How do you practice?

adamrtrahan
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Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:36 pm

I was just wondering what some of your practice regiments are. Here is mine.

I have broken my practice into 6 focus groups. Each of these focus groups has several tasks. When I practice I pick one or more tasks from each of the focus groups and do those for my practice. I know it might be overkill but it keeps me focused and on track.
[ol]
[li]Music Theory[ul]
[li]Learn all the notes on the fretboard up to the 5th fret.[/li]
[li]Learn all the notes on both E strings.[/li]
[li]Study Modal Theory.[/li]
[li]Study the relationship between chords and scales.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]Chords[ul]
[li]Practice the chords you know; Focus on playing each string separately and cleanly.[/li]
[li]Practice Barre chords[/li]
[li]Practice Chord Transitions[/li]
[li]Learn a new Chord.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]Scales[ul]
[li]Practice the parts of the C-Major Scale you know; Focus on Alternate picking and knowing the note you are playing.[/li]
[li]Practice the 1st position of the Pentatonic scale[/li]
[li]Learn another octave of the C-Major Scale.[/li]
[li]Learn the 2nd position of the Pentatonic scale.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]Strum Patterns[ul]
[li]Practice a strum pattern you know playing along with a metronome.[/li]
[li]Learn a new strum pattern.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]Songs[ul]
[li]Learn "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"[/li]
[li]Learn "Lucky Man"[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]Free[ul]
[li]Have fun and play anything you want; This is my reward time for practicing hard.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[/ol]


Now I would love to hear what you guys do.


leeb
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Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:41 pm

I am impressed with your schedule and envious of your discipline.
Lately, given time constriants and my lack of discipline.. I skip to numbers 5 & 6 on your list :P
My current practise includes singing which I desperately need to do.
I do take time to noodle around with Pent/blues scales... and my fun time usually includes something blues...s be it a new walkdown, riff, etc.

Something that has been invaluable to me is learning the notes on the A string as well as the E strings. It can then give a visual of what chords are in what Key...


RicksPick
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Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:48 pm

Here is a program I have used to help with the fret board its called fretpro and its free http://www.tabguitarlessons.com/free-downloads.htm


there are a few others i have I just have to find where I got them and I will post them when I find them. I even have one to help with ear training.


Mike


Chasplaya
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Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:12 am

HI Mike, There are loads of good sites providing various training aids, but can I suggest before you post them clear it with the Admin, as some of these also have links to sites that are in direct competition with TG. You may not be aware that some of these posts have ben deleted for that very reason and I don't wish to see you inadvertently get offside with TG.

cheers

Chas


BigBear
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Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:47 am

Adam- I would absolutely put your #6 first. Without that why bother? I'll never support myself playing the guitar so it had better be fun!

I think what, and how, you practice has a lot to do with what you want to do with the guitar. If you want to write songs you need chord theory. If you want to play lead guitar, you need to know all the scales and scale patterns. If you want to play the blues you'd better understand flatted 5ths. And so on.

Before I get crucified for suggesting that guitarists don't need to know all the theory that all musicians must know. They do. But every person learning an instrument has to balance learning theory with playing for fun. And since we didn't learn theory when we were kids and had time, now we have to prioritize.

So you have a great list and every item is valid. I split my lessons 50/50 learning and playing. Any more and Number 6 doesn't show up!!

Cheers! :cheer:


adamrtrahan
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Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:29 am

leeb wrote:
...Something that has been invaluable to me is learning the notes on the A string as well as the E strings. It can then give a visual of what chords are in what Key...
That is my next string to learn. The items in my focus areas are just what I am working on right now. as soon as I master an item, I add another one to the list but every once in a while I will go back and go over things I already know to make sure it all stays fresh in my head.

My ultimate goal for learning the notes is to know every note I am playing at any time without having to think about it. It would also be cool to know which notes repeat in the same octave and where they are. I'll get to that eventually. I'm kind of a nerd so I have to break down things to this level of detail to fully enjoy what I am doing.


adamrtrahan
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Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:32 am

BigBear wrote:
Adam- I would absolutely put your #6 first. Without that why bother? I'll never support myself playing the guitar so it had better be fun!
#6 is my favorite part so I save that for last as a reward to myself for putting the time in practicing. I also like doing it last because then I can be creative and try to incorporate some of the stuff I just learned into my fun time.

To tell you the truth though. I enjoy the practicing just as much as the playing. I like the challenge.


guitarsandmore805
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Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:36 pm

1. Warm up - start at fret 5, lower E string, and lay each finger down and up as fast as possible while picking the string. 1,2,3,4,3,2,1. Move to the A string repeat as fast as possible. Move to D string and so on. Warm up is less than 5 minutes.

2. G major scale 2 octives, E major scale 1 or 2 octives, A major scale 2 octives, and so on and so forth.

3. Start with the songs I know by heart like " You've Got to Hide your love away",(Beatles) "Give Me Love" (George Harrison), "While my guitar gently Weaps" (George Harrison), "Here comes the Sun"(George Harrison). I can sing these songs.

4. Now that I am warmed up I will try "The Lords Prayer" Larry Carlton version. If it is not going well I will switch guitars to an easier guitar.

5. Neil Young "Needle and the Damage Done", and "Out of the Blue and Into the Black" I can't sing either one of those two very well. Play with Santa Cruz D/PW

6. Takes a break.

7. Switches back to the Ventura guitar and plays and sings " And I love her" by the Beatles. Tries once again to play Jefferson Airplane "Triad" filling in with the guitar for the missing Grace Slick vocals.

8. Switches back to the Santa Cruz guitar and sings and plays "Across the Universe" (Beatles).
9. Plays and sings Cat Stevens " Father and Son" - doesn't always go well.

10. Switches back to the Ventura Guitar and plays 12 bar blues in G trying to find something new to say.

11 Takes a break

12. revisit songs I have written to see if there is something more I can add or something different I can say. This eventually works but it is slow.


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