# Practice routine...



## b3n (Feb 21, 2006)

So... I'm currently working on my chops (alternate picking, legato, tapping etc) and not much else. I probably average about 2 hours a day at the moment and am at the point where I'm just starting to see results...but I can't help but feel that I'm ignoring everything else. I've been reluctant to work on theory etc because It'll cut down on my technique practise time so...

What the hell would YOU do? Poll away...any comments based on personal experience would be awesome as well.

Thanks.


----------



## Vince (Feb 21, 2006)

This may sound silly, but I just turn the amp on and play. Sometimes just playing for a long period of time or getting into a routine of playing at a certain time every day just really makes you a better all-around player.

One thing that always helps me, if you think you're focusing too much on lead playing, take a step back and focus on rhythm playing for a few practices. I'm recording right now, and before the recording sessions start, I usually warm up by playing along to some old Metallica or Fear Factory. Playing through a few songs off of Master of Puppets tightly will cure any problems you may have with your rhythm playing, if you're a metal player that is.


----------



## b3n (Feb 21, 2006)

Now a poll...

DD - it's true. I also neglect rhythm playing.


----------



## David (Feb 21, 2006)

What Vince said.


Haha, but dude... the poll... become like Yngwie? Well he's a master at music theory and scales, especially in the rhelms of classical, and not to mention he crawls at a mere 134 bpm at 16th notes... Past that though... I know exactly where you're coming from! After about a year of playing all I did was work on my alternate picking, and speed. WELL, I got that, and Yngwie is like slapping a baby without being worried of it fighting back, easy. But, and this is a big but, after I could play Far Beyond The Sun like no one's business, I thought I'd go write my own stuff! I didn't know how to do shit!!! hahahaha, so, then I went on to theory, where I learned a ton of scales, more than just major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and just really took some time getting familiar with them all so that I could easily work within all of them for improv. I really don't know, what I'd be like for playing if I hadn't acceled as quickly at my technique, and did a combination of both. Since I was able to focus on speed for so long, when I got to the theory and memorization, I could just zoom up and zoom back down and that only accelerated my level of learning the theory. Overall, now, at about 2 1/2 years, I have a perfect mix of both. I will tell you though, that the last year and a half was a bitch!!! hahaha. Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice of one part, and set it off for a while, knowing that you'll suck for the next year, but knowing that the rewards are that much more.

This... was just my personal experience, it can be different for every person. I don't want you going off and just speed speed speed speed... and then get all messed up with the theory from what I said. Just try and do what's right for YOU.


----------



## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2006)

It's a good idea not to be too regimented about it, as that keeps things interesting and fun. I think it's really important to devote most of your practice time to just playing and having fun.
These days I tend to spend about an hour each day doing purely technical things (this includes eartraining exercises), and spend the rest of the time jamming and writing music.


----------



## strychnine (Feb 21, 2006)

well, you dont want to do the yngwie thing...
hes a great technician but I think hes a horrible song-writer.

I'd say learn more theory and learn to better your chops.
I honestly excercise both by writting music and then playing it...

like, i'll come up with a riff on sheet music or w/e you use (pc program or something.) 

see how it moves...maybe change the time signature to make it more unique or something and then i'll write another riff and see how they flow into one another...then i'll do a chord analysis and see if maybe changing the voicing or adding a 7th etc and inverting it comes out better and then just play the damn thing...

if you still feel like some specific area of your chops isnt dead on then just write a song using that like...I dunno serrano arpeggios by becker. Straight up sweeping song thats cool to play...

This is the way i've done it and its stuck with me...
if this doesnt work for you just keep looking around till you got what you really like =)

A good piece with both areas of chops and theory is 
The Art of the Fugue

hope this helps man,
-strychnine


----------



## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2006)

I do the same sort of thing. If there's a particular technical glitch that's annoying me I'll write a little etude that focuses on it rather than just doing mechanical exercises. I don't really believe in practicing things that don't sound musical.


----------



## bostjan (Feb 21, 2006)

Develop the techniques you need to use your theories!


----------



## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2006)

bostjan said:


> Develop the techniques you need to use your theories!



Perfectly put.


----------



## Allen Garrow (Feb 21, 2006)

4:00 a.m. every morning, I work on scales. Shower, work on chords. I like to learn a new chord and it's inversions everyday. Saturday, I do a mindless day of shredding and just having fun no study. Saturday night I work on ideas for songs. Sunday play acoustically while watching the race, then do some shredding and legato drills before bed. I tend to work on licks and play jazz shit while I'm at work fixing guitars.

~A


----------



## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2006)

strychnine said:


> A good piece with both areas of chops and theory is
> The Art of the Fugue



+1. In addition, Bach's violin music sits very nicely on guitar, and should challenge all aspects of your technique.


----------



## Desecrated (Mar 5, 2006)

Tune your guitar to low F# and try some meshuggah.


----------



## Drew (Mar 5, 2006)

About half my practice time is just improvising over backings. I've got a couple Fruity Loops saved projects that I loop and jam out on and do things like practice scale drills or legato drills against them, and then every once in a while break the drill and do some free-associative improv. 

It beats a metronome, anyway.


----------



## distressed_romeo (Mar 5, 2006)

Drew said:


> About half my practice time is just improvising over backings. I've got a couple Fruity Loops saved projects that I loop and jam out on and do things like practice scale drills or legato drills against them, and then every once in a while break the drill and do some free-associative improv.
> 
> It beats a metronome, anyway.



Agree all the way. If you don't practice with some sort of harmonic background it's really hard to develop a good sense of phrasing.


----------



## Metal Ken (Mar 5, 2006)

Most of my practice time is doing things that i find challenging over a metronome lol. coming up with new patterns to speed up and whatnot...


----------



## David (Mar 6, 2006)

999


----------



## Ancestor (Mar 6, 2006)

You need theory, absolutely. What bostjan says makes sense to me. It's hard to know what technique to work on, until you know what you'll be playing. 

I know I wasted a lot of time doing chromatic permutation exercises up and down the neck for about a year. I was working all day trying to get through all my exercises. Then a friend of mine pointed out the absurdity of it. 

Once I learned theory, then I knew how to best spend my time. And then, when you start drilling arpeggios and scales or chord progressions or songs, your muscle memory is programmed to play things that are musical.


----------



## Metal Ken (Mar 13, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> +1. In addition, Bach's violin music sits very nicely on guitar, and should challenge all aspects of your technique.




The treble side of Czerny's School of Velocity is worth checking out as well.


----------



## garcia3441 (Mar 13, 2006)

I practice 2 hours a day. The second hour I just play; sometimes with backing tracks, other times I'll popa cd in and play along.


----------



## Kotex (Mar 14, 2006)

I always just play. I don't have a practice routine. Although sometimes I do practice just on things like tapping and ph and shit like that. But it's like in the middle of me playing my shit that I've made up and other peoples things. I spend a little time and do that and then go back. Sometimes I only do it for an hour, sometimes all day and all night. I just make sure I'm having fun.


----------



## Michael (Mar 14, 2006)

I don't have an official routine. I practice a hour of one technique at a time. Like I'll do an hour of arpeggios, take a break then do an hour of alternate picking.


----------



## Tombinator (Mar 31, 2006)

I try and practice a minimum of about an hour a day, plugged or not plugged into a practice amp, or my halfstack. Working through scales, chord progressions, some sweeps, various picking techniques, arpeggios, etc. 

I spend time with my Planet Waves Gripmaster to help strengthen my finger muscles, joints and tendons. It's pocket-sized, so I try and bring it with me whenever and wherever I can. As well as purposely playing my acoustic since it makes me work a bit harder on the fretboard. I normally do alot of stretching and conditioning to help prevent any strains, cramps or any other possible physical ailments & symptoms.


----------



## keithb (Apr 11, 2006)

Until school and work took over my life a few months ago (3 more weeks to go!) I found that spending time running each mode 'pattern' up and down the neck and doing chromatic-style exercises with a metronome really helped me. I guess it makes sense, since I think one of my biggest problems is left hand-right hand coordination.

I'd say drill as much technique as you can stand, and learn the theory slowly so it has time to sink in.


----------



## Mastodon (Apr 11, 2006)

Since I have this week off my practice routine is.

10-12 2-4 and then 6-8.

Usually it's 6-8.


----------



## Griefgiver (May 9, 2006)

HATE ETERNAL AND NEVERMORE RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1


----------



## b3n (Jun 21, 2006)

Griefgiver said:


> HATE ETERNAL AND NEVERMORE RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1



hmm...indeed. Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter...

Thanks for the insights everyone (else) I've been mainly focusing on technique lately with a little bit of theory and plenty of jamming.


----------



## Mark. A (Jun 21, 2006)

Good to hear bro


----------



## Your Majesty (Jun 23, 2006)

Personally, since I teach theory, all I do is push it in a very heavy way. I strongly suggest you learn theory first. Once you have that down, you are honestly set.

As for practcing rituals....when I'm a 'good girl' I try to stick to this ritual daily without breaking it... 

90 minutes daily... composing in a start up of hand warm up's practicing, improv, scales, arpeggio's and the playing and learning new material or working on old ones that I haven't perfected. Metronone carried throughout. Rest my hands, make notes, do some arranging and write lyrics.


----------

