[Music] Musicians. The difficulty?

So for all the musicians on ZU, I'm wondering what's the most difficulty for you when you play your instrument?

For me, its getting the time to practice and actually focusing since it seems like once my mentor teaches me something, it always feels like what I learn goes in one ear and out the other.

Also since I graduated high school I've been taking private lessons to help me learn while not in school mainly Music Theory. Which the hardest for me, to teach myself Music Theory and Ear Training until I transfer to a university.

So basically, what's the hardest for you when practicing?

not rushing. It is tempting to try to run everything as fast as you think you can right off the bat but if you don't play it well at 60 BPM you shouldn't be playing it all. The past year that's what I have been focusing on, trying to make my picking and fretting technique when I play eighths at 60 exactly the same as my picking and fretting technique when I play them at 220.

Mainly finding time to practice . There's this one kid in my band that is better than me but he has three periods of school to practice in I feel if I had that time I'd be able to do something with it!

Originally Posted by Prince Blueblood

Mainly finding time to practice . There's this one kid in my band that is better than me but he has three periods of school to practice in I feel if I had that time I'd be able to do something with it!

Same, I've been playing a little over 4-5 years now and I should be way better than I am now.

I am an amateur musician in the correct interpretation for the word, so I've had no "real" difficulties. On the other hand, this answer probably won't help yout that much because of it. : P

My greatest problem nonetheless is playing regularly. When I get an inspiration, I get an inspiration. But when not... Well, I'm practically worthless then. Acquiring instruments without any theoretic knowledge of music is hard as well.

I would never say I am a musician, but I did play clarinet and for me the strangest difficulty was playing in front of other people. I suddenly would feel very self conscious about everything I played - and it would always come out far worse than when I would play by myself.

I think everyone has that issue though.

I would say I am an illustrator/artist though, and this is also an issue. People like to watch me sketch and I really don't like it when they watch me so closely... it's a little uncomfortable.

well there are certain things playing guitar wise that i am not really good with, but on the other hand im rather good at tremolo picking and writing riffs.

Mostly it's having the discipline to learn new songs. It takes a lot of repeat practice and finding stuff to play that's fun, of a level of challenge that I can manage without spending forever, etc. can be a problem at times. I don't really have the time/desire to play guitar for eight hours a day so that's ultimately going to limit me no matter how much I learn otherwise.

It's not so much of practicing and finding the time to do so that I find difficult. What I find difficult is making the most use out of my practice sessions. Sometimes I can go for two to three hours a day, but not feel like I'm getting anything out of it. Otherwise, I will practice for just an hour a day, and I feel like I'm making the same kind of progress I was making when I was practicing for two to three hours a day. I feel like it has to do with endurance though, meaning I start getting tired after an hour of practicing. Also, I may not be as productive during my practice times as I should be, especially when I get tired.

I haven't taken lessons in any instrument save piano, so often the difficulty is not in finding time to practice, but in knowing what to practice. I can't count the number of times I've tried something too hard for my skill level and gotten discouraged, or had my skill level just plateau because everything I learn is too easy. Finding the balance in what you learn is a lot harder without a teacher.

Finding time to practice is definitely the most obvious one, though, especially with classes getting harder as the year winds up.

The difficulty is in the fact that the bassoon is an instrument that requires a great attention-to-detail, and I switched to it when I was yet to learn what it was to be a musician. I played in band for several years, but only among others. I didn't really play for myself. I didn't count for myself, and I didn't hold myself to high standards in being consistent even then.

I didn't realize it when I was wanting to play the bassoon, but it was to be that major wake-up call instrument. It doesn't allow for hiding in the ensemble, and therefore it doesn't allow for not counting at all and inconsistency. On top of that, consistency is not easy on this instrument. It requires specific things to be done otherwise things will go horribly wrong.

I now know what I got myself into, but I wouldn't change it. Because I'm setting my standards high this time.

For me its the price of instruments
Practicing isn't a problem! I never set a time or schedule to practice as I feel that would make playing seem like a chore. I just have my guitar and keyboard with me at all times in the house and when i'm not there I usually take my guitar with me!

Aside from timing issues, which is a very bad habit to get into, I really struggle at writing music. I hate 95% of what I write lol.

Originally Posted by AzraelBlack

Aside from timing issues, which is a very bad habit to get into, I really struggle at writing music. I hate 95% of what I write lol.

Nah, just messing with ya. I'm the same way when it comes to anything creative. It's never good enough.

My biggest problem is probably rushing things. I'll nail a riff once and consider it "mastered". The next time I pick up the instrument I'm always amazed that I have to sit down and practice it again. I'm not the brightest bulb.

Originally Posted by AzraelBlack

Aside from timing issues, which is a very bad habit to get into, I really struggle at writing music. I hate 95% of what I write lol.

I don't know how to write music at all LOL

I mean I can probably think of lyrics but from my experience of writing lyrics...they're all emo, lovesick sadness bull♥♥♥♥ from back in high school.

Writing music is a skill just like playing the guitar its self.

It's something you just develop over time.

My biggest difficulty is switching keys. When I play piano, going from one key to the other can be challenging.

Originally Posted by AzraelBlack

Writing music is a skill just like playing the guitar its self.

It's something you just develop over time.

Lol provided you have the right training. Like I said, I don't even have formal training in music theory. So its not like I can write anything that's actually good.

I don't think there is actually any real form of "formal" training to learning how to write music. I have certainly never had any, and I write music all the time, even if I hate the majority of it.

I agree!!!
I am all self taught, and I find writing music to be a separate skill from actual playing an instrument that requires practice over time as well. Your first few songs will probably suck but if you keep practicing writing then you will eventually become a song wizard