It seems to me that many if not most of you play more than one instruments. How do you divide the time between them?

I restarted piano just over a year ago and am now addicted. In fact I'm enjoying it so much that I decided I need more music making and have taken up the harp (going to my second lesson next week). Problem is I work quite long hours and travel a bit (workwise) so already barely have enough time to practice the piano -- by 'barely enough' I mean both actual hours and what I "would like" to spend on the piano. So now I'm wondering how I should fit in the harp

My practice revolves round the fact that I like to make sure my clarinet playing is up to scratch, and everything else fits round that.

Singing tends to be fairly easy to do 'a bit here, a bit there', and my other instruments I'll make sure are practised, but they won't ever be practised as much as the clarinet. I'm quite happy with that, clarinet's my favourite

At the moment, aside from clarinet, it seems that flute and recorder are being practised a lot, for me...

I don't think I could manage another instrument at the moment - I play alto and tenor saxes and find it difficult enough practising both of those even though they are alike enough that practice on one is beneficial to the other.

A couple of years ago I had the idea that it would be good for me to have some keyboard skills and I got a keyboard - it quickly became clear that I only really have enough time to fiddle about with it, rather than learning how to play it properly. It still has it's uses though, and the fiddling has helped in some ways, but I couldn't fit another set of lessons and sufficient practice to make progress into my life at the moment.

Welcome to the club.

I ask myself the same question all the time. I guess that we just do our best, and get to the stage where we feel terribly spoilt if we manage more than 20 minutes on a second or third instrument - taking time off to yell at kids, visit kitchen, check homework is being done, go through homework, help revise for tests, read stories, explain to teenage son why no, I will not send fax excusing him from french cos he needs to get home quickly, check school bags, feed dog etc.

I normally do far less than I could, but we have kids, and besides, I really need time to relax later.

It helps that I don't see any tv till way after 10pm, then I just use it to unwind.

Then of course my wife nags me for messing about with 'those bl..dy flute things'.

I've never played the flute in my life, but to her, all my instruments seem to be 'bl..dy flutes'.

Just hang in there! It's great fun.


Steve

A member of my family insists on calling my clarinet a piccolo


Panthera, I've no idea what the answer is, all I can say is that I've got the same problem, and unlike many people here, I've only got two instruments, although if you count studying theory as a pseudo-instrument, then that makes three I've made a rule for myself that I won't practise my new sax until I've done my usual amount of clarinet practice, so that doesn't leave much time unfortunately. It doesn't help that I still haven't found a suitable sax teacher I've come to the conclusion that the only way I can fit in sax practice without stressing out over it is to accept that I'll only be able to do it at the weekend. But I don't mind, it's not as if it's any hardship concentrating on only my clarinet during the week

I only practice if there is something to practice for - so I practice flute and clarinet (exams and lessons) but not saxophone (cos I can play it well enough to do what I have to do, and rehearse with two bands a week). I've pretty well given up the guitar at the moment.

I'm afraid the answer is probably that one shouldn't go on taking up instruments until one can play the existing ones well enough! That what my partner says (and as she tells me, she's always right) - and it's why I don't (yet) dare get a viola, tuba or bass clarinet ...

nick

Thanks, guys.




I guess 'well enough' is a relative thing, though. Aren't there always something new you could learn!

I pretty much agree with Panthera. It comes down to what you can afford. For some people, a new flat screen HD televsion is the priority.

For a fraction of that, you can get a cheapy viola, and probably rent a tuba and bass clarinet.

Personally I would say to try all these. Life is really too short!

Steve

I 'only' play the violin but would love to try the cello one day. But I definitely don't have time for a second instrument and my cottage is too tiny to store a cello

... unless somebody invents a folding cello????

The way I look at it, with flute and now clarinet, I practice what I need to on flute e.g. scales, long notes, technique, etc during one session e.g. hour or so, take a break for something to eat for example, to give my embouchure time to relax, then go back to practice on Clarinet doing similar but practicing pieces or sight reading instead, or more thoroughly than scales for example and vice versa for the next day. Although muscle memory is building up separately for each instrument the commonalities of techniques e.g. remembering actual notes names for scales, reading ahead & playing in correct key etc for sight reading are being built up whichever instrument I concentrate on.

I think now being an adult learner returning to music after a break of more than 15 years since school, I've found any time you can spend of 15 mins or more per day per instrument will show improvement & the longer the better, but as mentioned previously in other threads, sometimes taking a break for a day on a particular instrument will make you appreciate how much you've improved when you go back to it rather than feeling that you have to practice for hours to make any progress .I've noticed I'm less likely to make progress practicing too long, because I get tired and make more mistakes.

Also, as was recently pointed out to me on something unrelated "there are two 8 o'clocks in the day" as I always prefer my lie-ins , so you could always practice in the morning before school/work for one instrument (or half of however many you play) and then practice in the evening on the others. This may even show better progress because you've time to reflect throughout the day on areas you need to practice from your morning session!

Some people sit down at night and need to watch three soap operas.

That's three half hours.

Then they "need" to watch a special on some new diet.

That's another half - full hour.

Then they might want to watch a film.

That's an hour and a half.

They will do this on an entertainment system that cost 1.5 - 2 grand.

That's a Gama 1 violin, a Clavinova and a decent student classical guitar from Alhambra.

When you ask them, they'll say that they always wanted to play an instrument.

But they don't have the time or the money.

Eastenders and Corrie for an hour or play music that can make your soul soar.

It's just a choice.

Matt.

I play the violin and I havent' had time to practice this week. I must say, I am a bit lazy cos when I come home from work, I am completely exhausted and just don't have the energy to play. Plus my eyes are always tired from looking at spreadsheets and numbers all day, I can't bare the thought of looking at dots on a sheet of paper. I'm amazed how poeple can learn more than one instrument. I must make more of an effort!! I'm going to start a strict violin practice regime

Flat screen HD will soon be kicked out. There's a new wave of designs about to be launched which use an organic material which doesn't require a back-light for the screen, so the screens are super thin and I really mean super-thin,... never mind size 0, these are size 00!

Absolutely!

Certainly too short to be sat in front of the 'idiot box' (TV) in the corner of the room!

Truw...



I don't watch any soap opera's, because I don't have the time, and I like the simpsons or futurama or documentaries better. I go swimming a lot, which is an hour and a bit each time, but at least it's sport.

The only things I watch on TV are DrWho and Primeval. Occasionally the news! Instruments are better Like Barry, I focus my pratice on my main instrument, clarinet, and do mostly long notes/scales on my other instruments, or ensemble music.

I'm not sure I understand some of the comments on my first post, so perhaps I should elucidate. I really have no intention of buying any more instruments because I can't as yet play the flute or clarinet 'well enough' (by which I mean, being able to play in competent concert ensembles).

When I wrote that one perhaps shouldn't acquire new instruments until one can play the ones one has well enough, I meant that (IMHO) there was no point taking up a number of instruments until one had acquired a satisfactory standard *for oneself* on at least some of them. So, no viola, tuba etc for me: they would only sit in a corner, get dusty and reproach me.

No doubt some people could find time to practice more if that is what they really wanted, but for what it's worth, I watch TV for about an hour or two a week and my work takes at least a part of every day of the week. So I don't spend potential practicing time on other things - I just try to concentrate the practice time I do have on a limited range of instruments, in the interests of making progress. Taking up more instruments would make it almost impossible to reach an acceptable standard *for me* on any of them. And of course, make it even more difficult to find time to get out and play with others - which is the point of the exercise, isn't it?

People can of course buy as many instruments as they like (it's a free country), but for me, it would be self-defeating. Three is enough - even then only two of them get practiced!

And there are other worthwhile things in life (recall Trevor Wye's comment that effective flute practice means 'more time at the beach')

nick

Multi-tasking is the order of the day. Last night, whilst waiting on the oven, I did about twenty minutes on the piano, when I'm waiting for the kettle to boil, or something like that I will normally do some vocal exercises. If you can grab a few five or ten minute slots you can use them to practise one small element, and it can be surprising how much can be achieved like that. Little and often rather than huge chunks of time.

My music teacher says coz i play the trumpet that i wont be able to play the trombone because of mouth positions however my sister plays the trombone and i can get notes out of it even though i dont know what those notes are.

Brumby

I have to practise flute before oboe, as I'm finding otherwise it wrecks my embouchure. I find I practise depending on what sort of mood I'm in. Somedays, I do an hour or so on the violin then in the evening, I want to practise but can't because of disturbing neighbours, so I practise on digital piano - that's also my instrument of choice when I'm stressed out. Only in very early stages of learning piano but if feels like a major achievement when I've managed to play both hands together albeit very, very slowly. If I'm in a more upbeat mood, I practise flute for about an hour. If I'm feeling cheesed off, I honk on the oboe and that sorts me out. At the moment, violin is getting preferential treatment, am learning a piece for TG Grade 4 which has a folk slant to it and I've just realised, I love folk music

Hmm, does your music teacher also say if you learn french, you won't be able to learn spanish?

Or if you eat too many peas, you can't eat potatoes?

There's a boy in my son's school orchestra who plays both with no problem.

Steve

I find that this works ok with piano (especially the cooking thing as my piano is in the kitchen) but not with clari as you have to add on time to mop it out after you've done.

I do the multi-tasking alot. Esp boiling water, making coffee, working on email, etc. I play the violin, and my violin is in my room, so I have to remind myself that something is boiling.

I'm not familiar with the clarinet, why do you have to mop??? Or is this a joke?

Woodwind instruments get wet inside - from the water vapour in your breath condensing as you blow down it. Like blowing on a mirror makes it steam up.
After playing, it is best to wipe out any excess moisture - the device you use for this is often called a mop, or it can be called a pull-through. In my house it's called a handkerchief-on-a-stick, in my house (for recorders, rather than a clarinet, in my case)

Here's a picture of a clarinet mop:

I thought most people used a swab - which I assume is the same as a pull-through. I've never used a mop, though I have a double ended one somewhere. Not sure if one is better than the other. The mop looks like it may be useful for oiling the bore.

Steve

Wasn't clear in my first post, that yes, a mop and a pull-through are different styles of thing to do the same job (hmm, and I'm becoming more eloquent!)
You are quite right, a swab is the same as a pull-through - a weighted cloth thingy which goes in one end and out the other. So different to a mop but serving the same sort of purpose. It probably varies by instrument as to what people use...
Mops can leave bits of fluff behind, so some people don't like them. But you might use a swab/pull-through and still refer to it as mopping. Just to confuse people

There's probably a better name for my handkerchief-on-a-stick than what I call it But recorders usually come with a stick for you to put something in there to make your own whatever-you-call-it!