Do you practice everyday and for how long?

Instant Dan · February 23, 2011, 06:04:52 PM

I'll be honest, in the past couple of years I wasn't practicing as much and just playing with often terrible results. In the past few months I really have just found myself practicing for over an hour or two at night, it's like I am back in high school. When I am at work, all I think about is playing the guitar.

I laid out four goals I wanted to improve this year.

1. Improve my Rhythm (overlooked a lot in guitar today, imo)
2. Improve my chord/mode/scale knowledge (can't keep jumping between minor pentatonic and aeolian)
3. Improve my speed and clarity of soloing, nothing worse than accidentally hitting some strings while doing something as simple as the first lick to Forever My Queen.
4. Just try and write original songs.

Discö Rice · February 23, 2011, 06:41:07 PM

I do. Lots. Mostly bass these days since the drums wouldn't fly with the landlord/neighbors. I don't really have anything I'm trying to achieve, kinda just playing along to records or songs from memory, going over tricky runs slowly and working up to speed. Could probably use some work on scales and modes, though.

mortlock · February 24, 2011, 09:48:20 AM

i practice mainly for dexterity and conditioning. i had a gig recently where i had not played much prior and 10 minutes in my arm started to cramp up bad.

theres always something i should be working on or learning but life gets in the way of shit you want to be doing..

bass sic · February 24, 2011, 10:52:00 AM

I should still be practicing bass, but seem to not pick it up except for band practice. I do practice drums and guitar a few times a week. Its just something different I guess and it does improve my bass skills/or lack of.

Instant Dan · February 24, 2011, 11:00:28 AM

Another which I have started doing is learning a new song once a week. For instance, one week learn 'Transmaniacon MC' one week and then the next week 'Sign of the Wolf'.

VOLVO))) · February 24, 2011, 11:32:08 AM

I used to practice for hours a day, then I realized that I still sucked. I picked up drums and masturbation, after that.

zachoff · February 24, 2011, 03:42:46 PM

Barely ever outside of band practice. If I think of words I'll write them down and I'll maybe pick up my bass for an hour a week outside of regular band practice but other than that it's not much. Sometimes more than that, but not very often.

Chovie D · February 24, 2011, 03:51:44 PM

guitar hardly ever, pedal steel every day for as long as I have. that ranges from 10 minutes to 3 hours. most often only 15 minutes. for a while I was drivng a half hour home and back so i could practice a half hour on my lunch then back to work.

eyeprod · February 24, 2011, 04:52:27 PM

that's cool, I'd like to get my hands on a pedal steel someday.

I rarely practice guitar unless I have a gig coming up, and even then not much unless I'm learning new songs. I do play for fun and to stay in shape a few times a week for 15-45 minutes, maybe more. I guess I should practice drums more often since I bought a set, but I don't really see myself being a "drummer" anytime soon.

johnny problem · February 24, 2011, 06:02:01 PM

At minimum I try and play 1 hour a day. With school, I don't get to play everyday, so my jams end up being a little longer. I'm still about two years away from where I actually want to be.

Chovie D · February 24, 2011, 06:12:08 PM

you never really get to where you wanna be. theres always something new to learn, something else to asprie to. which of course is a big part of what makes playing a musical instrument such a life long source of enjoyment and reward.

mortlock · February 24, 2011, 09:13:39 PM

Quote from: Chovie D on February 24, 2011, 03:51:44 PM
guitar hardly ever, pedal steel every day for as long as I have. that ranges from 10 minutes to 3 hours. most often only 15 minutes. for a while I was drivng a half hour home and back so i could practice a half hour on my lunch then back to work.

sooo..you get an hour and a half lunch break?? i want your job.