I Play Better When I Don’t Practice

Well said Jimster. I do exactly the same thing, play for fun until I want to do something that trips me up, and I work that for a bit. Trying to play what comes naturally, in time always, and stopping to clean it up when it gets messy.

Sounds like a good practice routine! I'll try that.

( I think I'll change the title of this thread to: "I play better when everyone else does not practice." )


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For me, this has everything to do with using the two sides of my brain, or managing them. When practicing I tend to try to play just like the original tune. When I get to performance I try not to think about it but just play. Band rehearsals are somewhere in between based on how long we've played a tune. I tend to not have the best feel until I stop thinking about the sticking and notes etc.

For me a couple days off every couple weeks does seem to give me a chance to make fast progress when I get back to playing. I disengaged my brain and just play when I come back. So what is happening to you is likely similar.

I battle the two sides of my brain all the time. Recall the movie Bull Durham... "don't think meat!"
 
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