A new practice routine

[EspBoobiesYeah]

I'm thinking of trying out is strictly learning songs I want to learn. I've got a slew of songs I know I can play but I don't really have time between my day job, trim hunting, practicing foundation type stuff, and playing with my band. Here're my goals for this month:


March of the Mutes - Unearth

Giles - Unearth

As Daylight Dies - Killswitch Engage

Lie to Purify - Unearth

In Your Face - Children of Bodom

Under the Knife - Rise Against

????? (from internet leak due November) - Killswitch


I'm thinking to set a block of time, let's say 2-3 hours and every 20-30 minutes rotate songs.

[marrkus]

Give it a try. If these songs cover the techniques you need to practice, you should be alright.

I thought of doing this awhile back but noticed I missed my technique excersizes, so now I'm doing both again. I need the balance. Just practicing songs or just practicing technique doesn't work well for me. I need to do a little of both, but it doesn't hurt to switch gears and focus on one of the other for awhile.

[EspBoobiesYeah]

Oh for sure. Lots of tech stuff to be found in the Unearth songs, the Killswitch and Rise Against songs are well arranged. I'm sure I'll find technique stuff to work on (fingering patterns, etc) within these songs and then I can focus on technique again. It's like, I've been focusing on technique when practicing but not able to utilize my full potential when it comes to songwriting, which is my ultimate goal. I've got a bunch of good parts and I need to figure out how to string 'em together.

[rottweilerv88]

Maybe its just me, but I've always found practicing more helpful than playing. You can learn songs and soloing pretty quickly if you have the technique under your hands, but its important to develop the technique 1st: through practice.

This isn't quite so much a "routine", per say. You're learning songs. hahaha That would be like the FUN part of guitar playing. I generally do 95% practice, and 5% playing, just to improve my vibrato, tapping, theory and so on... Whatever works.

[EspBoobiesYeah]

Maybe its just me, but I've always found practicing more helpful than playing. You can learn songs and soloing pretty quickly if you have the technique under your hands, but its important to develop the technique 1st: through practice.

This isn't quite so much a "routine", per say. You're learning songs. hahaha That would be like the FUN part of guitar playing. I generally do 95% practice, and 5% playing, just to improve my vibrato, tapping, theory and so on... Whatever works.

Well that's my deal, I've already got tons of technique.. I can learn anything I want by ear when I sit down and learn it. #1, my repetoire is lacking at the moment, and #2 (more importantly) I want to be able to 'talk' like my favorite guitar heros so that when I'm writing more songs now and later this year I can have the the same effect (if not damn close) while at the same time still retaining my integrity. I know my band can do it, I just need to push myself to make it happen on my own merit..

[Stengah]

I practice approximately eight hours in a day, so i can do pretty much stuff in this 8 hour. I strongly recommend to keep or start a learning diary which includes: what have you been practicing, how long, how fast, how, why and so on. When you keep that diary you can follow your advancing. Those things which have not advanced, you should practice more. You should write a practice routine down on the paper so you can remember it and follow it. It will help you to get advanced, as player.

Remember to have fun,
Stengah.

[newamerikangosp]

From what I have heard of all of the bands mentioned, they aren't really technical, so there shouldn't be an issue remembering their stuff. But I would highly suggest working each song by itself, instead of trying to do one song for 20 mins, then the other.

The ?????? might be difficult since it has the ? ?? ?? pattern then the ?minadd? inversions:p

[EspBoobiesYeah]

From what I have heard of all of the bands mentioned, they aren't really technical, so there shouldn't be an issue remembering their stuff. But I would highly suggest working each song by itself, instead of trying to do one song for 20 mins, then the other.

The ?????? might be difficult since it has the ? ?? ?? pattern then the ?minadd? inversions:p

Unearth is the least technical metal band out right now :cool:

[DracWell]

That's the plus side of having a bad (no, not the only one :P), playing guitar at home = practicing on technique, rehearsal = playing songs and using the techniques in music.

[joeyd929]

IN the late 70's/early 80's I did that for a few years straight. I was rehearsing for gigs all the time and any spare time I had was learning new songs and arrangements.

We mostly did hard rock. Van Halen, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy. Anyway, all my time went into learning parts for songs. IT's a good experience and you come away with more than you brought to the table.

I also spent lots of time, probably 2 years just learning songs without a band, jus practicing at home. I also kept up with scales and warm up exercises to keep the hands moving. IT is still good to have a little rigiment in the practice schedule if you can swing it.

[Michael. A]

I don't know about strict regimes of anykind to be honest. The regime should be the fact you love playing guitar and that'll keep you playing for ever. A regime is more a putting up with things for a greater thing you love. Like a relationship.

I can see what you mean though... things like sight reading and theory require a routine if you don't enjoy them I guess if you are stretching yourself by learning songs then that would too.

I should really learn songs but I very rarely do, I write more songs then I learn. Thing is I'll be playing one bit of a song impro a little and come up with an idea and go off on that. An exception to that is classical guitar. Its really cool to learn peices for it which I should do more often. (if my bro hadn't stolen my classical guitar!)