Greeting's Y'all,

Over the years I've become more and more passionate about Guitar, actually music in general.  I used to pick up my guitar and just play, maybe look at some charts and practice for a few minutes then go off on the few things I learned and thought I'd just move on.  This was, In My Case, A mistake.  There are those that music comes so naturally to they can almost just pick up any instrument and play it like they've been playing all their lives.  I am not one of those.  I have to work at it pretty hard.  With my passion for music this is not a burden, it's an adventure, that is the beauty of it for me as I really feel accomplishment over simple things.

Now I've come up with my plan.  In the end it actually makes it easier for me to practice and more and more things just seem to stick.  So when HP says, don't skip this step... I don't.  I work that part harder than the rest and, Yeah, he is right. 

I used to only play music that I wrote.  I think Until 10/11 years ago, I only knew 2 covers.  House of the rising sun (I learned that when I was 6) and Heart of Gold.  Everything else I played I had written.  Well that's great but then I found myself in this impossible rut... My point is we can all learn from all music.  If you like it.  Learn how to play it.  Then Ask yourself,  What did I learn?

My Practice plan includes Three Tiers... Theory, Technique and Creativity.  I'm pretty sure I heard HP say something about that like a decade ago.  The key to a good practice session is to 1. have a dedicated place for focused practice.  2. Have all the tools you need to practice, i.e. Pencil, Paper, Metronome, whatever it is you need to achieve that session to it's fullest, in that place.  3. how much time are you willing/able to practice. and how many days a week.  It's been my experience that taking a day or two off a week is very healthy.  My days off are still musically oriented as I own a Internet Radio Station.  so I'm always in there one way or the other to create mood or just what I'm feeling for that day.

What's your Practice Plan?  Can we share and maybe we can all benefit from each other.  The purpose of a good practice plan that works for you, is to remove the stumbling blocks we create for ourselves...  In My Humble Opinion, this Academy is a great place to help with that.

14 hours ago, Charley said:

  I'm pretty sure I heard HP say something about that like a decade ago. 

Yes that a good devision of the topics and I strongly recommend that. 🙂

14 hours ago, Charley said:

2. Have all the tools you need to practice, i.e. Pencil, Paper, Metronome, whatever it is you need to achieve that session to it's fullest, in that place.

Thats really serious practicing - well done. I never used a pencil... but I see the point. 🙂

On 3/19/2021 at 6:32 AM, admin said:

Thats really serious practicing - well done. I never used a pencil... but I see the point. 🙂

It's what works for me.  I have friends that only use computer apps for study, charts, tabs and what not.  I just take it in better when I put my hands on it.  I retain it better.   

My focused Practice time is one hour a day.  My focus is Theory, (Right now, maybe next month it will be Creativity), but in that hour I have 6, 10 minute blocks.  blocks 1, 3 and 5 are Theory.  blocks 2, 4 and are Technique, block 6 is always Creativity.  I know kinda very structured but I seem to retain it better.  After Focused Practice is hours and hours of random playing with some more unstructured Theory.  at a minimum I have a guitar in my lap of 4 hours a day.  Maximum of 12 a few days a week.  Switching from Acoustic to Electric.  I'm Retired now and I figured.. Why not be my own Rock Star, or play at the local Coffee Shops.  Maybe teach? Nah,  Tried that after college, I do not have the patience for that.  I admire music teachers, nerves of steel.  

But One must take time for rest.  Listen to music, or the wind.  Take time for just yourself, family, all that.  It's healthy...

14 hours ago, Charley said:

Maybe teach?

You can always teach beginners - teaching beginners is most of the time to keep them engaged to continue to practice and to make them working on the difficulties everybody has at the beginning.

14 hours ago, Charley said:

My focused Practice time is one hour a day.  My focus is Theory, (Right now, maybe next month it will be Creativity), but in that hour I have 6, 10 minute blocks. 

if you have such a serious practice routine then add 5 min. break after each block of 20 minutes and after 3 blocks of 20 min - 15 min break. Some science guys found out that thats the most effectiv way to learn but I must admit I never tried it myself. I just play and play and play. Still enjoying to practice a lot.

18 hours ago, admin said:

You can always teach beginners - teaching beginners is most of the time to keep them engaged to continue to practice and to make them working on the difficulties everybody has at the beginning.

I do like to coach, it's different than what you do for sure.  Maybe as the next few years go maybe I can.  I have a few kind of students here in the community I live in.  I give them charts for chords and play with them.  It's more of a coaching. I do like my charts... LoL...

18 hours ago, admin said:

if you have such a serious practice routine then add 5 min. break after each block of 20 minutes and after 3 blocks of 20 min - 15 min break. Some science guys found out that thats the most effectiv way to learn but I must admit I never tried it myself. I just play and play and play. Still enjoying to practice a lot.

I will try this.  All about science...   I'll keep ya posted for sure...