What is your typical practice session like?

[JasonJ]

As a newbee, I'm curious about how other players, especially beginners, practice.

In my case, I practice 2 or 3 times a day for about 60 minutes (I'm a teacher, so I have lots of practice time during the summer). First, I warm up with scales, naming notes on the fretboard, playing all the frets. Second, I play chords, A-G majors, minors, and 7ths. (Next month I'll begin memorizing another set of chords.) Third, I run through chord progressions, especially blues progressions. Fourth, I practice techniques, such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, sight-reading and various rhythms (trying to get faster all the time). Finally, I run through my songlist (rhythm and lead), which is short, because I've been playing less than a year. I'm better than I was last year, but I'd like to get better faster. Any suggestions?

How do you practice?

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Welcome to the forum, Jason!

I must admit that I don't actually have a formal practice routine. I probably should to make the most of my time, but generally what I do is sit down and either play along with or learn songs. Part of the reason for that is the band I'm in, and part of the reason is because it's the next best thing to playing with a live band. It's more fun than work.

I should really map out a better practice regimen. However, I will say that learning songs is great for the ear, great for building chops, and great for honing one's tone. As for strict music theory, it doesn't do a whole lot.

- Keith

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Hi Jason!!
Welcome to the board bro!

Well i don't practice in a "systematic way"...I don't practice scales ,since i hate to play with habits.

The only practice ti did and sometimes do is chromatic fingerins with the whole fretbord (I play 7 stringed guitars)

I play mostly my own songs ,write songs which i can't play and have to practice to ply them properly...

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Sounds like you're doing great. You can't rush the learning process or you will skip some important stuff! If I had summers off I'd be playing for 6-7 hrs a day!

Routine is very important in muscle memory. Remember to take short breaks every 25-30 min or so. I think you're on the right track but it always helps to have a great guitar teacher. Heavily recommended! If you're going to practice then practice for specific purposes, otherwise spend your time making music!

If you make it a point to work on your rhythm for one week then try to pinpoint the areas you are weak in and then focus on that for the whole week or until you are reach your goal. Practice for the sake of practice leads nowhere. Probably explains why you reached a plateau.

Chords shmords! Practicing chords does nothing! Using them in rhythm is what is important. Joe Pass says he doesn't need to know anything more than major, minor and seventh chords. Everything else from there is just an extension. Great book by the way. He talks a lot on the CD and gives valuable tips. Great $20 investment!

Still overall you need a great guitar teacher. If you go on too long developing bad habits they can be extremely difficult to correct! Good luck!

 

[Axl H]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

I play a few hours per day, lately alot more...

I tend to practice alot of hammer ons and pulloffs. I do a thing where I mute the strings with my right hand, and play a entire melody just with this technique. I use about 45-60mins per day doing this.

1-2-3-4 stuff I never did much of, I prefer to learn new scales, solos and applying the stuff I learn to jamtracks etc. Alternate picking is something I am getting into alot lately. Previously I was all downstrokes, and found that 16th note downstrokes at some 140bpm will give you massive cramps.. I was stupid enough to try it out. Now it is alot of alternate picking. I also do it as up-down-up-down instead of down-up-down-up like usually.

Other than that, I just work alot on my ear, getting to know pitches etc. It all pays off in the end

My mantra with practicing has always been to play music, not just boring scales and chromatics.

 

[Markk]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

I don't have a set/specific practice regimen or even schedule. I usually pick something and go at it. At the current moment I thought I'd work on my fingering and speed and learned the Turkish March by Mozart. Currently I'm working on being able to play it faster and doing that to a metronome (goal of 120 bpm).

I'll be starting later this week with learning out of a real book and I'm deciding between GnR, Clapton with BB King, or Hendrix (this is one of those long forgotten projects I've been meaning to get back onto).

I think the quickest and easiest way to getting good fast is learning songs. Eventually you'll pick up so many things along the way (like cool little riffs, chord progressions, strumming patterns or styles) that they'll all blend into one and form 'you' and you'll sit there amazed thinking to yourself, "man, I am good".

But here are some quick tips.

1. Get into the habit of using a metronome now. It'll pay off later
2. Pick a song (appropriate to your level) and learn it. Even just the chord progression
3. Learning to sing that song helps a lot
4. Play the scale, don't practice it (Have emotion and love in everything you play)
5. Playing music by yourself is like playing chess...by yourself. You're only entertained for so long

And welcome to forum!

 

[Tor]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

I do most things on a whim... I can get into learning a bunch of songs, but it's all due to what the mood dictates (plus, what the choir I play for will sing, of course)... Whadd'ya expect, I am a hobby player! That being said, I really think I could benefit a lot from having a teacher (that would force me to be more disciplined too), and I'm thinking of taking hours after the summer..

 

[JasonJ]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Thanks for some great tips. By the way, I have a guitar teacher, who is a professional bass player, which is good because rhythm is my greatest weakness. Metronomes get on my nerves, so I got a Roland Micro Cube RX with a built in drum machine yesterday.

I'll check out that book by Joe Pass. I also like the crack about playing chess by yourself. Most of all, I'll focus on making music that's where if the fun is. Thanks again.

 

[weisserj]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Hey Jason. Welcome to the forums! You are much more focused that I am hahaha. I just write music and hardly ever do scales or anything so I kinda stink pretty bad.

But I play with a metronome.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Chords shmords! Practicing chords does nothing! Using them in rhythm is what is important. Joe Pass says he doesn't need to know anything more than major, minor and seventh chords. Everything else from there is just an extension. Great book by the way. He talks a lot on the CD and gives valuable tips. Great $20 investment!

Still overall you need a great guitar teacher. If you go on too long developing bad habits they can be extremely difficult to correct! Good luck!

I don't agree and I am the one who turned you on to Joe Pass! Most of us aren't as talented as Mr. Pass.

Practice those chords and learn as many as you can. Most guitarists (myself included) spend the majority of our time comping....soloing is a skill unto itself, but it doesn't preclude learning chords.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Sit down with a recording of __________ and loop it and loop it and loop it
1) Get the notes right
2) Get the position right (right fret, right string, you'll hear the difference if you're playing it, for example too low on the neck on too high of a string, just move it higher up the neck and to a lower string)
3) Get the feel right

I really recommend sitting down with a recording.

Being in tune @ A=440 Hz is a must!

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Being in tune @ A=440 Hz is a must!

Provided the song is in A=440, which isn't always the case, especially with older tunes.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

Provided the song is in A=440, which isn't always the case, especially with older tunes.

:argue:

Yeah, it's true.

Don't beat yourself up learning Hendrix and SRV in A=440 :laughing:

O.P.: The most common alternate tuning is one half-step down

 

[wanmei1]

Re: What is your typical practice session like?

I just play whenever I get the time.
I'm not trying to get somewhere, cause' I'm already there.