Hi all well I was down for a while didn’t feel I was doing well on my banjo ( guess I thought I should be ready for the stage of The Grand Old Opery ) and it is a little down that I have now one to practice/play with so only me to judge my playing. Hay got a question right now I’m working on 4 Christmas songs and 4 other songs plus three lessons. I would like to have the Christmas songs ready to send to my kids as a personal gift. But am I trying to work to much in. When I was in the duodenums didn’t practice at all but that lasted about two weeks. Plus another bummer is my printer in shot and can’t print any new music ( working on this). Well I’ll shit up now God Bless all.
I was down
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Welcome to the club! Just coming off a 6 week layoff of playing myself. Been quite depressed so changed some things around and took a break from the instruments for a bit.
Not sure how you define “working on”. If it’s all stuff you’re trying to memorize or learn, I’d say that’s quite a bit and might whittle it down to the project you have 'due". If it’s stuff you can get through form memory, and you’re just trying to repeat enough to get more comfortable on, get muscle memory set, or speed up a bit then it’s nice to have the variety.
Hope this answers your question.
Either way, good luck with the Christmas songs for the kids!
Dave
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I’d say there is plenty of time for Christmas music. If something is too tough and causing you to get hung up, try making simpler versions of the problem phrases. Keep working on the harder version, but just having an easier version as a “just in case” might take the pressure off. If you get the harder phrases worked up to speed, you can add them back in.
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I started working on Christmas tunes last week! I’m trying to learn/memorize 5 or 6 tunes. I really enjoy the songs and have always wanted to have a few in my pocket!
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Here’s more “expert advice” from a Beginner:
Use your phone or Audacity or whatever, but try to get into the habit of recording every time you practice, then later, listen to it. I know it sounds silly, but it really helps in a couple ways.
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You hear your mistakes. You probably heard them when you played and they annoyed you. When you hear the mistakes on playback, you can “hear” what you should have done. That process of visualization helps you play it better next time around.
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You hear your good stuff. Sometimes we get so focused on not doing it wrong, we miss the parts where we do it right! Son of a gun, it sounds pretty good! This positive reinforcement keeps you from dwelling on the mistakes and erroneously believing you’re not getting any better.
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It will stimulate your imagination, and you will discover the sound you’re looking for.
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It will help you get over the heebie-jeebies stage fright we all get, especially when we think some one might be listening! Aaaargh!
Onward through the fog!
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Good post Joe!
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Don’t ever, ever think you’re the only one to deal with low times & frustration!
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Good advice Banjoe!!
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Uh oh looks like I’m going to have to start on Christmas tunes just so I’m ready. Not sure how many more Christmas’s I’m going to have with my grandparents. My nana is a piano teacher so we normally do a little music segment in our tradition after dinner. Enjoy your holidays 
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Thanks to all of you, as for the Christmas songs maybe we can all post a song or two and build a good size pool. I would enjoy hearing the rest of you playing let me know what you think. Have a Blessed day