Forum

Hello All

I've noticed in my time here on Totally Guitars that quite a few people (me included)have asked Neil if he could tell us the best practise routine for a beginner/intermediate/advanced player.

As far as I can remember, Neil has given basic advise on the routines, I can understand why he does this, as each persons needs are different.

In the last few days, I've been working on a practise routine which specifically focusses on my weaknesses.

What I thought is that for those looking for routines, it might be a good idea if we gave each other examples of how we practise now, to help those who are looking for such things.

My practise routine at the moment goes like this:

Warm Up
I play the following scales to get my fingers warmed up.
I'm using a metronome with all these too.
Where possible I'm actually playing patterns..repeating the scales to cover all six strings

1. Natural Notes scale 1st position
2. C Major scale 1st position
3. G Major scale on the 3rd Fret
4. A Major scale on the 5th Fret
5. F Blues scale on the 1st Fret
6. B Minor scale on the 7th Fret
7. D Pentatonic Major scale on the 10th Fret.

I'm using blues, minor, and pentatonic minor scales as I've never used them before, so I'm getting my ears used to hearing them. On some of the scales I'm trying to say the notes as I play them, at other times I'm working on which number they are. I vary that to keep my brain working.

Finger Strengthening
Next is a finger strengthening exercise. I borrowed this from another site (sorry Neil and Matt). It's a hammer-on exercise using different combinations of all 4 fingers. I use this to mainly get better co-ordination and strengthen my litte finger, as it needs it.

Note Recognition
Once again, borrowed from another site.
While I know the notes on the neck, I don't know them to the point where my mind can automatically go to the correct note at any time, so this needs working on.

So basically, you pick a note, any note, and then play it on all 6 strings, you can't play open strings, and you use the same finger to fret each note.
oh yes, and you use a metronome as well. sounds easy, but it isn't.
I'm working on one noter at a time- currently G. After you've done one note, choose another and repeat.

Songs
All the songs below were chosen for reasons-mainly because I either like the songs, or because I really really want to be able to fingerpick songs to a good standard.

The 4 songs I'm working on at the moment are:
Strong Enough-Sheryl Crow
Classical Gas-Mason Williams
Here Come the Sun-Beatles
Imagine-John Lennon

I added the last one yesterday as its a lovely song.
I'd class this bit as the really hard work section for me, some of it is done with a metronome, other parts I'm busy learning how just to get the changes right.

Chord Changes
The final part is basically having fun, but with a purpose, its just me having a play around with anything at all. However, when I do this, I'm focussing on playing 2 chords the way that Neil does, A and G. I make sure that these chords are played, and played right.

Normally doing this takes about 45 minutes to go through.
At the end of it I know I've gone through scales, finger strengthening, note recognition, song improvement, chord improvement, and all the while focussing on correct hand and body posture.

Hope people find this helpful and put their examples up too.

Thanks

Joe

Excellent post. Kudos your way.

At the moment, due to a change in personal circumstances, I am not practicing regularly -- just going over a couple of the latest pieces I've learned a few times each time I pick up the guitar. I like your structured method, and I will adapt it to my own needs when I can get back to full practice mode. But I will also include some metronome work to the routine, probably on the scales.

I have to admit that I don't have a structured practice routine.
I tend to just launch straight into learning whatever songs I'm trying to learn at the time.

I use Guitar Pro all the time.
I download or type in myself all the tab for a song and then use this to learn it.
Guitar Pro has a feature where it can loop a section at whatever speed you want.
I then play along with it. Hopefully as I get better at playing a section I can speed up the loop until it reaches 100% speed.

Recently since buying a camcorder I have found this very usefull for reviewing how I play. It's very interesting, some things sound better than expected and some sound far worse than expected.

Other times I may try and improve the tone I get when I am strumming. Something I have been trying to do forever.

Great post, Joe. I can't help but think that if you do that routine regularly you're going to improve quickly!

I also tend to just launch into the songs that are playing in my head that day when I'm not practicing... I'm working on being more disciplined, and spending some times running through the C-A-G-E-D scales and chord shapes, but its not yet automatic.

I'm going to work one doing something more like your routine, and I'm also going to try recording myself more to see where I'm really smooth or just delusional.

Great post! I've been wondering how I should be spending my time. I usually warm up with a few scales and then launch right into practicing songs I like. I use that hammer on, pull off exercise you're talking about every few days.

Since reading your post I think I'm going to get more disciplined and follow your routine. I've been playing for about four hours a day the last week or two and I don't feel I cover as much material is you do in 45 minutes.

I think the hard part of following a practice routine for me is that I live with other people. I always feel like an idiot when running through scales and that pull-off/hammer on (or flick-off as that other site guy calls it) routine, because the people I live with don't know what I'm doing and nothing sounds like a song (yes, I must have self-esteem issues ).

Anyways, away with the idiocy. I'm going to follow your routine for a week or so and then compare my performance. I'm sure it will be markedly better.

Thanks again for the great post.

man! just ran across this thread and its EXACTLY what ive been looking for!!! My monotonous practice routines were getting sooo stale that i almost dreaded them, yeah not good! I will be adapting your routine immediately!! THANKS again!

-Brad

It is a great thread, Joe. I am praqcticing like Mark, with Guitar pro, and Neil's video but without the camera. I really like the structure you are using and will borrow some of that, as I am not very structured and I need to have a practice pattern.

Thanks Joe

Marc

Joe my man you're a machine!

My routine is complex, not for the faint-hearted. I will try to explain it but it's hard to follow for anyone without years of training:

1. Get the guitar out of the case.
2. Sit on the couch.
3. Play a heap of chords for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Play some of them lots...others just a little. Strum some, pick some.
4. Spend at least 5 minutes pretending to be (insert favourite artist) on stage with all the girls swooning.
5. Return rather harshly to reality courtesy of a badly flubbed barre chord.
6. Put guitar back in its case and resolve to try harder next time.
7. Spend 20 minutes trying to elicit praise from my wife for my awesome playing.

Joe,

Folks here are right on.Good thread.Everyone dose things a bit different.For me practice is what I do if I got to play for someone to hear,and what i do when I learn a new song.Other wise I just pick it up and beat the crap out of it.Me and practices never did get along very well.

Thanks Kevin

Joe you've got another nice thread going here. Practice for me is a bit different but it seems to work. Recently (over the past two months) I'll get a song in my head either from hearing it or seeing someone do it on youtube or one of Neil's lessons. From that point on, if it is something that I'll want to learn, I'll start with practicing the simple chord progression in the correct time signature with a simple strum pattern. From there I'll then add in any runs, hammerons and pull offs that need to be put in. When that is done I'll play the song until I'm happy with the results. Every so often I'll record it to video/audio so that I can hear it back. Usually I don't like it yet so I'll go back and play it another countless amount of times. At least once a day when I'm getting frustrated with learning the new song I'll go and play a bunch of other songs in the same tuning to make sure I keep sharp on those. I don't play scales as I'm sure I should but rather individual songs to keep my interest up. This is my routine at the moment but I'm sure it will change again in the next few months.


MarkM