I wonder if I'm the only one that goes through periods of intense practice and then waves of distraction where I really struggle to play or get motivated. This year has been a bit quiet coming out of the pandemic but I feel super inspired again with talk of Stick Gatherings and some nice gigs reappearing. I've finally dug deeper into Logic Pro as the production platform and am really loving that. I was a ProTools user back in the studio days. Some new pieces on the go hoping to be ready in a couple of months. My last big effort is already well over a year old, but it did have all 3 sticks on it & a Stick solo in the middle. Here's the Spotify link

https://open.spotify.com/track/2RFWHGye ... 728075439a

My life is full of distractions. I play Stick to relax and unwind.

Didn't sign up but my phone let me listen to Freya etc. kind of S. E .A .memories long ago. anyway gave that part a whirl. IMO if one wants to be a good stick player obviously dedicate all your time to stick ,study and lessons to the great teachers out there. after an hour I get bored with stick ,like it was said above I play for fun and relaxing. I also get bored with the other instruments I play. I rather spend time in nature. I hear of people practicing 8 hours a day to me that would be like being locked in a cage. to each his own. interesting post.play that thing.

Same here. Generally, I'm trying to play everyday, but too often without any goal in mind, hence sometimes a feeling to loose a bit of time. I'm constantly trying to avoid those periods of playing without any goals, without succeeding though.

A few weeks back, I had a gig I really didn't want to screw up, so I worked my instrument on a daily basis with a kind of schedule : playing the whole setlist without any interruption, then working on complete improvised spans, then methodically working on scales and intervals, then focusing on left hand, then on chords structures, etc... So on the D-day, things were well because slightest details were all refined. And I was surprisingly completely relaxed whereas I consider myself as a rather anxious person. Playing gigs are certainly the most fruitful things to do to make your level increase : you learn to manage stress, you can see what tune is nice to play in front of an audience and which one is boring... there are tons of things to learn from a gig!
Another small goal I decided to reach is to forced myself to work again on very old small ideas, that finally turned into complete tunes. So, to me, fixing small goals to reach is the key.
But sometimes, it's good to completely stop playing, for a week, to come back to the Stick with a "new" approach and a real urge to play. Nothing is more annoying (for you and for the listeners at home as well) than playing in "automatic pilot mode".
Sorry for that long and a bit disorganized message but thats's what comes to mind right now.

I feel bad for sites like spotify. They may be big, but i have No intention of signing up when they try to force me to.
I was unable to appreciate Freya because of my pig-headedness. I did not sign up.
As far as practice routines, i am practiceing the ancient art of patience. Ordered my stick 4 months ago, and have aged many years being patient, waiting for it
Am very happy to read the issues others are having, atho not happy they are having those issues. It shows me what i may have in store for me when my stick arrives.
To paraphrase some disney song, Someday my Stick will come!

Discovery!! That's an important aspect of Stick practice/exploration. The instrument has a very short history. Focused creativity yields many rewards. During covid, my focus was toward sonic experintation and the many harmonic , rhythmic and melodic treasures hidden within the instrument. Techniques, polychords, grooves are all a treat to discover. That inspiration is the impetus to plug in everyday and enjoy the journey. The sense of accomplishment, musical literacy, creative exploration and just plain joy keeps the motivation flowing. After all it's called "Playing"
Steve Adelson

The biggest change for me,
was when I custom built a telescopic monopod for my 1978 Stick.

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