Hi guys

Was wondering what your practice routines consist of.

Do you have a master plan of things you are going to work on over the coming week/month/year, or do you just decide on the day and take it from there?

I myself have aspirations towards being organised. Like planning all my short and long term goals etc, but I'm never quite consistent or diciplined enough to follow it through.

I feel like this is the thing that is stopping me reach my full potential.

Anyway, how do you guys approach things?

im in the same boat as you mate.

The motivation thing is an issue with me too. I practise the usual scales and arpeggios but like to set myself out a chord progression then improvise over it using the different modes. I also like to practice creating hybrid licks using different scales that go well together.

I also go out and buy a classical cd or download stuff and try to play along with it on first listen. I've learned a lot from doing that with Bach or Vivaldi material.


Do you guys practice rhythm much or like me tend to neglect it in favour of the usuall fretboard histrionics?

Oh christ, you've hit the nail on the head Daemon!

What usually happens is I pickup the guitar, don't even warm up properly, then dive straight in and try and play 'technical difficulties' or something else stupidly demanding.

After getting frustrated with that cos I can't play it up to tempo particularly cleanly, I usually descend into some random widdle fest that doesn't concentrate on improve my technique one bit.

Rhythm playing goes out the window in favour of sweep picked, whammy laced, demi-semiquaver inarticulate spewings!!!! :angry:

I need restrained calmness and ninja like discipine. :ph43r:

This is more or less my routine..

Everyday I practice in a different key. I begin by going through various scales/modes,etc in various patterns. When I am done with that I will either work on something new, or do some improvisation to see what I come up with. While doing that I will usually play some of the songs, solos, etc that I have learned over the years so I don't forget them (I forget stuff quite often and it annoys the hell out of me :P ).

Yeah LoQ I forget stuff too so it pays to go back over songs you learnt ages ago to give the old grey matter a work out.

Remember to warm up properly Hurricane Kid, I ended up with bad tendonitis by trying to go straight into warp mode.

Do any of you guys give lessons? I find that by teaching guys {especially those who are relatively new to the instrument} you have to break down and go over all the techniques that you probably think you have 'sorted' in your repertoire only to discover that it was important for you yourself to get back to basics bit as well. In other words have you overlooked some part of your playing only to get a wake up call whilst trying to relate it to someone who is learning off you? :huh:

I used to teach guitar a few years ago, and you're right - it does help you sort out flaws in your playing that you didn't notice before.

Only when I feel like I suck will I practice my sweeping over and over at different tempos and a piece of the major scale over and over at different tempos, but otherwise, I just play them with w/e i'm playing, like just really quickly sweep something lol.

Im fairly methodical...
I have a spread sheet that was influence greatly by Vai's 30hr work out.
I chock up time doing what and long in a book what i focuses on, what key it was in etc...

However in the process of moving to the other side of the world that all has crashed an i am waiting on my life settling down so i can start the discipline again... that and an Amp... maybe i will order a Carvin ;)

I usually just decide what I am going to work on before I pick up my guitar and work on it. I also write down things i need to work on for the future.

I just pick up my guitar and do whatever i feel like doing. No real routine, but i do think that it's important to try and focus all your attention on the guitar.

For me its usualy licks played in diferent scales,fragments,arpeggios... After that it comes improvisation and i play few songs,its usualy songs from Tony,yngwie,satriani...

I don't really have any precise practice routines. I usually start warming up my fingers with some sweeping licks - mostly diminished chromatic licks and just some natural minor modes and stuff like that.

After my fingers are all warmed up, I can't stop playing! :lol:

I also like to do blues pentatonic licks, a bit inspired by Zakk Wylde ;) , and phrygian dominant, and hamonic minor stuff. Mostly I just improvise over random scales.

Here's some help for anyone looking to add some very helpful elements to their practice routine that I just began utilizing recently:

Flash cards. What I did was make a group of flash cards for a number of different elements, and I use one from each pile every day for practice. I made a group for: All 12 notes, all seven modes, all strings, all intervals, several different chord names, and several different scales. I'll pick one card from each pile and my theory practice will be based on whichever cards I picked. For example, I'll pick a card from my note pile, and I'll get C#/Db. I'll then choose a scale, practice that scale in that key, you get the idea. I'll then find a mode and begin it on that key. I can combine the note card with a chord card, and I'll make that chord. To make it even more in-depth, I'll combine those two with a string card and make that chord on whichever string. It's a really great element to add to your practice, and it's helped me f**king immensely. I hope to gain a lot from this forum and can't wait to get to know everyone.

i think ill try that IanJ

That's an interesting idea Ian. Btw welcome to the site, hope you enjoy it. :)

Well I just thank you all for having me. This is a really awesome site, just what I've been looking for.

That's cool Ian. So where are you from and which guitarists are you into? :)

Well, I'm in Seattle actually. As for guitarists, Zakk Wylde was my very first influence and my all-time favorite,. Right now Marty Friedman is my current favorite. Jason Becker, Rhoads, Malmsteen of course, Mustaine, but only because I'm a big Megadeth guy, and I've only recently been getting into more diverse players. I'm actually a big Buckethead fan, and I've been studying guys like Steve Vai and Rustey Cooley. Pretty much anyone I can learn from right now. I know I may get shot for this one, but I never really cared for Hendrix. I mean I can listen to him and all that jazz, but I never thought he was that great. And I like some minor characters like Jake E. Lee, Alexi Laiho, and Skwisgaar Skwigelf.

Nice one IanJ. Some great players you listed there. You should check out a thread that was listed here recently entitled 'Jimi Hendrix Overated?' Btw you won't get shot for your opinions on this site mate. They are welcomed at all times. :)

Skwisgaar Skwigelf LOL!!!! The most difficult name to pronounce since Chris Impelleteri! ;)

Practice my scales and keys and brush up on my right hand technique (tapping cleanly, quickly, and consistently). Practice all my techniques on all the scales i know focusing on a particular key. Working on the blending and usage of modes right now and dead-on phrasing.

I kinda developed a weird reward system for myself. Example:

If i play something flawlessly and practice my scales without once going out of key without wanking about: after im done, then i get to do a good 10 min. shred wank (just to get it out of my system but i make sure i get the important stuff out of the way). Playing scales is a good warmup too. So keep practicin em! Also learn your limits, how far can you stretch and still play a good solid note and so forth.

Good Luck to All!

Sounds like good advice to me man. :)