We are often asked by banjo students “how much time should I practice banjo?” The short answer is you should practice playing the banjo every day. But let’s get further into it.
To accurately answer the question we need to ask a few questions: how much time are you able and willing to commit to disciplined, goal-oriented banjo practice? How busy are your days? What priorities do you have with regard to work and family, etc.
It’s important to start with these questions because they will help you set expectations. This is key to making progress. If you have unrealistic expectations then you will set a goal that is too high, then you will fail shortly and give up (or limp forward in constant pain/frustration).
While it will be ultimately up to you to decide, the simple fact remains: the more time you put into your practicing, the quicker you’ll improve.
Having stated the obvious, we will continue and say that daily practice is better than the occasional marathon session. The human brain loves repetition (there are countless sports examples proving this). Having analyzed your life’s demands, set a daily banjo practice goal that is reasonable, and then stick to it. Momentum is key to learning the banjo (or any skill, for that matter). When we are progressing we feel good. When we haven’t practiced banjo in a week, we feel depression, self-loathing, and a host of other negative feelings.
Above all: aim for daily, focused practice.
If you are looking to improve your banjo playing quickly then aim for 1 hour of banjo practice every day. It is challenging but it works (surprise!)
Recap:
- Aim for daily practice
- Analyze your life’s demands
- Choose a reasonable amount of banjo practice time
- Keep the momentum going
- Aim for 1 hour a day for the fastest way to improve your banjo playing
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