Hi Richard: Interesting topic! I'll never forget my music prof back in school(years ago) lecturing to us that playing vs. practicing are two DIFFERENT things. He emphasized, that though playing recreationally is fun & definitely has valuable merits, it cannot subsititute for the time required to devote to practicing: scales, arpeggios, chord voicings/progressions, music anaylsis & memorization etc. That said, I hardly ever practice anymore , but instead, do a lot of playing, both on and off the job. Maybe that's why I'm not appearing at Carnegie Hall now

Scott

Hi Richard,
I’ve been playing for almost six years now, but still sight read rather slowly. Having had the pleasure of hearing many of the great players on the Synthzone -- several in person, my goal is to be able to improvise at least as well as Scott. Toward that end I play or record for about two hours each day. Since I’m only 72, I feel I may be reasonably accomplished by the time I’m 90.
Frank

I have a wife that gets between me and my playing time, too. She enjoys my music and doesn't complain about the time (yeah, right) spent at the keyboard, but she slyly keeps me busy during the day doing other things and volunteers our time for church functions and other community projects. This leaves me from 11pm to 1pm to practice or play, then she lets me sleep in until 8am. When her foot heals to the point she can walk again and drive herself around, my busy book will once more have empty slots I can fill with keyboard time. I had more playing time when I was working 60 hours a week - retirement doesn't guarantee you'll have time for YOUR personal favorites. Not as long as you're married.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bud Whipple:
[B]I have a wife that gets between me and my playing time, too.

Take heart Bud, there is a Spanish proverb :-

"The woman who obeys her husband rules him"

I started playing organs about 50 years ago. Before retirement I seemed to have plenty of time for music even though I routinely worked 50 to 60 hours a week. I retired thirteen years ago and it now seems that I am too busy to play as much as I did. But, I still get in at least an hour each day, sometimes with headphones when other things are going on in the house. We have a lot of visiting family and houseguests. I don’t think I could survive without my music.