Guitar Practice

[buddyhu]

For me, “Practice” involves focusing my attention on something I can’t execute well (switching to a challenging chord shape or inversion, playing a certain fingerpicking pattern, singing a phrase that is difficult to match with what I want to play on guitar, etc. ), and slowing things down and repeating the element many times. When I target something for practice, I usually intend to do that kind of repetition every day for at least a week, and some tricky things take much more than that.

I distinguish practice from initially learning and/or memorizing things, and from refreshing memory by playing through. I also distinguish it from polishing a piece for performance, which involves repetition, but presumably I have learned the piece well already, and am repeating in order to “overlearn”, which makes it less vulnerable to deterioration when I have some stage fright.

[DukeX]

I don't gig, so there's that.

I used to have a repertoire of about 10-20 pieces that I would play/practice to maintain a certain level of competence.

For now I play/practice fewer pieces and focus on rhythm first, then tone. I have noticed my right hand technique has improved greatly without actually focusing on technique. Pick angle, amount of pick tip extension, strumming angles, strumming area variations in relation to the sound hole and bridge (even within a piece), wrist flexibility, pick grip flexibility, pinky or palm placement for vibrato, hand placement for various muting effects...etc., stuff I never thought much about before...now fascinate me.

I'm having more fun than ever...and getting better.

[JAMKC]

Originally Posted by baimo

My guitar playing is similar to yours George. I do not think of it as practicing at all. Just playing and humming songs I like. I love doing it and am not playing with the intent to improve (it is nice when I do improve or learn a new trick or 2). I try learning new songs generally after hearing them on the radio, thinking that I might enjoy playing them. I then checkout ultimate guitar tabs and try playing the song. If it is not too difficult, I print out the song with chords and put it in my batch of songs. If the song is too difficult for me, I move on. I am just very happy playing one of my guitars. One of the real joys in my life. Like having perfect contact with my golfball and watch it sail in the intended direction.


BTW: I do not nor intend to ever gig. I play for my enjoyment only.

This fits me as well, although I'm early in my guitar re-birth and not yet sure where it will go. I have learned that an old man's brain can really struggle to memorize songs/chords! Probably not helping myself by playing LOTS of songs (or parts of songs in many cases ). Just started a little fingerpicking which is a longer term goal of mine.

[Johnny.guitar]

I started out on acoustic, but spent many years playing electric & singing in bands. The last year or so of doing full band gigs I stopped enjoying it. Hauling around full PA, amps and all that goes with it became a chore. A couple of years ago I was asked to do a solo acoustic gig and decided what the heck. Realized how freeing it was to strip it back and play whatever I wanted.
With electric I did spend time working out solos and practicing pick dexterity etc.
Now I enjoy finding chord inversions or transposing songs to different keys. I don't consider it practice though. I've gained a reasonably decent knowledge of the fretboard over the years. I think it's good for the mind to work these things out. But not so much practice....oh except for the thumb over the neck chords!
I keep trying....maybe one day I'll pull off Neon by John Mayer!

[Ricky Nelson]

Yeah, that's my playing / practicing too. Basically I'm more of a singer and play the guitar as accompanyment. Used to be in a band, but there was another rythm player and he was better than I was anyway, so it wasnt very demanding. I quit the band because the new drummer was so loud, and because my mother went deaf (I didnt want to follow that). Now I look for songs I like on acoustic, that I can sing well, and that people would like to hear. I'll play very occasionally for friends. Still working, so I dont have time for anything else. So yeah a bit lazy and thats what I like. For me playing is a zen like thing that makes time and everything else evaporate. Playing for others is a bit of a bother although its nice to get compliments. Maybe when I retire I'll find time for more. I just love the sound of the guitar and I love to sing. Fortunately I have a wife who likes to listen.
RNF

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by Ricky Nelson

I just love the sound of the guitar and I love to sing. Fortunately I have a wife who likes to listen.

Having a wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, room-mate, friend, or neighbor, who likes to listen, can make a big difference to one's motivation and enjoyment.

[Pitar]

The general acoustic guitar discussion forum is more towards product knowledge, or even expertise, over actual skills development. The bulk of the posting is about the former. But, hand meet glove, that's what it's all about and the Play forum is where the actual act of playing the guitar resides. Crazy the disparity in posts between the two. My utopian forum would be the reverse. If all acoustics were of your average Stella tonal quality and visual aesthetics that might happen.

[mattyc71]

I got back into the guitar a year or so ago, after a 20-year layoff, and started making decent progress. I was never any good back then, don't read music, don't gig and have never played with a band. This time around I've found that it all stays interesting if I get three things done each day:

Learn something new
Get better at some aspect of playing
Have some fun

FWIW

[guitar george]

From reading the posts in this thread I have concluded that playing a guitar and practicing with a guitar are two different activities.

Playing is the act of repeating what a person already knows at whatever level that person is already at. Playing a guitar, at one’s current level of ability, is not going to improve that person’s playing very much.

Practicing is a concentrated effort to learn more and to improve playing skills. This might entail taking lessons, studying music and guitar playing literature or repeating the same technique over and over. Practicing could be long and boring as one strives to master a particular technique or musical piece.

By practising, a person can improve his knowledge and ability to play the guitar. By playing, a person does not improve as much.

[Sonics]

I keep returning to this because it contains nuggets of pure gold.



This covers most of the above but goes a little deeper...




Practice session = Discipline (technique) + Fun (songs, experimentation & composition, etc...)

[adaw2821]

I usually play about an hour give or take a bit every night. Usually I'll mostly just play through stuff I know, mix of strumming, fingerpicking and everything in-between. I also love relearning stuff I haven't played in forever. Sometimes I'll hear something new I want to learn and I'll plod at it for a while and then move on to come back later. I usually get it but no sitting down and drilling for hours till its perfect.

Then I'll usually just fiddle around improvising for a while until I get bored. (looper pedal has made this so much more interesting!!!)

[Photojeep]

I lead the choir at my church and am the only instrument as well so a lot of my practicing during the week is learning the responsorial music and running through the songs we will be playing that upcoming Sunday. I run through the entire set, mostly to get used to the transitions from one song into another. For some reason my brain will hold onto the previous song long after it ends.

Because of this I find I must practice the "break" necessary between the first song in Dm to the next in D major. We have a repertoire of about 60-70 songs so it's not so much learning new music but rather dusting off songs we haven't played for a while.

Having said all that, during the week, usually around Wednesday or Thursday, I often find myself straying off the list and playing all sorts of other songs or chord progressions that pop into my head. Lately I've also started playing the major scale in various positions around the neck. I honestly have no idea why but it is challenging!

I've tried the regimented practice thing but could never quite keep doing it. I'm sure I would be a better player if I kept it up but I don't seem to have the stick-to-it mentality that requires.

I'm very similar to many previous posters in that I'm very happy to be playing but really have no illusions about doing this professionally. I get to play for my church and most of them seem to like what I do and that's good enough for me.

Best,
PJ