How do you practice?
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Robbiedbee
New member
Re: How do you practice?
I tend to just play songs, then occasionally songs with the original playing on my CD player in the background. That's usually really helpful.
Some online lessons, like the ones on the Fender Players Club, or on Harmony Central, they are pretty good.
I tend to just play songs, then occasionally songs with the original playing on my CD player in the background. That's usually really helpful.
Some online lessons, like the ones on the Fender Players Club, or on Harmony Central, they are pretty good.
y2stevo
New member
Re: How do you practice?
I usually try to get myself into some kinda routine, I find for ME .But like before different folks, different strokes. things I'd practise would be, Certain patterns that I'm trying to develope for playing fast runs or lines over scales.practising Scales,Ear Training,Arpeggios, Improvising, Sight reading(this is only a really recent thing ive started learning),Chords and learning songs.
I'd spend up to 10 hours some days when I can, or more so when i can actually get into the routine of it.
I usually try to get myself into some kinda routine, I find for ME .But like before different folks, different strokes. things I'd practise would be, Certain patterns that I'm trying to develope for playing fast runs or lines over scales.practising Scales,Ear Training,Arpeggios, Improvising, Sight reading(this is only a really recent thing ive started learning),Chords and learning songs.
I'd spend up to 10 hours some days when I can, or more so when i can actually get into the routine of it.
Re: How do you practice?
Man alive I wish I could get a 10 hr practice in!! Do yourself a favor and take advantage of it (and enjoy it!).......old guy sermon over.....
Lately I've been starting off with some scale excercises. One thing I just started doing which seems to be helping is when I'm practicing a scale, I only advance one scale tone at a time then return to the beginning, then clime the scale one note farther than I did last time then back down to the beginning, etc..etc.. until you're playing the entire scale backwards and forwards. I do that both ascending and decending. Then some arppegio excersices.
In the last couple months Instead of just running through arpps or scales I've tried to compose little things that incorporate both scale fragments and arppegios. It seems to keep my interest more and it actually ends up being fun.
If I haven't run out of time by then I usually just turn on the radio and try to play along with whatever happens to come on...I just forget about everything and kind of go into autopilot.
Another thing that I found is beneficial is going back through my piles of Guitar Player mags and trying a lesson or two a week....I just started this and I'm amased at the amount of great information there is in there!
All in all I'd say I get about 5-6 hours a week in....I would love to do more but...
Man alive I wish I could get a 10 hr practice in!! Do yourself a favor and take advantage of it (and enjoy it!).......old guy sermon over.....
Lately I've been starting off with some scale excercises. One thing I just started doing which seems to be helping is when I'm practicing a scale, I only advance one scale tone at a time then return to the beginning, then clime the scale one note farther than I did last time then back down to the beginning, etc..etc.. until you're playing the entire scale backwards and forwards. I do that both ascending and decending. Then some arppegio excersices.
In the last couple months Instead of just running through arpps or scales I've tried to compose little things that incorporate both scale fragments and arppegios. It seems to keep my interest more and it actually ends up being fun.
If I haven't run out of time by then I usually just turn on the radio and try to play along with whatever happens to come on...I just forget about everything and kind of go into autopilot.
Another thing that I found is beneficial is going back through my piles of Guitar Player mags and trying a lesson or two a week....I just started this and I'm amased at the amount of great information there is in there!
All in all I'd say I get about 5-6 hours a week in....I would love to do more but...
Robert S.
Super Moderator
Re: How do you practice?
It depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. To get myself in shape for shows I play a lot of scales, interval and 3rd studies. If I can't play through a couple hours of scales I won't have the strength or endurance to play through an hour show. Pounding out 12 songs with power chords is easy enough but serious finger wiggling takes serious strength.
For fun I'll occasionally pick up a classical piece and play it on steel stringed acoustic. An hour or two of pushing 12s down does wonders for the electric chops and it often changes the way I approach certain passages or phrases.
Sometimes I just turn it up and let the mood take me. Nothing wrong with having a little fun with it as long as you keep your focus on timing, attack and clarity.
Remember that sloppy is as sloppy does and practicing poor technique develops poor technique. No matter what you are playing, always strive for better, not just over and over.
It depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. To get myself in shape for shows I play a lot of scales, interval and 3rd studies. If I can't play through a couple hours of scales I won't have the strength or endurance to play through an hour show. Pounding out 12 songs with power chords is easy enough but serious finger wiggling takes serious strength.
For fun I'll occasionally pick up a classical piece and play it on steel stringed acoustic. An hour or two of pushing 12s down does wonders for the electric chops and it often changes the way I approach certain passages or phrases.
Sometimes I just turn it up and let the mood take me. Nothing wrong with having a little fun with it as long as you keep your focus on timing, attack and clarity.
Remember that sloppy is as sloppy does and practicing poor technique develops poor technique. No matter what you are playing, always strive for better, not just over and over.
y2stevo
New member
Re: How do you practice?
I always practise any technique(like speed or chromatics or sweeping or whatever),licks from a song im learning,Scales,arpeggios,even my ear training on either my crappy aria strat copy with 13's or my acoustic with 13's.It does wonders for your hand strenght and endurance,especially if your practising getting accurate bends and vibrato.When you can accuratly bent up a step an a half and apply vibrato on a guitar with 13's,you know you should be able to nail it on your 9's or 10's!!(not that i can on 13's :laugh2: ....yet)
Thats a good point too!Robert S. said:
I always practise any technique(like speed or chromatics or sweeping or whatever),licks from a song im learning,Scales,arpeggios,even my ear training on either my crappy aria strat copy with 13's or my acoustic with 13's.It does wonders for your hand strenght and endurance,especially if your practising getting accurate bends and vibrato.When you can accuratly bent up a step an a half and apply vibrato on a guitar with 13's,you know you should be able to nail it on your 9's or 10's!!(not that i can on 13's :laugh2: ....yet)
y2stevo
New member
Re: How do you practice?
Another thing i'd recommend is, Divide up your different areas that you want to improve,lets just say Technique,appeggois,ear training and Improvising for simplicity.Say you only have 1hr and a half practise a day.Try and divide these 4 areas so that each gets the attention it need everyday.The key is to keep everything consistant(what your practising that is). So that you don't end up being able to play a gypsy harmonic tooth fairy scale at 250bpm at 64th notes but aren't able to fret a simple C major Chord.
Also practising say improving speed, 10 minutes a day every day is worth much more than a Whole Day of practising speed once a month
Another thing i'd recommend is, Divide up your different areas that you want to improve,lets just say Technique,appeggois,ear training and Improvising for simplicity.Say you only have 1hr and a half practise a day.Try and divide these 4 areas so that each gets the attention it need everyday.The key is to keep everything consistant(what your practising that is). So that you don't end up being able to play a gypsy harmonic tooth fairy scale at 250bpm at 64th notes but aren't able to fret a simple C major Chord.
Also practising say improving speed, 10 minutes a day every day is worth much more than a Whole Day of practising speed once a month
Robert S.
Super Moderator
Re: How do you practice?
Lets see if I can explain 3rds simply. A major scale has 8 tones if you count the octave and is played 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 and back down again.
Thirds would be 1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-8-7-9-8. You play the note of a scale and then the third above it, the next note in the scale and the third above that next.
Triad studies are this: 1-3-5-2-4-6-3-5-7-4-6-8-5-7-9-6-8-10-7-9-11-8.
Play all your major scales through all the modes in all the keys up and down. Play the thirds in all the majors in all the modes and then the triads in all the majors and all the modes. If you can do that in one sitting without stopping or having your hands fall off, then you are ready to leave the temple.
Do it right and you'll have killer technique and endurance.
Oh, alternate pick that whole mess as well.
Lets see if I can explain 3rds simply. A major scale has 8 tones if you count the octave and is played 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 and back down again.
Thirds would be 1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-8-7-9-8. You play the note of a scale and then the third above it, the next note in the scale and the third above that next.
Triad studies are this: 1-3-5-2-4-6-3-5-7-4-6-8-5-7-9-6-8-10-7-9-11-8.
Play all your major scales through all the modes in all the keys up and down. Play the thirds in all the majors in all the modes and then the triads in all the majors and all the modes. If you can do that in one sitting without stopping or having your hands fall off, then you are ready to leave the temple.
Do it right and you'll have killer technique and endurance.
Oh, alternate pick that whole mess as well.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: How do you practice?
I usually just sit down, pick a guitar that suits my mood, and rip in a style that's befitting of that particular tone. Then, I move onto working on styles or licks that push my boundaries. Lately, I've been working on being a player that's free of a pick, like Jeff Beck, Knopfler, and Seymour. That definitely forces me to change my approach on licks, since I've got to figure out how to play fast runs with my right thumb, and 2 or 3 fingers.
Also, I have a TV/VCR in the corner of my music room, so I can get myself inspired by some new licks, using a lesson video. Right now, I'm working on Troy Dexter's Country tape.
I usually just sit down, pick a guitar that suits my mood, and rip in a style that's befitting of that particular tone. Then, I move onto working on styles or licks that push my boundaries. Lately, I've been working on being a player that's free of a pick, like Jeff Beck, Knopfler, and Seymour. That definitely forces me to change my approach on licks, since I've got to figure out how to play fast runs with my right thumb, and 2 or 3 fingers.
Also, I have a TV/VCR in the corner of my music room, so I can get myself inspired by some new licks, using a lesson video. Right now, I'm working on Troy Dexter's Country tape.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: How do you practice?
When I was in high school, I played 8-10 hours a day. I never had a set practice routine, but would just play along to cds. As a result, I'd been playing for years before I learned a scale, but I got good pretty quick.
Now, I couldn't even tell you the last time I practiced. Basically, all I do is goof around with original ideas, and try to figure out how to be influenced by Dillinger Escape Plan without totally ripping them off
When I was in high school, I played 8-10 hours a day. I never had a set practice routine, but would just play along to cds. As a result, I'd been playing for years before I learned a scale, but I got good pretty quick.
Now, I couldn't even tell you the last time I practiced. Basically, all I do is goof around with original ideas, and try to figure out how to be influenced by Dillinger Escape Plan without totally ripping them off
Marinblues
New member
Re: How do you practice?
Typically on a saturday or sunday morning: I find or build a backing track, I play a few solo's over it and typically you will find the result in the Tips and Clips section.
I wish I had more time to play.
Typically on a saturday or sunday morning: I find or build a backing track, I play a few solo's over it and typically you will find the result in the Tips and Clips section.
I wish I had more time to play.
Re: How do you practice?
Thanks again for your posts guys.
Will definately be putting your suggestions into my practice routine.
I realised that I have completely plateaued in my playing... in the last year or two, I honestly have not gotten any better and that thought alone really frustrates me.
Hoping that these practice drills can sharpen me up a bit.
Thanks again.
Thanks again for your posts guys.
Will definately be putting your suggestions into my practice routine.
I realised that I have completely plateaued in my playing... in the last year or two, I honestly have not gotten any better and that thought alone really frustrates me.
Hoping that these practice drills can sharpen me up a bit.
Thanks again.
Re: How do you practice?
Thanks robert... just did a practice session with what you wrote and quite enjoyed it. It felt quite beneficial.
Out of interest, why do you practice thrids? Is it because of its melodic potential? Or is it just for the sake of finger drills?
Robert S. said:
Thanks robert... just did a practice session with what you wrote and quite enjoyed it. It felt quite beneficial.
Out of interest, why do you practice thrids? Is it because of its melodic potential? Or is it just for the sake of finger drills?
Robert S.
Super Moderator
Re: How do you practice?
Because they are a pain in the hands.
If you were to play the 3rds through all the modes of any major key you'll soon see that it creates places where you need to cover 5 frets and training your ear and hands to memorize what that sounds and feels like is important if you want to be able to play the entire neck without thinking about where you are at. It is as much an ear training exercise as it is a muscle and technique drill.
Triads expand on that and some of the transitions in some of the modes are quite tricky. It forces you to do things with your hands that straight scales and pentitonics do not.
Instead of seeing where you should put your fingers you start to hear where you should put your fingers and that movement is translated into muscle memory. Once your hands know where to go to recreate the sounds in your head playing becomes intuitive.
There are many variations on these exercises and instead of triads you can stack a 2nd on top of a fourth or any two intervals and really expand your understanding of the neck. You can also ascend then decend. An example would be this.
1-3-5-6-4-2-3-5-7-8-6-4-5-7-9-10-8-6 ect......
Its all about having a grasp and control of the entire neck and all the modes as well as developing killer strength and technique.
Because they are a pain in the hands.
If you were to play the 3rds through all the modes of any major key you'll soon see that it creates places where you need to cover 5 frets and training your ear and hands to memorize what that sounds and feels like is important if you want to be able to play the entire neck without thinking about where you are at. It is as much an ear training exercise as it is a muscle and technique drill.
Triads expand on that and some of the transitions in some of the modes are quite tricky. It forces you to do things with your hands that straight scales and pentitonics do not.
Instead of seeing where you should put your fingers you start to hear where you should put your fingers and that movement is translated into muscle memory. Once your hands know where to go to recreate the sounds in your head playing becomes intuitive.
There are many variations on these exercises and instead of triads you can stack a 2nd on top of a fourth or any two intervals and really expand your understanding of the neck. You can also ascend then decend. An example would be this.
1-3-5-6-4-2-3-5-7-8-6-4-5-7-9-10-8-6 ect......
Its all about having a grasp and control of the entire neck and all the modes as well as developing killer strength and technique.
Robbiedbee
New member
Re: How do you practice?
Awesome posts Robert. Thanks!
Awesome posts Robert. Thanks!
