How long should I practise?

[RAP]

I practise for 2 hours a day.

However, I read interview where these shred guitarists claim to have practised something like 6-10 hours a day when they were younger.

If I ever want to achieve the level of technique of these people, do I need to start playing for 6-10 hours too? I seems unlikely that anyone could have done that, with school and stuff.

[Adam]

I tried for about 6 1/2 hours a day last year, but then my marks in school went down alot but it was worth it, I picked up Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker like nothing, and recently have picked up a little Rusty Cooley and Francesco Fareri. I say go for it but I guess if you kept a good schedule of maybe 3-4 hours a day that could work too.

[David]

if playing 6-10 hours a day is forcing yourself to play that much... then don't. Practice in which you enjoy, will improve you 10 times faster than forced practice.

[usagi]

Read any interview with any lead guitarist you like and most of them went through a period of playing all day. If you want to be a professional musician that's what you have to do. If you want to be some guy who plays guitar in his basement (like me) don't. Being good at anything, even something you love, is work.

[Mastodon]

I practice 2-3 hours a day during the school year.

6 hours during summer and breaks. I break it up like this:

10-12 am practice. Take a 2 hour break. 2-4 practice. Take a 2 hour break. 6-8 practice take a 2 hour break.

And then I have little times where I have the urge to pick up my guitar sprinkled on top.

I don't see how a straight 6 hour+ session would be beneficial. I think it's more healthy to break it up into sessions.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by RAP

I practise for 2 hours a day.

However, I read interview where these shred guitarists claim to have practised something like 6-10 hours a day when they were younger.

If I ever want to achieve the level of technique of these people, do I need to start playing for 6-10 hours too? I seems unlikely that anyone could have done that, with school and stuff.

Play guitar when you enjoy it, for as long as you enjoy it, and as soon as you don't enjoy it anymore, stop.

I've been playing for ~15 years. I know some things, and this one piece of advice I will offer up with 100% certainty. Don't make playing guitar a job. Work hard, enjoy it, express yourself and don't give yourself goals.

Just play bro. It'll all come to you in due time.

[Shannon]

^ 100%

[Popsyche]

I agree. I've been playing for 34 years, and in my younger days, I would pull the 8 hour practice sessions. I would play at night 'till I literally fell asleep playing. (Now I leave that up to the audience! ).

Like Chris said, Play it like you feel. Press yourself a little beyond what you know each time you practice, and let your brain catch up. You will be amazed at how fast it happens! Play it like you love it , not like a prison sentence or penance. Guitars (especially seven string ones) are sheer joy in our lives!

[rogue]

what age did most of you guys start? i picked up my first when i was about 13 and a half, but i wish id started earlier

[Shannon]

Originally Posted by rogue

what age did most of you guys start? i picked up my first when i was about 13 and a half, but i wish id started earlier

I started at 9 & I'm 31 now.

[David]

started at 13, and am now 16.

[RAP]

I'm 15. I have a pretty active social life though.. What do you guys do if you're out all day? How many hours do you get in then?

[Bregaladar]

Being a loser

[Naren]

Originally Posted by rogue

what age did most of you guys start? i picked up my first when i was about 13 and a half, but i wish id started earlier

I started when I was 17 and I'm 23 now. I started playing when I was 17 because the opportunity to actually buy a guitar was in front of me for the first time, so I thought "hey, I've always wanted to play guitar." But then the friend was like "No, I changed my mind. I don't want to sell you my guitar." So I was like "Okay, then you are going to drive me around to guitar stores all day and help me find a guitar." And that's how I got my first piece-of-shit guitar. At the beginning, I played 2-6 hours a day. I think, in general, 2 hours was the least I played in a day for the first 3-6 months. Nowdays I just play 10-40 minutes a day. If it's a weekend, I might play 1-7 hours (depending on whether I'm in a band setting or not).

I agree with Chris and Shannon. If you are dead set on becoming the next best shredder, then you're gonna have to play 5-10 hours a day. I've never been interested in shredding, so I've never bothered trying to learn how. You don't walk up to a classical guitarist and say "hey, why can't you shred, you hack?" If you just want to play guitar for your own enjoyment, play as much or as little as you like. I'd love to play more a day, but I'm pretty dang busy with my job 'n' stuff.

Originally Posted by RAP

I'm 15. I have a pretty active social life though.. What do you guys do if you're out all day? How many hours do you get in then?

If I'm out all day, I get maybe 2-5 minutes in. If you're so extremely serious about this, just don't be out all day. Either go out and have fun with your friends all day long and don't worry about guitar or don't hang with your friends and play guitar for 7 hours at home.

[RAP]

Yeah, I'd rather be with friends than a piece of wood tbh.

[koma]

Work hard, enjoy it, express yourself and don't give yourself goals

I think to give yourself some goals is important. You have to make a difference between short and long term goals, but they help to stay motivated I think. Because everytime you achieve one of your short term goals you know that you have improved and that's kind of rewarding.

[distressed_romeo]

I've found that, for me, an hour of focused practice is far more productive than four hours spent noodling in front of the TV. If your time is limited, make a timetable, and make sure you get through it everyday. It feels really nerdy, but you'll get results far faster this way.
It's also important to be imaginative with your practicing, meaning don't just play the same stuff every day. Work at the things that are hard. For instance, if your timetable says 'ten minutes of alternate picking', don't just play the licks you know you can do, look for any patterns that give you problems and practice those 'til they're as natural as your 'stock' licks.
There's a lot of good advice on practicing in Troy Stetina's 'Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar' book.

Originally Posted by RAP

I'm 15. I have a pretty active social life though.. What do you guys do if you're out all day? How many hours do you get in then?

I hate to say it, but it's a personal thing about how you choose to prioritise your life. During my teenage years I barely ever went out due to my practice regime, and I don't regret it for a second. You're unlikely to have the same amount of free time again once you reach adulthood, so if you want to be an accomplished player you should really make the most of that. Socialising can come later.

[RAP]

Ahh this is a difficult decision. I don't like one more than the other. Friends and guitar are the 2 no. 1 things in my life, and I don't like one the slightest bit more than the other, but I do really want to make a living out of music and playing guitar

[distressed_romeo]

Originally Posted by RAP

Ahh this is a difficult decision. I don't like one more than the other. Friends and guitar are the 2 no. 1 things in my life, and I don't like one the slightest bit more than the other, but I do really want to make a living out of music and playing guitar

I know it sucks (especially if girlfriends are involved), but if you explain to them that you have to practice and that your music is a serious priority they should be fairly understanding. You could always try what John Myung and John Petrucci apparently did during their Berkley days if your friends are also musicians; apparently they were only allowed to hang out in the evening if they'd both done six hours practice.
Like I said, try to have a focused practice timetable, and you should still be able to make some time for socialising.

[Adam]

I started at about 16 and I'm 17 going on to 18 now.

[Mastodon]

Your guitar will never betray you, make you feel bad, or put you in odd predictaments.

[maskofduality]

Originally Posted by Mastodon

Your guitar will never betray you, make you feel bad, or put you in odd predictaments.

but your skills might

[Firebeard]

Originally Posted by maskofduality

but your skills might

When I get bored with what I'm playing I either learn something new or just take a week break. When I pick the guitar back up I impress myself.

[RAP]

I've been playing for 6 hours a day for the past two days now.. And it's really not as bad as I thought it would be, and I actually prefer it to my normal 2 hour routine for some odd reason

So now when I'm at school I'll practise 3 hours when I get home. When I'm off school(weekends & holidays, etc) I'll play 6 hours a day. When I'm off school and I'm out with friends I'll squeeze in about 4 hours. Sound like a decent plan?

[distressed_romeo]

Sounds good. Once you start making serious progress with your playing you'll be thankful for all the time you've invested in it. Good luck dude!