Music Information

Guitar Players...Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet


Do you have a wide variety of things that you practice. Or do you like to binge? (You know...the type of player who practices sweep picking for a kazillion hours a day but only know three chords)!

Having a balanced practice routine is essential if you want to become a versatile guitarist. If you just practice one or two things, sure you'll get great at those things...but you'll be weak in other key areas.

In this lesson you'll learn how to create a practice routine that is well-balanced and will help you work towards your ultimate vision of how you would like to play.

I generally categorise what I practice into one of seven areas:

  • Technique.
  • Repertoire (Covers).
  • Composition.
  • Improvisation.
  • Ear Training.
  • Theory.
  • Music Reading.

Everything that you practice will fit into one or more of the above areas. For example, if you are learning a very challenging cover tune by transcribing it off the CD you are essentially working on your technique, repertoire and ear training at the same time. If you also write down the song in standard notation, you will also be developing your music reading skills.

Now?do you have to practice things in all seven areas? I believe that you don't have to if your vision doesn't require it. For example, if someone wants to become an awesome classical guitarist and has no desire to improvise, then I believe that they don't need to practice things relating to improvisation. We all have limited time available for practice, so it's a waste of time working on things that don't specifically help you reach your goals.

Let's go through a few exercises?

Exercise One:

Think about the vision that you have for your playing for a few minutes.How would you like to play in ten years time. Make it exact!

Once you've done that, brainstorm as many things that you need to practice in order to play like your vision. What specific things do you need to learn, develop and practice? Write them down now.

Exercise Two:

Next to each of the things written down for Exercise One, write down a category next to it. For example, if you wrote "I need to be able to play faster" then write technique next to it. If you feel that something you wrote belongs to more than one category, then write down all the categories it could belong to.

Exercise Three:

Look at your answers for the previous two exercises. Once you've done that prioritise the categories shown below. For example, if you feel that technique is the most important thing you need to work on to reach your vision then put a 1 next to it.

Practice Area Priority Level (1-7)
[Note: 1 is the highest priority].

Technique
Repertoire (covers)
Composition
Improvisation
Ear Training
Theory
Music Reading

Now here's the important point. You should spend the most time practising your number one priority. I know it's pretty obvious, but you'd be amazed at how many people don't do this! I know a few guitar players who would like to be able to play incredibly fast, yet they don't do a lot of technical practice. Talk about setting yourself up to fail!

Exercise Four:

Decide how much time every day you will spend on each category. Write it down below.

Practice Area Time Invested Daily

Technique
Repertoire (covers)
Composition
Improvisation
Ear Training
Theory
Music Reading

All done? Great!

So what's the next step?

The next step is to decide on a specific activity for each practice area.Make sure to write them down.

Here are a couple of examples of what someone might put down...

Technique: I will invest 10 minutes a day on alternate picking exercise one. I will start with the metronome at 80 beats per minute (bpm) and increase it by 4 bpm daily (as long as I can play it perfectly).

Ear Training: I will invest 10 minutes daily a day on A minor pentatonic ear training exercise one.

Got the idea? You would have one specific activity for every practice area. If you have a lot of time to practice you could set more than one activity per practice area.

Give this method a try. I'll think you'll be more than happy with the results!

Craig Bassett (The Guitar Solutions Expert) is a professional guitarist, guitar tutor and author who lives in Auckland, New Zealand. To get a free high-quality lesson e-mailed to you once a month, please go to:

http://www.pentatonic-guitar-lessons.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Music Note romps in Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park
The Canadian Press, NEW YORK - 9 hours ago
NEW YORK — Music Note turned in a dazzling performance, beating entrymate Little Belle by 11 lengths Saturday in the US$300000 Coaching Club American Oaks ...
Music Note delivers loud and clear CBSSports.com
Music Note dazzles in Coaching Club Brisnet.com
Music Note Crushes CCA Oaks Rivals BloodHorse
Thoroughbred Times
all 24 news articles


Telegraph.co.uk

Music, co-op games the dominant trends at E3
CNET News, CA - Jul 18, 2008
Among the dominant trends at E3 in Los Angeles this week was music games. Everywhere you looked, publishers were announcing new ones and players were ...
Nintendo unveils a Wii music game Oneindia
Nintendo E3 Cliff's Notes! Mygamer.com
Nintendo Ready To Rock With Wii Music After Big E3 ChattahBox
dBTechno - bit-tech.net
all 367 news articles


Olympic champ Carly Patterson finds a new passion: music
Dallas Morning News, TX - 2 hours ago
There's more to life than just gymnastics, and I had other goals, obviously, with the music and stuff." Ms. Patterson's budding music career, however, ...


Fresh thoughts on new music
Detroit Free Press, United States - 56 minutes ago
(Buddy Guy opens for George Thorogood & the Destroyers at the Meadow Brook Music Festival on Aug. 21.) The reputation of the legendary Los Angeles band Love ...


Kid Rock returns in style Saturday night at DTE Energy Music Theatre
Detroit Free Press, United States - 2 hours ago
... a welcomed return to metro Detroit Saturday night for Kid Rock and his Rock and Roll Revival -- in the first of four shows at DTE Energy Music Theatre. ...


Mom fights music giant
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 23 hours ago
"The music companies are just going to keep doing this to people. I think it's my responsibility to stand up to them and say, 'That's enough. ...
Mom fights music giant over DMCA takedown notice Afterdawn.com
Fair use claimed in YouTube row Calgary Herald
Mom continues to chase Prince on Free Use issue CNET News
CBS 5 - Wired News
all 24 news articles


MLive.com

Long-lost friends reunite in marriage, music
MLive.com, MI - 13 hours ago
BISMARCK, ND -- Music was the force that brought them together in 1936, shortly before their lives took separate, yet musical, paths. ...


Music retailer thrives serving captive audience
Reuters - 4 hours ago
NEW YORK (Billboard) - As music retailers struggle to stay in business, a Los Angeles firm is doing nicely targeting a demographic that gets bigger every ...


Rocky Mountain News

Event deserves a bow, music tries to keep up
Denver Post, CO - 1 hour ago
By Ricardo Baca It was a fine debut for the Mile High Music Festival, which opened Saturday on the outer grounds of Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce ...
Mile High Music Festival winds down Rocky Mountain News
Mile High Music Festival opens cw2.com
Mile High Music Fest - too much going on Rocky Mountain News
Rocky Mountain News - Rocky Mountain News
all 22 news articles


Bono weaves Spider-Man a web of music
Times Online, UK - 8 hours ago
Having composed the music for the forthcoming Broadway production of Spider-Man, Bono and the Edge will release a U2 album based on their musical adaptation ...

Music - Google News

home | site map

Visit our other sites:
GamesBlog | GamingDepot | GimmeaRide | GimmeNetwork | Golf Biz | HotorNotGame | I Want Computers | I Want Games | I Want Hosting | I Want Music | I Want Security | JokeBox | ScriptShock | Wantedfonts | Webalize
© 2006