Playing is Practice
Finding time to practice an instrument can be a difficult task for a middle-aged person: the schedule is likely to be full of work- and family-related activities and if there are children (or grandchildren) still living in your house, finding the space can also be a challenge. The answer: practice by performing. The point of practicing, aside from improving skills, is also to keep your skills from deteriorating, including memory ’skills.’ How often have you begun a tune that you learned years back, only to discover that the lyrics or the chord progression suddenly prove to be elusive? Getting out in a public space will provide you with considerable motivation to relearn those words and chords.
Of course, playing in public doesn’t necessarily mean gigging for pay; jam sessions and, to a lesser extent, open stages, provide opportunities to play in clubs. Likewise, church events, farmers markets, flea markets and similar gatherings offer chances for players to get up and pick some, without the obligations inherent in a full-fledged gig. Look around your neighborhood, gather a few like-minded friends and start playing. You chops will improve and, best of all, you are likely to be reminded of how much fun performing is.