• From: Glasgow, Scotland
  • Registered: 2012-05-31
  • Posts: 170

Topic: Practice regimes/plans

Recently i've been considering the benefits of creating a daily practice regime for myself that can encompass various areas of my musicianship/ear/technique/composition/knowledge/improvisation which need developing.
I've always consoled myself with the lazy-man's mindset of 'Structuring my guitar playing/music-making would take the fun and spontaneity out of it, and would cause me to see it as work and therefore no longer enjoy it in the organic and free spirit in which i began'

Frankly all this has done for me so far is let me coast by on what tiny morsel of natural ability i may have, and i realize that someone with my drive and analytical nature could be much more advanced at this stage if i'd made sure i applied myself to something challenging & new for at least another 30 minutes a day, instead of promoting the apathetic approach to music/practice i currently have. The evidence for this is that i have not reached the virtuoso level i wanted to reach by the age of 21, which i just turned on Monday (sad face).

I've heard people say that to approach the instrument from a practical & mechanical (or even a conceptual) standpoint is to become some form of musical robot, but i've always thought of the fantastic classical violinists such as Nicole Benedetti & Nigel Kennedy, who practiced scales and etudes for hours as 'students of their instrument', and got the gritty technical stuff sorted early on so that it felt natural, and they could concentrate on the music with direct focus and have no technical barriers limiting their articulation of pieces or creativity. A more relevant musician who also fits into this category is the fantastic Eric Johnson, even in his instructional videos he points out things that he is still working on.

Apologies for the abuse of the word "I've", i promise i'm not (that much of) a narcissist wink

So anyone got any opinions, observations, ideas, tips, examples they can share with me/us? I'm taking this very seriously, and am quite willing to view a certain amount of practice as mandatory work or a 'job' if it gets me closer to my goals.

There's SOOOO much to learn, it's intimidating

Me playing Joe's actual Ibanez Tubescreamer pedal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76jk58_vl2s

frazerburns19's Website

  • From: over yonder....in PA
  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 240

Re: Practice regimes/plans

I think it was Scott Henderson, or Mike Stern, that said "get in and get out". So I use this approach when I practice. I spend X amount of time right at the beginning working on very technical things, scales, picking, metronome work, etc. (all the mechanical stuff that makes you able). Then I usually spend Y amount of time afterwards having fun and working on new chord shapes, songs, noodling, and what have you. The first part of practice enables me to practice and warm up some of the harder concepts before I am able to use them in the second part of practice.

Ultimately, you need to do what makes you happy. Hope this helps!

"The way I like to look at it is....if that's the last time I ever got to play, I'd better give it everything I've got." -SRV
  • From: New Hampshire, USA
  • Registered: 2010-12-21
  • Posts: 3,650

Re: Practice regimes/plans

TubeSaturation wrote:

I think it was Scott Henderson, or Mike Stern, that said "get in and get out". So I use this approach when I practice. I spend X amount of time right at the beginning working on very technical things, scales, picking, metronome work, etc. (all the mechanical stuff that makes you able). Then I usually spend Y amount of time afterwards having fun and working on new chord shapes, songs, noodling, and what have you. The first part of practice enables me to practice and warm up some of the harder concepts before I am able to use them in the second part of practice.

Ultimately, you need to do what makes you happy. Hope this helps!

yes agree i use a similar approach usually 1.5hrs the mechanical stuff as you put it the about 2hrs practice/recording. I am still working to get back to where I use to be so many years ago. Having a blast getting there.
Cheers Ron

"Joe B saved my soul, forever grateful Ron"
"Some people dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and do them"
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