how do you practice ?

[Stiglar]

Hey Everyone ,

Just wondering how often you practice ?

and what do you do in those times ?

[Mondy]

Haven't played regularly for a while Stiglar. When I do "practise" though, I'm trying to discipline myself by performing some new technique/arpeggio/scale/etc. Then I'll reward myself by playing something I can already play, or trying to learn a new song.

Any suggestions on what else I should be doing when practising ?

[CanyonCarver]

I try to play at least one hour a day.

Since I take lessons once a week, I spend most of my evernings working on what we did during the lesson, whether it's getting a particular lick down pat or practicing a mode or scale, or chord progression.

For licks, I have a tab'ed version my teacher gives me and I work it until I've got it memorized at slow speed, then try to make it flow better at various speeds, uising the drum machine and changing the tempo.

I learned that if you get stuck at the certain tempo (let's say 90), force yourself to play even faster (110), then slow back down and try again. Often times, you'll end up managing it at 90 in the end. That's pretty cool [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

For scales, I will record a chord progression on ProTools and loop it to serve as a backing track where I can jam and practice that mode.
I made a library of sessions with chord progressions and backing tracks organized in modes (aolian, dorian, ionian, etc..)
This way I can dedicate a day when I do Dorian, Ionian the next day and so on.

I also work on various common finger patterns within the modes, ascending and descending. I usually do this while watching TV with the familly, unplugged, until it becomes second nature. That's very mechanical, but I view it as a workout, so there's no need for expression or feeling there: I leave it to the jams.

That's all I can think of right now.
[img]images/smilies/icon_jam.gif[/img]

[Stiglar]

Sounds cool canyon ,

i think both ways of spelling practice are acceptable [img]images/smilies/icon_wink.gif[/img]

personally for me my workout changes heaps and it's very unstructured , most of the time i spend on just trying to write new tunes that i like and working on scales i usually practice on my amp for about an hour a day then unplugged in front of the tv or computer for god knows how long , i also work on learning new chords alot too , i love cool sounding jazz chords so i always try and come up with new ones .

i need more structure in my workouts and i've been trying to practice my scales and arpeggios to a metronome but i find myself playing the same ones i know too well and the ones i don't know i can't be bothered memorising and learning [img]images/smilies/icon_lol.gif[/img]

[CanyonCarver]

Good One Stig!

That's right. The key is to stay away from your comfort zone.

Some people split their practice between jamming, using what they know best and feel confortable with, while the rest of the time is spent working on challenging things.

It's nice to reward yourself a bit between arduous exercise.

I can play 6 hours or more sometimes when I'm On Fire !
I don't know I just pratice some stuffs and play some songs that I love

[Rob]

I usually warm up with some scales, blues stuff mostly. Just to get the fingers goin, ya know? I'll run through some of my favorite licks and chord progressions. If I'm then moving onto learn a tune, I take it slow and go piece by piece! Most of all......have fun doing it!!!!

[EddieMan2003]

I practice at least 2 hours a day, more like 4-6 since its summer. I just love to play. I work on my own songs and try and figure out what the hell eddie does. also on theory.

[JoyBasu]

I am with garage band leader on this one. I practice whatever I need to for the next job. Whenever I get free time I record new tunes.

I practice by picking up my guitar and turning on the amp!

[img]images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif[/img] [img]images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/smilies/icon_lol.gif[/img]

[ericgtr]

LOL.. now that is profound [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

I've never approached the guitar that way...I've never considered what I do on guitar from day to day as practice. I pick up the guitar when I feel like it and when I have time, I noodle..I don't practice scales, I don't go through a regimen of any type. It's a very undisiplined approach to the instrument, but that's probably why I still play guitar daily, and haven't owned a saxaphone, trumpet, etc...in years (I can play almost every orchestra instrument in existance except Oboe...yech)

[Black Star]

firstly, i practice everday for 3 hours

1st hour is speed picking practice

2nd and 3rd hours consist of theory/improv, learning tunes/licks, and writing

[ShredMaster]

Wow, kinda hard to practice. What i usually do is warm up 10 minutes. eg. hammer-on pull offs first with the index and middle. followed by index and ring then index and pinky, etc all paterns done bout one minute. Then i give my fingers two minutes rest or else all taht excersize will cramp up my hand. hahah. then i'd start with whole tone scales patterns across six strings. Id follow up to do them chromatically up the fretboard. After that go into a little scale and modal patterns. Then ill start on techniques as by order palm muting (yes i even practice this), alternate picking, tapping, sweeppicking, string skipping and various times i practice my volume swells (for the malmsteen neo-classical effect). After that id practice a songs or etudes which require certain techniques to polish up what i practice. And usually id do a slow speeds gradually getting faster. Very rigid practice but ive grown into a habit.