How to Practice Everyday
By T. Perry Bowers
I started singing in bands when I was just seventeen years old. There was a band in my high school that had been looking for a lead singer for a while and my friend recommended me because we had been in some musicals together. He thought I sung pretty well and I’d been lucky enough to land the lead role in a couple of high school plays.
The band played a lot of cool songs by the Smiths, the Cure, The Who, The Doors, etc. They also had a handful of their own songs. I loved those alternative bands. I also loved Van Halen and I had the David Lee Roth hair to prove it. My slightly above average singing talent and my long hair was just enough to land the gig. I remember the first time we played 7th St Entry, the guitarist said, “we’ll see after this gig if you’re really in the band.” Fair enough comment, there was nothing special about me and I knew unless I kicked something into higher gear, I would be out on my ass.
The gig went well. Well enough that they wanted me to continue practicing with them, anyway. We wrote some more songs and we played some good gigs. Over the year I was with them, we gathered a pretty good following and made a decent demo recording. The whole time, I never practiced once. I was a lead singer. All I had to do was show up and flail my hair around. That was good enough for high school.
After high school, I was thrown into another band. Same thing – same friend recommended me. It was pretty much the same trajectory. We played some gigs and made a demo recording. We gained fans, won a battle of the bands and promptly broke up. All the while, I never practiced and barely made it to rehearsals. I wasn’t serious about music. I thought it was fun and maybe I could get some adoration from female fans along the way.
After college though, everything changed. It wasn’t enough to just be in a band anymore. You had to be good or people snickered at you behind your back. It was time to get real. Over the years I had made a few recordings with the bands I was in. I remember playing them back one day and realizing I needed to actually learn how to sing. Faking it wasn’t cutting it anymore. It was at that point I took some lessons from a voice coach. He taught me all about my vocal instrument. He gave me a practice tape to sing along with. It was the start of practicing every day.
In the beginning I would sing through the tape (yes it was a cassette tape) once a day, then twice and I eventually worked up to running through it three times per day. It was a little over fifteen minutes of vocal exercises, so it was a good voice workout. My voice got stronger and I was singing better than I ever had. I followed that routine for about ten years. It was an extremely powerful way to become a better singer. I don’t do it any longer, but I do sing almost every day when I practice my guitar.
The method that works for me is to write songs and play them through. Once in a while I’ll do some finger exercises, but ninety percent of my practice is playing and singing my songs. It motivates me. I’ve never had the goal of becoming a shredder. I’m too lazy for that. People who can play fast licks have to spend hours every day practicing their guitar. I’m lucky if I get a full hour on it. I practice every day with a goal of making progress and gaining more skill for my songwriting. I try to strike a balance between creativity and discipline. If I forced myself to play arpeggios and scales, I would get bored. My method works for me. If you want to be the next Van Halen, you’re going to have to put in more time. More power to you. I think it’s a noble pursuit.
When I play my drums (which I also do every day), I break my routine into five or ten minute chunks. I work on kick pedal speed for five minutes, then jazz groove, tom fills, swing beat, etc. I usually practice drums for about a half hour per day on my own. When I’m playing in a band, it’s twice that because I’m learning new songs and preparing for the next rehearsal or gig.
Even though my total practice time may be just over an hour every day, it works for me. I have four children and another on the way. I have a business to run and deer to hunt. At my age and stage of life, I can’t justify dedicating more time on a hobby. But making sure I get some time in every day is extremely important to me.
I created my daily discipline by starting small. I would play my guitar for fifteen minutes a day. Reaching for the guitar and strapping it on was the biggest hurdle. Once I had it in my hands, the rest was easy. For a while when the fifteen minutes was up, I put the guitar back in its case and called it a day. Soon, I didn’t notice the time as much. My fingers were becoming happier. I was writing riffs and songs. Now, I have to force myself to put the guitar down.
Practicing is easy – it’s not rocket science. If you pick up your instrument once a day you’ll be on your way. Watch out for those days you just can’t muster the strength to grab it. What’s going on with you when you can’t connect with your passion – if only for five minutes? It’s an indication to check your wellbeing. You might find your apathy towards your instrument is really a casualty of feeling melancholy or depressed. The good news is picking up your instrument could be the exact remedy you need. I find it cures most ills. There is science behind that. Just like taking a run or eating a healthy meal, playing music is great for your wellbeing – mind, body and soul.
