How often do you practice?
- Thread starter Cyrokk
- Start date
jake-owa
Banned
Umm, practice what? I try to play every day. I usually start with an hour or so of guitar and move on to bass, drums, keys and such. I average 2-3 hours a day and none of that is spent on fun-duh-mentals. I just play what I feel. I almost always start with a smoke and record everything after that. I usually start by opening my last sesion or something I've been singing and move on to create a new song with a riff or something. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it sucks.
Jamal Bucket
New member
i used to play about an hour a day(guitar)...now i play whenever something strikes.me....never practice like scales and shit tho..
Bass Freak
New member
I dont warm up, I dont do scales, I dont do anything. I might work on some technique but other than that, i just play, i might play some new songs that i found on the net, or make up some, work on some music theroy, um.....build bass lines off of chords using the bass note, um....what else lol thats all i can think of
freak
freak
Alan McGuinness
New member
Mr Loose and Sloppy
I've been playing (on and off) for just over twenty years.
Problem is it sounds like twenty minutes.
Never had a lesson,.......Mmmm maybe something in that.
The thing is I could never figure out the music theory side of things. I have tried, I just never reached the point where it "clicked" in my head. The "roadmap" of the fretboard may as well be written in chinese as far as my brain is concerned.
If anybody knows a web site that is like a dummies guide to the fretboard for Gods sake post it on here, I need the help.
You know the kind of thing, if your playing this chord, then this chord box works over it.
Alan.
Sorry Cyrokk, not trying to highjack your thread. The original question just made me smile, I thrash about merrily on the guitar on a daily basis but I would hardly call it practice. More along the lines of therapy, some people take medication I put the headphones on turn the Pod to setting "9 C" pick up the Ibanez JS 100 and power chord till my hands ache. ("5 D" is another fav depending on the amount of medication I need)
Simple pleasures for a simple mind.
I've been playing (on and off) for just over twenty years.
Problem is it sounds like twenty minutes.
Never had a lesson,.......Mmmm maybe something in that.
The thing is I could never figure out the music theory side of things. I have tried, I just never reached the point where it "clicked" in my head. The "roadmap" of the fretboard may as well be written in chinese as far as my brain is concerned.
If anybody knows a web site that is like a dummies guide to the fretboard for Gods sake post it on here, I need the help.
You know the kind of thing, if your playing this chord, then this chord box works over it.
Alan.
Sorry Cyrokk, not trying to highjack your thread. The original question just made me smile, I thrash about merrily on the guitar on a daily basis but I would hardly call it practice. More along the lines of therapy, some people take medication I put the headphones on turn the Pod to setting "9 C" pick up the Ibanez JS 100 and power chord till my hands ache. ("5 D" is another fav depending on the amount of medication I need)
Simple pleasures for a simple mind.
AlChuck
Well-known member
It varies, I shoot for a couple of hours at least, but often it's only an hour or so. What I work on, and to a certain degree how many hours, depends on what's going on or coming up. I might work on the toughest parts of the tunes I'm working on lately. I might work on moving chords through inversions up and down the neck, or playing arpeggios or little patterns or phrases, and moving them (usually) chromatically up and down all over the neck -- playing them forwards one pass, backwards another pass, then alternating forwards followed by backwards or vice versa. I might work on the scales that I'm currently trying to get a grip on and apply in my soloing -- specifically, these days, the Mixolydian mode, the minor pentatonic with a 6th instead of a dominant seventh tone, the diminished scale, and the jazz minor (ascending melodic minor starting on the seventh)... or lately I'm also trying to read and sight-sing intervals and stuff... then I'm trying to play chords and melody and walk bass lines and intersperse comping like Joe Pass or Tuck Andress... lot of stuff for an hour! As a result, I mix it all up so much that it takes me years to get anywhere. I need focus... or several more hours I can use for it.
Re: Mr Loose and Sloppy
I've had the same problem you do, for as long. I've read tons of music theory, and it never really clicks. Some pieces here and some pieces there. I've put it down to me being left-brained and there is no structure in music theory...
Two things has helped me in the last half year:
1) A violin & guitarplaying collegue that I started talking to about things like this.
2) Fretboard logic (http://www.billedwards.com) that I read about at this site. He really put things down in a logic manner. It's not magic, and you still have some work to do, but I definately notice progress.
Alan McGuinness said:
I've had the same problem you do, for as long. I've read tons of music theory, and it never really clicks. Some pieces here and some pieces there. I've put it down to me being left-brained and there is no structure in music theory...
Two things has helped me in the last half year:
1) A violin & guitarplaying collegue that I started talking to about things like this.
2) Fretboard logic (http://www.billedwards.com) that I read about at this site. He really put things down in a logic manner. It's not magic, and you still have some work to do, but I definately notice progress.
Wireneck
New member
I usually put in about 5 hours a night sometimes more. I wouldn't call it practicing though, i just like to write and work on stuff im recording. Never taken a lesson so I don't really run through any scales or warm up routines. I do have my favorite riffs or solos i like to work through. Ive been playing about 7 years now, seems like i find myself playing more and more lately. Needless to say im losing alot of sleep haha.
darknailblue
New member
Re: Mr Loose and Sloppy
hey bro if ur looking to reeeeeeeallly learn how to figure out the fretboard hardcore musician style get "single string studies for guitar volume 1" by bruce arnold. The guy who wrote it graduated from berklee, and the book is used at NYU. (ALL his books are). Basicly the book gives u one long exercise for every string in every different key to help u learn how to memorize the notes by their actual position on the ledger lines not just by note name. But the thing is u have to know how to read music... When i went through this book I did every exercise four times, one for each finger, and I did it without looking (thats the other point of the book). It took such a long time to get through it, but after a while it got easier, and now I don't know what I'd do without knowing everything that I learned from it. Oh I also bought fretboard logic, and the book is retarded. Its almost like he made up a different dialogue of music... i mean if i told a guitar player to play an a major chord but in the c form hed look at me pretty funny... theres some useful information in there, but not how to learn the fretboard as the name implies. Lastly If ur looking for the chord box/ scale thing get these two book.... the guitar grimoire modes scales and the guitar grimoire chord and chord voicings.... the scale book shows u every possible 7 tone 8 tone 6 tone and many 5 tone scales... and the chord book gives u a shitload of chords to play plus every single chord (and inversion) on the first four string, plus what different scales to use over them.... those books are like encyclopedias, but are good for any player, and will never become obsolete
Alan McGuinness said:
hey bro if ur looking to reeeeeeeallly learn how to figure out the fretboard hardcore musician style get "single string studies for guitar volume 1" by bruce arnold. The guy who wrote it graduated from berklee, and the book is used at NYU. (ALL his books are). Basicly the book gives u one long exercise for every string in every different key to help u learn how to memorize the notes by their actual position on the ledger lines not just by note name. But the thing is u have to know how to read music... When i went through this book I did every exercise four times, one for each finger, and I did it without looking (thats the other point of the book). It took such a long time to get through it, but after a while it got easier, and now I don't know what I'd do without knowing everything that I learned from it. Oh I also bought fretboard logic, and the book is retarded. Its almost like he made up a different dialogue of music... i mean if i told a guitar player to play an a major chord but in the c form hed look at me pretty funny... theres some useful information in there, but not how to learn the fretboard as the name implies. Lastly If ur looking for the chord box/ scale thing get these two book.... the guitar grimoire modes scales and the guitar grimoire chord and chord voicings.... the scale book shows u every possible 7 tone 8 tone 6 tone and many 5 tone scales... and the chord book gives u a shitload of chords to play plus every single chord (and inversion) on the first four string, plus what different scales to use over them.... those books are like encyclopedias, but are good for any player, and will never become obsolete
smuckinfart1
New member
For about the first four years of playing guitar I would practice about five hours a day. Now that I work all the time and have a girlfriend its closer to an hour a day. I would write more about my practice habbits but this thread just inspired me to get off my ass and go learn something new on my guitar...
64Firebird
New member
I play all the time. I always have a guitar near by and when ever I get bored, I grab it. Sometimes I work on improvising by putting together a rhythm track in fruity loops and play along with it for as long as I can without repeating myself. Other times I'll sit and try to figure out what may favorite players are doing (in other words, ear training). Sometimes, I play with my effects and stomp boxes and look for interesting sounds. I don't play scales most of the time, but sometimes I like to practice them anyway. I always seem to find something new when I do. And sometimes I just make noise and play with the dissonance. Just to see how far out I can go and still bring it back in, sort of like Hendrix used to do sometimes. I've never been able to find any kind of formula for dissonance, but if there is one, I sure wish someone would tell me what it is!
Dissonance in music is so strange. Sometimes I'll play something and one person hates it while someone else thinks it the coolest thing they've ever heard. I'm always blown away by the guys that really know how to use it.
Dissonance in music is so strange. Sometimes I'll play something and one person hates it while someone else thinks it the coolest thing they've ever heard. I'm always blown away by the guys that really know how to use it.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
I try to play everyday but what I do that I feel is more beneficial to me than anything as far as keeping sharp is jamming. Every Thursday afternoon I hook up with some local players, most of which are pro (one friend in particular used to tour with Tina Turner and most have toured and recorded with someone), and we just have improvisational jam sessions. Four hours of that once a week with guys who can REALLY play will keep you on your toes. PLus you hear some of the best music you've ever heard in your life (when everyone is on their game
TheGuitarMan
New member
Ugh, practice. Such an ugly word. I pretty much just play whatever I feel like whenever i'm in the mood to jam.
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I try to pick up the guitar for 30 - 60 minutes per day. That time is spent working on various riffs and rhythm's in various keys. Recently I've been working on various modes and scales to develop different riffs (to avoid falling back to the "comfortable" riffs I already know).
If I'm recording guitar parts, I may play for 4-5 hours, but them I am playing specific parts.
If I'm recording guitar parts, I may play for 4-5 hours, but them I am playing specific parts.
Even
New member
I can't practise, only play. I took way too many years of theory, so when I "practise" and do the whole follow the rule thing I get pissy or disappointed at the methodical structure. So I play play play. Sometimes a few hours, sometimes a few minutes.
One thing I do to "practise" is scroll thru radio stations and try to play along with whatever shows up. Its fun in the way that it gets me in a mood or style I would never instinctually play. I'd like to think that it has helped me be a more versatile player as opposed to all my songs having a set pattern.
One thing I do to "practise" is scroll thru radio stations and try to play along with whatever shows up. Its fun in the way that it gets me in a mood or style I would never instinctually play. I'd like to think that it has helped me be a more versatile player as opposed to all my songs having a set pattern.
Best forms of "practice" are:
A) writing music
b) jamming with a band other musicians etc.
C) recording
D) teaching
Other than that I don't have time for text book exercises. I have already done them and forgotton them a long time ago.
Playing in a cover band has done more for my chops than anything. Playing 4 hours on stage every friday and saturday for a couple of years (not to mention rehearsals) has strengthend my fingers, arm callouses etc.
Clif
A) writing music
b) jamming with a band other musicians etc.
C) recording
D) teaching
Other than that I don't have time for text book exercises. I have already done them and forgotton them a long time ago.
Playing in a cover band has done more for my chops than anything. Playing 4 hours on stage every friday and saturday for a couple of years (not to mention rehearsals) has strengthend my fingers, arm callouses etc.
Clif
yeah i practice quite a bit, but being that i just had a bad bought with the old carpla tunnel surgery it has slowed me down alot. although i dont push it to hard anymore because of the risk of reinjury i push just hard enough to the point of where i believe it is actual therapy for my hands and is helping them get dexterity back. i still have the hardest time with lateral movements across the neck they seem to realy eat at my all ready weak hands fast. but when i do practice i usually try for a hour at a time and maybe twice a day,try to spread it out some so not to hurt myself and sit myself back again. god bless you all. tim pate
BluesMeister
Occasional Poster
Re: Mr Loose and Sloppy
Neither did I until after, hmm 30+ years of playing, I'd just turned 50. Let me tell you Alan, it's a big BIG mistake not to have any lessons at all.
Really Alan, you need to know the fundamentals of theory. How chords are formed from a scale, modes and when to use them. How modes are related to scales, that sort of thing. The pentatonic scales (major & minor) are a great help to any struggling guitarist. At least you can make some noise that has a resemblance to music
There are a lot of good people who are only too happy to share their knowledge with you. I wouldn't want to see anyone struggling like I did getting nowhere. 
Oh, and I don't practice any where near enough. I get bored with scales - but they are the building blocks of music. I prefer to fiddle around with the Mixolydian mode and pretend I sound like Carlos Santana.
--
BluesMeister
Alan McGuinness said:
Neither did I until after, hmm 30+ years of playing, I'd just turned 50. Let me tell you Alan, it's a big BIG mistake not to have any lessons at all.
Really Alan, you need to know the fundamentals of theory. How chords are formed from a scale, modes and when to use them. How modes are related to scales, that sort of thing. The pentatonic scales (major & minor) are a great help to any struggling guitarist. At least you can make some noise that has a resemblance to music
Point your news server to UK.MUSIC.GUITAR where there are a lot of experienced guitarists and beginners alike. This BB is pretty good too, so don't be afraid to start your own thread.
There are a lot of good people who are only too happy to share their knowledge with you. I wouldn't want to see anyone struggling like I did getting nowhere. Oh, and I don't practice any where near enough. I get bored with scales - but they are the building blocks of music. I prefer to fiddle around with the Mixolydian mode and pretend I sound like Carlos Santana.
--
BluesMeister
Toki987
Rock Steady
I work on the piano every day for a good 30 min to an hour or more.
I keep a bass under the edge of the bed for when I really need a fix. I reach under there and lay it on my belly and play it in the dark. I got some buds that i do a one nighter with occasionaly or get together and jam. I do bass lessons over at one of the music stores to help out a little when they get backed up, i dont like doing it like a job though, or too regularly.
I keep a bass under the edge of the bed for when I really need a fix. I reach under there and lay it on my belly and play it in the dark. I got some buds that i do a one nighter with occasionaly or get together and jam. I do bass lessons over at one of the music stores to help out a little when they get backed up, i dont like doing it like a job though, or too regularly.