What's Your Practice Regiment?

[TapperMike]

A friend once said to me If you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always gotten (and sometimes less)

 

Another friend once said practice doesn't make perfect it just makes practice perfect.

 

 

Do you routinely practice scales, patterns and sequences or are you more focused on song material?

 

If you are learning a song how long do you keep it in your practice regiment?

 

How much time do you devote to developing new techniques?

 

How often do you practice?

 

How long do you practice?

[TapperMike]

Not me, a friend.  Though I tend to agree.  I had another friend who would endlessly practice scales. Everyday hours a day at a slow to medium tempo.  She so obsessed with simply practicing scales that she didn't study any songs.  She was quite good at her lifeless scaling. But she was too afraid to actually practice songs.  She'd make a minor mistake and throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

 

Now that I'm no longer performing live and rarely recording I find it difficult to focus on a practice regiment.  Sure I can still play the old songs I used to with ease but I'm stretched to different approaches. 

[john]

Hey Mike

 

I often use scales as part of my warm up. I only really devote any real time to formal scale practice when I haven't played in a few days or when I am learning a new instrument. If I'm starting a new instrument I practice, practice, practice and much of it is scale practice.

 

I do work on finger exercises of a variety of kinds, really as part of my warm up too.

 

I play guitar or keys most days, and I sing everyday.

[TapperMike]

Thanks for that John,

 

Please understand I'm not against practicing scales. I too practice my scales regularly but it's only part of my playing regiment.  I've known speed metal players who practice scales for hours each day. It really helps them to lock things down. 

 

 

I'm thinking of doing a new blog and/or charting system.  Practice diaries. 

[LayneGreene]

I try and put in an hour a day when I can. First 15-20 minutes is usually working out voicings and running over some scales. Recently I've been trying to work more on arpeggios though and connecting ideas over different changes. After that (I guess it's mostly for warmup...) I'll work on parts for tunes or try some new ideas in context. and sometimes I just play really badly and loudly just for fun.. why not eh?

[Just1L]

In my mind there are two people that could, or should practice. Those who want to learn how to play guitar, and those who already know how to play guitar. As for Cameron, I'm guessing now you don't practice at all, and it all kind of comes to you and there you go. But was that the case the first time you picked up the guitar? Could you just pick it up and play anything you wanted to? If so, then Rob is correct, you're a prodigy. But what happens with most experienced guitar players is that they HAVE spent A LOT of time practicing whether it's learning scales or learning other peoples songs or just goofing. Eventually, like with most instruments, you reach a point to where you can pick up the guitar and play just about anything you want. Aside from super speed-metal shredding, I've reached this area and I'll say it is one GREAT feeling. I don't practice at all now due to time constraints. When I pick up the guitar I'm always developing a new song. BUT, and it's a big one, I practiced the shit out of guitar since the beginning up until the point it came so naturally I could pick it up and go. 

 

So for the experienced players, you may not practice that much. But if you want to learn a specific solo or whatnot for stage purposes I'm guessing you wouldn't just make it up for the CD and then not play it again until you hit the stage. Even prodigies give it some practice. To be able to just make something up once and always remember it without practice enters Savant area. 

 

If you're a beginner guitar player wanting to get better, there is only one three ways to do it: Practice, practice, practice.

Edited June 10, 2013 by just1l

[LayneGreene]

 

 

Like for example if I'm learning a new scale I will find a backing track in that key and just learn the scale and then just mess around with it and find some licks on my own. I don't even really memorize the scale to much because I find you can find some cool licks that go against music theory if it's not written in stone in your mind.

 

 

Theory isn't a set of rules telling you what you can and can't play though! Once you get into it enough it's more of a language used to convey ideas.. There's theoretical ways to explain pretty much any lick, and there's lots of different types of theory..

[chased]

Woah, nothing like a good ol' controversy. I too practiced more when I was younger: practice meaning repeating scales, arpeggios, new chords and such for hours and hours. I had nothing better to do. I wish, though, that I had learned some more rudimentary skills properly - I'm probably of the earlier spoilt generation Mike mentioned - so I would jump ahead whenever possible, when I ALMOST had it. HoboSage/Wes were right about the Blues!! Playing for fun and playing with others soon took over and now I only consciously practice a new instrument like John says. Or if I want to teach myself something new in my instrument, like I did with 'latin feel' guitar lately. It all goes towards serving the current song or song cycle I'm writing.

However, I feel strongly that a practice regimen is the key to better playing, writing and understanding of music and here's why. UNLESS you're a prodigy, a lot of what we come up with seems really cool at the time but it almost always forms part of some already-held musical theory, drill or body of knowledge, like Layne said. Not being unkind here, but few of us are truly original, and that's OK. But it's no point believing you're really talented or unique if the body of knowledge is already there! Why not just immerse yourself in the thousand years of combined musical cultures already at your fingertips? It means that when just mucking around, creating, jamming, whatever there will be so much more to draw on than if you stayed 'individual' like Mike points out. I have written songs for 30 or so years but I would be all the better, even professional perhaps if I had kept up a practice regimen, learnt more when I had the time, worked out where my meanderings fit into the great and wonderful world of music theory and nailed them, then.

No regrets, but I do take practice more seriously now. If I have to play live or for a recording I get it perfect first before I play or sing a note. Works for me. Good thread.