I have a secret.
I've quit. Cold turkey. No more.
Except maybe for social reasons.
Sessions are now a thing of the past. For now, anyway.
As I'm working on these tunes, cleaning up (and dirtying down) habits, I'm finding I can play at home, alone, for hours. I feel like I'm making great progress in my technique and confidence. Although some days, as to be expected, are better than others, I am feeling like I'm improving.
Except for when I go to sessions. About the last three or so weeks, I've found each session I've attended to be a frustrating and even debilitating time. Attending sessions I find I cannot focus on the tunes with the detail I've found a deep rooted desire for. I cannot allow the space in the tune, and especially the time to (gasp!) practice a tune during a session setting. Given the amount of effort it takes to relearn a music, I feel like I'm simply reinforcing bad habits when I play with groups of others. So this is it. I'm done going to sessions.
On that same note, I've also significantly cut back on my listening. Though Majella encouraged submerging myself deeper, I recently found that when I am listening (too?) much, I implant what I think I hear over my playing, instead of hearing my own playing for what it is. Perhaps seems counterintuitive. Nevertheless, has been quite an effective strategy.
Playing has been upped to a minimum requirement of 60 minutes each day. More often than not, I don't complete what I feel I should do for a day in those meager 60 minutes. I am working at starting playing earlier in the day so I don't feel I'm impeding on other crucial activities (such as sleep. Which apparently my body has decided it needs more of than it's been getting and tells me this with great gusto). Day 330 and I make sure I get my minimum, but I haven't sorted a way to make sure I start playing sooner.
Will work on that.
