How do you practice guitar?

[Robert]

How you approach practicing guitar? What works well for you and what do you want to expand upon?

As for me, I tend to not practice :nono: because of lack of time and other distractions, but when I do practice, I focus on learning some musical idea so that it will stick.

By this I mean, I practice a lick, chord, whatever it maybe enough times that it becomes part of my vocabulary. For example, I love the Diminished scale. It has a million uses really, and I'm often exploring. I came up with a really cool, far-out sounding lick the other day (video lesson probably coming...). Problem was, I would not remember it the next day... So, I just spent more time with it. I played it in and out, in different keys, in different musical contexts. I worked it through enough that now, I don't have to think when I use it. This sometimes takes time, but it is well worth it. What's the point of "learning" something if you don't remember it the next day. Nada.

From doing this, I learned more than that. I can take this lick and change it around and make something new out of it, because I have learned it so well, that I would be comfortable to use some or any part of this diminished idea and apply to a new situation. :AOK:

What I would like to expand upon is getting better at creating advanced chord progressions. I know a lot of chords, but the trick is putting them together in a way that sounds interesting and appealing, while being able to play strong melodies over them. It's not easy for me.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I don't really practice. I noodle. I play songs that are playing in my head. I don't have a strict "practice" regiment. I should try though. I will sometimes put my earbuds on and learn some solos or licks/chords off the iPod though. That's rare though as I'd rather just plug in and turn on and play. That's why I never record...it interferes with my noodling.

 

[pes_laul]

Like tone I dont really practice i just mess around. I play to backing tracks off my Ipod or I just dink around with different scales

 

[Guitar Gal]

I don't really have a specific method of practicing. I usually try and do some scales and easy arpeggios to start.

I have been trying to improve my timing by playing with a metronome slowly at first and then increasing the tempo. After that, work on parts of songs I am trying to learn or some licks. Then I noodle around with stuff I already know.


:rockon:
GG

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I learn new songs as assigned by my instructor, and try to apply knowledge I learn here and from my theory book etc. to any solos or improv that comes up in the songs. Also, I download and play on the backers posted here. How focused I am depends on when I am practicing. Some nights, I might just jam around on things I know or am learning, very much like Tone says. Other nights, I focus more on something specific.

I keep thinking I should structure it more, and do the 80/20 rule more as Jimi75 has posted, and incorporate more disciplined drills and exercises. I have not developed a program for myself though.

 

[luvmyshiner]

I usually start out with playing 2 or 3 of the songs I already know. Helps keep them memorized, and helps me warm up. Then I'll move on to something new. CB and I are both big fans of music books (we've had less luck with tabs). So I'll pick one to look through till I find a song I'd like to work on. I usually look for three things: 1. A song a like, 2. With chords I can play, and 3. With one or two difficult chords that will force me to learn something new. I usually wrap up the evening by jamming with CB on either a new song she's working on, or one of her favorites.

 

[Robert]

Are you guys happy with your progress in improvement?

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Given the responsibilities on my plate and constraints on my time, I am happy with my progress so far. Taking up guitar has been wonderful, and I cannot be displeased with what I am doing in a year and a half. But I think I can progress more effectively if I come up with an approach or outline for at least some of my practice sessions so that I use the time more effectively, then close with some freejam time.

 

[just strum]

For me it varies. I will practice some chord progressions and then try my hand at lead on different songs. I have to work more on timing and I'm trying to include my Jamman more into the practice sessions. I also take time to find different sounds from my amp.

Am I happy with my progress? That's a yes and no answer - yes at times I do, but because I am impatient I tend to feel I should be much further along. I look at it by the fact I've been playing for a little over a year and half, but a friend keeps remindeing me of all the time in that period I wasn't able to play (work, family...).

 

[Spudman]

I usually practice mechanics. I do stretches, pick up-strokes, work at doing a phrase by finding an economical way to pick it then find another way to get into the phrase from different starting points with the pick. It's sort of like a drummer starting a fill with the other hand.

I don't work on a lot of tonal ideas because I trust them to come to me in context. It's the fingering and picking that I practice most often.

 

[oldguy]

I sometimes try and figure out a lick I hear in a song, or get on the 'net and look for new chords or inversions of chords, and practice those until I'm comfortable w/ them. I also search the 'net for videos showing how a lick/chord/song is played....seeing it helps.......
Once I think I've reached a comfort level with it, I look for BT's to play along with.......having accompaniment is much better for me to practice with.

Are you guys happy with your progress in improvement?

Happy, for the most part..... yes........ satisfied.........never.
I'm happy playing new things, but always trying to learn more.
One thing I'm always trying to improve on are fingerings of certain chords.... no matter how much I try, a few will always feel awkward for me and are difficult to play cleanly.

 

[Guitar Gal]

Are you guys happy with your progress in improvement?

Some days I feel better about my progress than others.

Some days I pick up the guitar and it just "feels right"......other days I pick it up and it's like I've never touched this foreign object in my hands before :thwap:

Overall, I would like be further along in my skills, but that may be due to not taking lessons and learning things on my own.

GG

 

[Plank_Spanker]

I don't work on any mechanics purposely. I'm always loaded up with band homework learning new tunes. That usually keeps me sharp, even as a side benefit.

 

[SuperSwede]

unch: Unfortunately I dont practice at all..
I wish that I could muster enough willpower to do that but when I get that golden 10 minutes to play I usually just noodle or jam with a BT.

I´m a little lazy too .... :munch:

 

[Brian Krashpad]

I go to a room where I set up my gear.

The other guys in the band show up. They set up their gear.

We play the set. If there's a new song, we learn it.

Then we go home.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I'm a big fan of good method books with full notation and books devoted to a particular aspect of playing: ie rhythm guitar, blues.

I stick with one book for a long time & only switch when I feel a definite lack that needs addressing, ie right now it is my rhythm chops. I also need to work on feeling fluent in the CAGED system.

I do each excercise in order with the drum machine on my RC-2 looper. I take my time & go over & over the bit until it starts to flow & I can watch the nuance start to bloom.

I have only done a small amount of what Robert (& many others) suggest. Play a lick in diefferent keys & in different positions etc, but I hope to get there.

I never, ever get bored, but I will take a short break if I feel that the level of play is starting to drop. I'll eat up all the time that life (& my wife) offers me. I only wish that more was on offer .

I am very happy with my progress, beats the situation that I was in 2 years ago when I didn't know a single chord.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I usually start out with playing 2 or 3 of the songs I already know. Helps keep them memorized, and helps me warm up. Then I'll move on to something new. CB and I are both big fans of music books (we've had less luck with tabs). So I'll pick one to look through till I find a song I'd like to work on. I usually look for three things: 1. A song a like, 2. With chords I can play, and 3. With one or two difficult chords that will force me to learn something new. I usually wrap up the evening by jamming with CB on either a new song she's working on, or one of her favorites.

You guys are lucky in that you both have someone to jam with. I'd give anything if someone in my house played the guitar or bass. You learn so much more when you're playing with someone.

 

[WackyT]

I'm currently learning from the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Complete Edition book & CDs. I practice at least an hour every day in the afternoon when I get home from work.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I'm currently learning from the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Complete Edition book & CDs. I practice at least an hour every day in the afternoon when I get home from work.

I like that book. I'm nearly finished with it (I've used other books as well).

Wacky, you might like this book to work on your rhythm chops (the Hal Leonard book, doesn't spend much time working on rhythm).

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Basics...d_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202260961&sr=8-1

 

[Childbride]

i always start with my flatpicking songs from my lessons. accuracy in picking and fretting to warm up.

then i work on my lesson for the week for the significant portion of my practice time,

then i treat myself, so i don't burn out. i jam with shiner on songs we both know and love, or just get into a songbook and play songs for me. my favorite part, my downtime. takes all the Bad Things out of my Karma to jam with shiner.

[ok, just a lot of them]

 

[WackyT]

Thanks for the recommendation, Tot. Think I'll order a copy on my next Amazon order.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Thanks for the recommendation, Tot. Think I'll order a copy on my next Amazon order.

No problem Wacky. Let me know what you think if you get it.

 

[mark wein]

I wish I had time to practice...last year about this time was the last stretch where I could sit down for an hour or two and work on stuff.

At that time would do technique exercises for 30-40 minutes and then find a piece of music that had an idea I wanted to conquer....now I get to play all day with my students but I don't actualy work on anything to furthur my playing.

I can't wait until I have time to practice in an organized way...or even find someone local to take some lessons with....

 

[t_ross33]

Depends on the day. When I grab one of my acoustics I usually just noodle around with different chords, or try to figure out a new song - often something moody with lots of diminished and minor chords

Like Plank Spanker, band homework takes up a lot of my practice time. On the upside, I will usually stumble across a lick or phrase or something that will translate to something in another song and I'll follow it there. Kinda like finding something on YouTube and 4 hours later finding yourself still clicking through all the links

I've been working on some scales and seeing where things fit in the songs that I do know. I know more than I think - I just didn't "know" that I knew it if that makes any sense

I'm very happy with my progress, though I wish I had time or opportunity to study in a more formal setting. 2 years ago I was pretty much limited to cowboy chords and a few minors, now I'm barring, noodling out my lead-ish licks, writing patches for my GNX3K, researching gear, nursing GAS and hangin' with my buds on theFret and playing in a band again.

Yep. It don't get much better than this :beer:

 

[Axis]

NO BS PEOPLE,
I approach my practice 4 fold:

1) I'll practice chords with the the appropriate scales and arppegios,and build
my speed.

2) I'll practice random chords and try to link an improvisational solo-that
gets your mind working, think bass note and or the highest soprano for
the tonic for starters. Then start from the 3rd, 5th, and 7th.

3) Try different ways to play the songs you already know, i.e. transpose
to a different key, add fills, change your solo.

4) REPEAT

 

[Axis]

NO BS PEOPLE,
I approach my practice 4 fold:

1) I'll practice chords with the the appropriate scales and arppegios,and build
my speed.

2) I'll practice random chords and try to link an improvisational solo-that
gets your mind working, think bass note and or the highest soprano for
the tonic for starters. Then start from the 3rd, 5th, and 7th.

3) Try different ways to play the songs you already know, i.e. transpose
to a different key, add fills, change your solo.

4) REPEAT

 

[just strum]

4) REPEAT

You forgot to rinse.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

You forgot to rinse.

But he *did* repeat; apparently each set takes 18 min .

I think that is great Axis. How long have you been practicing in that no BS people way? How have you progressed?

 

[just strum]

There are some interesting approaches noted here and I think some things offered to enhance ones practice sessions. I haven't picked up a guitar since Monday and I think that is the longest I've gone without picking or strumming - the feeling sucks. I have a few things to do today and then hopefully I can plug in.

 

[jpfeifer]

Robert, ... I'm with you. I have very limited time to practice. I've been busier than a one-legged-man in a butt-kicking contest, between work and dad duties.


So my practice time is valuable. When my practice time is squeezed, then I focus on practicing only to keep my hands in shape as a first priority. I do this by practicing on acoustic guitar (it's like lifting weights for the hands since it's harder to play than the electric). I also try to use the metronome whenever possible as I find that it's extrememly important to keep my timing together, even practicing strumming along with the metronome is good.

If I get more practice time, then I add another category to my practicing - working out a new lick, and practicing phrasing. For this, I use my trusty GP magazine and find a lesson I like, or maybe an instructional DVD's and find something that I like, and try to work it in.

I also use "Band-in-a-Box" on my PC to practice playing through various types of chord progressions or songs. This is usually more fun than just running through scales.

-- Jim