Practice/playing for fun balance?

shaunk26

Hi all

I've been playing on and off for 18 years. Been taking lessons since February and this is my most sustained effort to get better. 

What I am struggling with is getting the right balance of playing for fun and practicing/learning theory. I feel it's 70/30 practicing for me and it's starting to defeat the purpose of it being fun to play. Anyone able to share what worked for them? 

munckee

I only play for fun or to learn a song I want to. Hence always feels like fun. 

Can’t play for toffee though even after 20 years : )

VimFuego

I try to make practice itself fun. A lot of classical instruments are taught using small, musical snippets, called etudes. Although they are designed to work on a skill, they are also musical, so fun. 

Cranky

For me, it's remembering that the improved playing makes the practice itself more fun.  Hence, a win-win.