall out I just grab another item off the list.

 

[JRA]

What are you all doing to stay motivated?

i say to myself: "it's either practice or mow the lawn."

either way: i have to 'center' myself and then move in that general direction. good luck with your motivation!


i also reward myself for a job well done: cold mexican lager!

 

[garp]

playing other instruments ... if I had a piano in the house, I'd probably be playing a lot of that

+1. Currently working my way through Mark Levine's The Jazz Piano Book (1989, Sher Music Co.). It ain't doin' nothin' for my calluses, but it is improving my understanding of theory and composition.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I've tried to make practicing more later me performing. Put on tunes you want to play, or that you play with your band(s). I'm not worrying about technical (or even Sonic) perfection - just trying to be a bassist again.

 

[pbass74]

I'm not in isolation, in fact I had to go to work all week and had some very long stressful days. I can't imagine what the front line health care workers are going through right now. But, our work band is on hold until...whenever. So, via email, we decided to pick out some new songs to work on. Now, I'm anxious to get to work on those, but will have to fit practice time into my unfortunately busier than ever life. I also intend to spend some time improving my knowledge of music theory and making it work on the fretboard.

 

[john_g]

Im dealing with the same at the moment...my band had a couple gigs get cancelled and our next one is the end of May, which Im sure wont happen. We had finally gigged a bunch of places and were talking to them about booking more when this all hit. There are only a couple more gigs on our schedule now and I wouldnt be surprised if they are cancelled.

I own my own business too, and its been really rough going from 12-14 hour days to nothing. I didnt pick up my bass there for over a week, which is very unusual. I started taking piano lessons about a month ago too (I play some keys in my band and wanted to get better) so Ive been forcing myself to practice that as much as possible now. "Myrtle the Turtle" isnt super inspiring but, its nice to work on something new. Im going to start working on walking bass too, i have ed friedlands course.

 

[CallMeAl]

+1. Currently working my way through Mark Levine's The Jazz Piano Book (1989, Sher Music Co.). It ain't doin' nothin' for my calluses, but it is improving my understanding of theory and composition.

Love that book! Worked out of that one back when I took some lessons

 

[JW56789]

I'm homebound as my job isn't on the 'essential business' list. I swing back and forth between boredom and then abject terror about it all. Then I reel myself back in and start over.

For me, playing along with the radio or CD's is a release for me, something to occupy my mind and have a little fun. I can get lost in it for a few minutes, laugh at how rusty I've gotten ( ' . . . . . damn, I USED to play this without even thinking about it . . . . '), and find some new stuff to wade through.

So my motivation is really emotional self-preservation, keeps the monsters under the bed.

 

[Outshined91]

Sometimes its me wanting to learn a song. For example, the other day I was listening to "The Pot" by Tool. If you know the song, you definitely know the iconic bass part. So since I wasn't doing anything, I felt motivated to harness my inner-Justin-Chancellor and try learning it! And then after I practiced soloing, scales, etc. So for me, its just about getting started each day. Then I end up practicing quite a bit.

 

[nickpc]

Find someone to play with. The Praise band at my church is doing online jams, and it works pretty well until we get 6 or more people involved. The tough part is getting amps aligned with microphones so you can hear what the guitars, keys and bass are doing.

 

[Skillet]

I've been wanting to upgrade my home recording situation with better drumming plugins. I've fired a few drummers, as have many of us. Musician's Friend has EZDrummer 2 on sale so I took the plunge.

Working on learning the software currently. It's a big of a slog but I have to say I'm impressed with the sounds and rhythms I'm coaxing out of it.

 

[mdlewis]

I was staying motived enjoying listening to my record collection, particularly my singles which I rarely get a chance to play. Playing 45's is an active process.

Then my hi-fi amp blew. : (

 

[City]

I always look at being a bassist puts me in some great company. We tend (many) to be the logical ones, intermediaries, rational mates. I find solace in being part of this group. Seriously it is getting very non-rational out on social media people are going to crack soon. I am having to stay off that and away from the drama. Visiting here once daily and also through my music I can find peace. I work from home now in the same office as where I practice. I have to force myself back into the room at the end of the day to pick up the bass. Isolation isn't fun. Suggested mandates can't always be followed, but we try our best. Remember most places are safer than the grocery store so limit that visit if you can. That is my water mark for safety. Finally learning Pino "everytime you go away". Some parts down, others need work, a lot of work.

 

[StyleOverShow]

I'm struggling too. Been working on a few things, mostly doing a video for my high school buddy's 50th wedding anniversary. It's kinda uncertain if July or August will yield anything.

laughing at posts by fellow players:

Stay At Home: pretend I'm asking you to come out and listen to my new band at local bar with $5 cover

After this Mess: You better come to every show I play!