If you had unlimited opportunity to practice, how would you organize your day?

[gerry]

For so many years I would attempt to "fit" my practice time into my work-day evenings and weekends. Now that I'm retired (and firmly believe that I can continue to improve) I would really like to hear how others do or would treat a wide-open day. i.e., would you get up early and do exercises, etudes; when would you work on the nuts and bolts of a difficult piece; how would you space your practice sessions; would you just play all day only stopping to eat? I would really like to come up with a productive schedule for myself but have no model?

I have a tendency to fall into strange patterns when undisciplined. During October - January, while my partner was taken ill and in hospital, I took my mind off it all by sitting down about 9:30 pm after hospital visit and playing sometimes until 4:00 am then sleeping until about 11:00 the next day. It was strangely productive and I gained technique leaps and bounds. But this was not particularly good for my health. Now I have to fold my tent about 11:00 pm. Any suggestions?

[dan101]

I'd play in the morning, when I'm most alert (after coffee). Mistakes can make a piece worse, so accuracy is essential.

[dana_minmin]

In reality, I usually have 3 hours break between lectures, so I spend like 30 min for lunch and the rest for piano. Or if I have lectures in the afternoon, I get up early to practice then lunch. Or a few hours evening session after my tedious lab work. (I'm a science major )

If I had the whole day for anything I like, I would get up late or until I have enough sleep, then practice for 2 or 3 hours, then take a long break like an hour or 2, then back to practicing then brake then practice.

I found that my output is the best within the first few hours of practising if I sat there for a continuous 6 hours (between lunch and dinner). Taking breaks in between helps me to focus more easily.

[shadow88]

I can't imagine playing that long!
When I come from school I make a break and then I practice 2 hours. After that my brain is like dead and I could fall asleep

[keymoo]

I think it comes down to planning. Bernhard used to say to plan for 20 minute sessions. So,  create a planner that consists of 20 min sessions and decide what you want to accomplish in those sessions. Search for Bernhard - there's tons of stuff on this forum about this very subject.

I only have 1 hour to practise every day. This means I get 3 20 minute sessions per day - so I am working on 3 pieces concurrently at the moment. I could work on 6, but I'm keeping it to 3 for now. The beauty of it is, you can practise for 20 mins and then go do something else, then come back. I'd recommend a 5min break between sessions before the point of dimishing returns is reached.  bernhard used to stress that you need a night's sleep for progress to be made, so don't overpractise the same session (only practise it once in the day).

Anyway, take what I say with a pinch of salt, i'm still a n00b, but do search for some gems from bernhard.

[amelialw]

well, I do have an unlimited opportunity to practise, lucky me, so I basically practise anytime of the day, sometimes I even practise till or past mid-night if no one stops me.

[m19834]

hmmm ... this is an interesting question.  If I had all day to practice, no time schedule at all, I would probably "waste" it.  I would completely and utterly gorge myself at the piano and wouldn't really get anything actually "done".  I would wake up and play, and I would play all day long with maybe a break outside once or twice, I would eat something sometimes and then I would just play and play and then I would get mad at myself for not getting anything done, and after several days like that, I would put myself on a hardcore practice schedule until I couldn't hack it anymore because I would have digged deep down and once again thought about how many pieces are in the world and all the things that I want to do and all the pieces that I want to learn, I would have filled up every hour with scheulded practice and too many pieces and I would wear myself completely out trying to fulfill my "goals" and feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere at all.  Funny, both ways, I end up feeling like I am not getting anywhere at all (I guess there is a lesson in there somewhere).

Well, thankfully, things are probably on the verge of changing.   Yes, read Bernhard.

[rc]

I like to dream

I would try to keep steady performance opprotunities and learn repertoire based on that.  Playing for weddings (requests or maybe if I know them I could choose some pieces to suit), maybe finding other musicians and playing chamber music, some fun stuff for a bar, make myself a regular performer at a restaurant or two...

Other than that, I would probably spend time working on whatever my weakest links are technically, improvising, and maybe take on a student or two.

I like to do technical work in the morning, because my mind is fresh and I feel like I can accomplish the most this way.  I also like to watch the sun rise while practicing, it gets my day off to a good start.

Then do whatever throughout the day.  I wouldn't do music ALL day, it would get numbing.  I would pick certain times to work on what I've resolved to do, music or other business.

I think I would like best to improvise during the time that day shifts into night.  It's a cool, colorful time and I tend to feel more creative.

That's sort of what I'm trying to do now anyways: wake up before sunrise to practice -> do whatever needs to be done during the day -> get home and practice the night away.