The Two Minute Practice Method

Buco

I did, yeah, I do that. It's obviously not flashy but I usually have a feel for where things want to go. But playing in public, my mind gets blocked. So that's why I'm looking for these hacks.

Lango-Django

Then maybe the best hack for that is to play in public so often that it becomes your new normal?

yeah, that’s easier said than done in the present day covid reality, for sure

But maybe you could find a park bench someplace where you could just sit and serenade all the passersby for hours…? or maybe a friendly local coffee shop?

Buco

You hit the nail on the head. That's exactly my thinking as well. The more you play outside your comfort zone, the more comfortable you're becoming with it. I'm planning on busking. Which is what Bill and I do, along with Randy our concertina player. I want to go out by myself though. I've done it once. It was the most awkward feeling I've had as a musician, to be in the street playing my guitar all by myself. Eventually I relaxed and it became one the best practice sessions I've ever had. Low pressure enough where I didn't worry so much about mistakes but still with people listening so I had to deliver what I could without stopping. It's perfect mix between no stress and just a little bit of stress. As long as I'm bearing my trials and tribulations on the internet, I'll admit I'm a little reluctant to go back and do it. For one I haven't gone over many melodies in a while and so I need to sit down and make sure I can pull off at least 10-15 melodies, but also because I remember how uncomfortable it was at first. I'll do it though, for sure. I feel it's the key to the next level.

Lango-Django

Great! And don’t worry about having a large repertoire because passersby won’t be staying to hear them all anyway.

Just four or five numbers which you are really comfortable with should do you fine.

Some tunes have the kind of chord structure that is so obvious that they don’t really require a rhythm guitar.

Two that really work for me that way are Embracable You and Moonglow, both in the guitar-friendly key of G.

Have fun, and come back and tell us how it is going!

Will

Buco

Come back? I never leave!

Lango-Django

Quite true, Buco, except just think about all that those hours you're going to be out there busking.

I'm told that Robin Nolan has done his fair share of busking... perhaps that's his superpower?

Will

Buco

Very possibly true about Robin. You're right, nobody hangs out for more than a few songs 4-5 will get you by.

What I think I found that one time was interesting. Since I was by myself, without a backing track or anything, and I'm not a chord melody kind of player, what I was doing was playing a round of rhythm, then the melody, maybe with some chord stabs, then soloing (mostly single line, again maybe some chord stabs) then finish with a combination of switching between playing the melody and rhythm. I felt that for a few people listening, after playing a round of rhythm, that gave them a reference for the groove of the song so that when I'd play the melody and single note lines soloing (as long as the soloing was in time) they could still follow along without it being something they can't put their finger on as far as what's happening. Like, I felt they heard it as a song, not just some noodling. At least, that was my feeling and it was very interesting to see.

Lango-Django

Were you able to relax and play your best? Or were you uptight about having an audience?

Buco

Not much of an audience. We got attaboy a few times. I can definitely see how doing this often would help a ton. After Bill left I noodled a while longer. At the very least by doing this a lot more, my practice and performing picking volume would match.

Buco

You know, something that I noticed since I've been entertaining this idea of practicing with some distractions and what not, is that when I play and look away from the instrument, it seems to opens the door to some additional creativity. As in, your present mind steps out and you're not bound by it and you rely more on what you have up your sleeve in musical sense and can create easier in the moment. There's exactly areas in the brain that are responsible for both but I don't know the names for it. I've noticed that (I think that's what I'm seeing) with the best players, they seem to look so comfortable when playing, they look totally detached as if they're watching someone else play the instrument. Just what I mentioned before, they're just observing whatever it is they're playing.