metronome ideas and practice time

[nemesis]

Hey guys, lately i've been wondering if i've been practicing effeciently. i often see practice blueprints where people practice on so and so for 20 min and another thing for 20 min etc. i can't imagine that since i often take twice as long as that if not more when working on things like picking exercises or legato stuff. its not that i'm struggling with the exercises but it just takes that long to get stuff up to speed on the metronome which at the moment usually maxes out at 16ths around the 120-130bpm area. I usually start my exercises as 8th notes at 80bpm on the metronome and then go up from there. i dont want to rush or anything but do i need to start so slow at first or does someone have a better idea for me to get the most out of less time.

[Bongo Boy]

I'm probably the least qualified person on Earth to reply to this. But, I DO have an opinion. :D

I have no ideas for you to use to get more out of less time. I do feel that, when one has something they want to 'get right', that they spend the time on it that they feel it takes. The metronome is, I'm sure, a real useful thing. But I really don't think it means jack when you're learning new muscle.

So what I mean is this: if it takes 14 min or 14 days, that's what it takes. My feeling is this: if some stupid lick that you want to 'know' takes 100 hours to get to the point where it 'feels good', and you WANT to do it, then you MUST DO IT. I personally feel it's very important that the metronome NOT be a part of this process.

I'm an idiot. I don't know squat and I can't play a single frigging tune on the guitar.

I just think that 4 hours of practice on a single exercise, with no tempo constraint, is very important if that's what your brain says you MUST do. My point is this: when you're exercising with the instrument, so long as you are able to focus on SOMETHING, if you're body says "Do it!", then your brain's only purpose is to focus that energy.

Of course you can't master something new in 20 minutes. If you could, then I'd argue it's either a) Not something new, or b) It's boring.

Should I repeat the fact that I'm a friggin' moron and can't actually play guitar?

[Bongo Boy]

Maybe I should add that I really hate this ****ing instrument, and loathe the day I opted to challenge it.

[ReinierK]

I seem to struggle with the same 'problem'.
I do all my exercises at 120 bpm with 8th notes. (I know, I'm slow).
I generally play one exercise at 120 and then I turn it up to 125 and play it again. Until I feel comfortable with that tempo (takes about a day or two) and then I start my exercises on the new tempo (125) and turn it up to 130 the 2nd time.

I think you might be starting a bit too slow. You could turn it up a tiny bit every time you practice and more or less 'force' yourself to do it a bit quicker.

BUT, when you feel you loose control (like, when it gets sloppy), just turn it back 5 or 10bpm again and proceed on that speed.

I think you'll progress slowely but surely.

Hope this helps and that it's clear ;)

[Caffeinated Cat]

If you're max speed is 16ths at 120-130, then starting at 40 bpm sounds awfully slow. Maybe try 16ths at 80. But if doing what you're doing is working, there's absolutely no reason to try to fit it into a 20 minute timeframe. Fourty minutes on this and 20 minutes on that and 10 minutes on this and two hours on something else - it's whatever works for you.

[wild_child]

I agree with Bongo's point that something takes as long as it takes. But that is still no reason not to include it into some sort of practice structure. What I find is most crucial in the learning process is to take breaks, whether it to be to learn a different lick, look at some theory, go watch tv.. whatever, your brain and fingers will seem to be much more co ordinated once you've left it to "sink in" for a while. That means that you would only need to practice it for, say, 20 minutes.. then come back to it again for a further 20 minutes some time later. But that is only hypothetical, you can practice it for as long as you feel you should. After all, it is up to you.

In terms of getting something up to speed, if your desired speed is below your maximum bpm, it is probably not the inability to physically play the piece that is holding you back, it is simply your memory and lack of familliarity with the particular thing you are learning. THAT is why you should still start off slow and work your way up, it is likely to actually work out that you will be able to learn and play it much faster (as opposed to learning and playing it badly even faster than that) because you are working within a speed range that you are extremely comfortable with in the initial learning stages and then speeding it up when you come to the playing stage.

If, however, something is above what you consider to be your maximum speed, then that adds an extra step to the process and obviously may take you much longer to play accurately. In addition to working your way up from a "slow" speed (which you may do somewhat quickly once your mind and fingers have come to terms with what you need to play) you then need to focus purely on the technical aspect of your playing and VERY gradually eliminate all the inefficiencies that you notice and really push the boundaries of your technique until you achieve your goal. A metronome is very important in this process of course.

This is only my opinion though, based on the way learning affects me.

[ashc]

Totally agree. I should say I'm quite slow so my advice should be taken with caution, but, one thought to that... sometimes it helps with synchronisation to spend a few minutes really slow just to make sure everything is in order then jump up to a comfortable speed (e.g. the 80bpm) then good size jumps 8 to 10bpm or so to a maximum that you can do a few repeats of, then back-off again to the sustainable max. But the main point that spending ages stepping through too low down eats time (I know this well).

I now tend to get going on single string stuff with some sync focusing on left hand weak finger combinations (3 and 4) with simple 8-5-7, 8-7-5, 8-5-6, 8-6-5 and 2 string PG licks. Then single string but focusing on right hand speed (pedal tone type things, miserlou etc) up to absolute max picking speed with minimal left hand stress. Then onto both hands all fingers chromatic type things - for me diving straight into max coordination all hands doesnt seem to work.

[nemesis]

thanks for the replys guys. the main reason that i start so slow at first is that i want to give my fingers time to adjust to what they are doing. i had some long enduring tendonitis problems and now that i'm able to start up again i'm concerned that i may re-injure myself if not careful. maybe starting at around 100-120bpm will be safe as long as it feels comfortable at first. it's just a little frustrating when you have different things that you want to practice but it takes a little to long on each thing. i generally like to get my chops up through exercises before i start working on songwriting(which is where the fun really comes in) but by the time i finish i don't always have the enthusiasm to work on songs. to much time practising and not enough writing makes nemesis a dull boy.

[wild_child]

i generally like to get my chops up through exercises before i start working on songwriting(which is where the fun really comes in) but by the time i finish i don't always have the enthusiasm to work on songs. to much time practising and not enough writing makes nemesis a dull boy.

How about writing some etudes, to work on your techniques? Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Writing and playing songs is as much a part of my practice ritual as playing technical excercises.

have a look at some of these:

http://www.ibreathemusic.com/subcat/14

[oRg]

When I want to brush up or get better at a certain technique then I just find a song and try learning it. For example, I felt like I need to brush up on my AP technique and so what I did is i learned "This Dying Soul" by Dream Theater. I totally forgot it after a week but the technique has stayed with me since then.