How much and how or do you practice playing

Stuball48

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At age 69 begin taking guitar lessons and so much to learn. Love to practice between lessons but want to practice, correctly. How much time, each day, do you devote to practice or have you played so much you just pick up your guitar and the songs that come to mind automatically translate to your fingers on both hands and presto the song is played. Repetition is my best teacher.
 

Rayk

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I don’t practice much at all anymore . I do doodle ha ha , I more or less do a drive by on my guitar and in most cases the first few things I strum or finger pick turns out to be a my next song after that that’s all I play till I record it then move on . Weird huh ?
 

walrus

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I have a "list" of songs that I have learned over the years that I go through, to keep them in my head, and of course to continually improve them, As you said, repetition. At the same time, I'm always learning new songs and working on riffs from ArtistWorks on-line lessons I do with Paul Gilbert.

I played for 3 hours today, but that's a bit more than usual - usually I try to get in an average of a hour or two a day. Depends what's going on with "life"...

walrus
 

dreadnut

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We have a saying: "Every performance is a practice." Or is it "Every practice is a performance?"

But seriously, when I'm learning a new song I consider it practice. Otherwise I'm just playing or writing/composing.
 

shihan

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For me, my philosophy is move forward on all fronts. That means I’m working on several different things in a practice session. Right now, it’s a Charlie Parker transcription, a chord melody piece, Rhythm parts for backing a harp player (Chicago style), and stealing some licks from BB King or Hollywood Fats. I always begin by playing all modes of The major, melodic minor and diminished scales going through a different key every day.
Of course , what you practice depends on your skill level and goals. When I was super busy with life, the best I could do was a mode or two of the major scale. But I kept my hand in, playing when I could, waiting for the time (now) that I had time to practice seriously.
 

Stuball48

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Y'all got me to scratching my head and thinking I may have a late start with the guitar but I read an interesting quote and I will paraphrase---If only the bird who sang beautifully sang in the forest, the woods would be much quieter.
 

JohnW63

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My practice style depends on what my instructor has planed. If a jam/recital is coming soon, I knuckle down and try to get the new songs down cold. Fix my sloppy spots, and try to play through our song list everyday. Right now, he's going with the flow and letting me pick the type of stuff I want to learn. I need more of a regimen, or I'm going to slip back. I've improved in some ways that let me have fun with YouTube backing tracks, but too much just jamming doesn't teach me anything new.

When I am working on something hard or new, I start with finger exercises, that use all the left hand fingers, back and forth. Something I saw Lee Ritenour does. Not as fast as he, but something to get my fingers warmed up. Check out time 2:45
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmkMuP7N4Tc

Then, if I know my part will involve a solo, I work the scale up and down in the position I play the solo in. Just to be really familiar with the notes I SHOULD be hitting, vs some of the notes I'll regret hitting.

When I have a new song to learn, I try to break it up into manageable parts. I try to get THAT part down, before I and the next part. I heard someone say once that they learn the last parts first, and work backwards, so they are leading into parts they already know, rather then moving into the unknown. Sound good, but it feels weird to play.
 

davismanLV

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We here at the moving homestead are struggling to pack everything up.... but in normal times (whenever that is) we pick specific songs we like and then we print them out and work out the details. Details are important!! Is this in our key? Do we need to go up or down? And even then do we have the skill to carry it out? It's a funny thing that goes on here.

If you can grab ahold of this... I just played Gaudete by Steeley Span!! Do any of you remember them? And the sad part, the really sad part, is that I know the effing LATIN!! And can sing this!! Maddy Prior is a genius vocalist but I've been a fan of theirs since ... well, when was in high school. So how do I practice? I find my faves, and I sing them and we print them out and we go through them and then.... sometimes we get tired and I just sing and then sometimes.... I actually go to sleep. LMFAO!!! :stupid:

Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span (there's no one better)

 
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If you can grab ahold of this... I just played Gaudete by Steeley Span!! Do any of you remember them? And the sad part, the really sad part, is that I know the effing LATIN!! And can sing this!! Maddy Prior is a genius vocalist but I've been a fan of theirs since ... well, when was in high school. So how do I practice? I find my faves, and I sing them and we print them out and we go through them and then.... sometimes we get tired and I just sing and then sometimes.... I actually go to sleep. LMFAO!!! :stupid:

Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span (there's no one better)



Are you serious? I love that band. Where are you playing next?
 

Rayk

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Why did monks hitting themselves in the head with wood boards pop into my head ? Lol
Very cool vid .
 

fronobulax

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When I was a kid and practiced because my parents "made" me, 30 minutes a day was the minimum standard. As an adult I still strive for that but don't worry if it doesn't happen. For whatever reason I find I make more progress doing two 15 minute sessions than one 30 minute session. I find at my highest motivation I will put in three or four 15 minute sessions.

I make a distinction between playing and practicing. Running through a song to see if I still remember it or think it is cool, is not practice. Playing with a goal - five times with no mistakes, faster tempo than yesterday, etc. is practice. Paying for lessons is a great motivator. You don't want to waste the money and if you and your teacher have any kind of rapport you can pretty much tell when you pick up the instrument whether what you are doing is going to give you a "better" lesson, or not.

Bottom line though is if you are picking up the instrument and having fun, that is what counts. Getting better is just a side benefit :)
 

fronobulax

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We here at the moving homestead are struggling to pack everything up.... but in normal times (whenever that is) we pick specific songs we like and then we print them out and work out the details. Details are important!! Is this in our key? Do we need to go up or down? And even then do we have the skill to carry it out? It's a funny thing that goes on here.

If you can grab ahold of this... I just played Gaudete by Steeley Span!! Do any of you remember them? And the sad part, the really sad part, is that I know the effing LATIN!! And can sing this!! Maddy Prior is a genius vocalist but I've been a fan of theirs since ... well, when was in high school. So how do I practice? I find my faves, and I sing them and we print them out and we go through them and then.... sometimes we get tired and I just sing and then sometimes.... I actually go to sleep. LMFAO!!! :stupid:

Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span (there's no one better)



Ever ventured over to the classical side of the "record aisle" and tried Anonymous 4? Does the phrase "The Dancing Master" make your fingers tingle? It's probably a good thing I don't have all my music at my fingertips at the moment ;-)
 

killdeer43

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Guitars around here don't live in their cases, they're either hanging within reach or on a stand.
If I have just a minute or two, I can grab one and get a song or two out of my head.
Time is tight in most cases but when I see a good opening, I'll play until I get tired of hearing myself. :tongue-new:

Joe
 

crank

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I am super lazy when it comes to practicing. That is one of the reasons I like to play in multiple bands; because it forces me to practice. My practice mostly consists of learning new songs. Because I play lead I am usually learning solos which is more work than learning rhythm guitar parts. My modern country band has no keys, pedal steel nor fiddle. This means I am working out ways to synthesize all those instruments, and sometimes banjo too, into a single guitar part that will work for the song and still maintain signature hooks and riffs. Fun and challenging.

If I am not learning songs I am noodling, just looking for new and interesting riffs to add to my tool kit.

I try to play every day for at least a half hour... sometimes though I just don't. Lately I have been practicing singing more than guitar, playing mostly familiar songs while trying to get my voice under control.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine, gaudete
Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine, gaudete

:applause: I remember hearing this on the radio, probably around when it came out, and being mesmerized by the vocal harmonies. Gotta be at least 20 years since I last heard it…and I remembered most of the words too! (Or at least what I think are the rest of the words.)

-Dave-
 
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