Hey guys!, what are you guys guitar routine like?, what do you guys mainly practice, and how do you do it?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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What's your guitar routine?
- Thread starter Leo The Gym Rat
- Start date
My routine always falls around what I'm working on at the time - I try to split it between something technique & something Improv. So I'm working my hands & my ears 
Technique wise - This month I've been working on cleaning up my sweep picking muting - so sitting with a click at slow speeds and checking that no strings are ringing out, then doubling speeds & being really picky about not trying to rush going quicker until the technique is clean
I've really been working on this for the last 2-3 months
Improv wise I've been experimenting with some chord substitutions - chords that you can replace chords in a progression with & stacking Maj & Minor 7th chords to get really sparkly sounds. I usually do this with my loop station so I can hear both parts against each other
Technique wise - This month I've been working on cleaning up my sweep picking muting - so sitting with a click at slow speeds and checking that no strings are ringing out, then doubling speeds & being really picky about not trying to rush going quicker until the technique is clean
I've really been working on this for the last 2-3 monthsImprov wise I've been experimenting with some chord substitutions - chords that you can replace chords in a progression with & stacking Maj & Minor 7th chords to get really sparkly sounds. I usually do this with my loop station so I can hear both parts against each other
Generally, I practice songs for fun at the moment. It helps me decompress a little bit so that works for me. It's also more fun than doing exercises so in the limited time I have I prefer to do that.
I've had multiple routines. Right now I'm only doing what I feel like I need at the moment. I've learned it's best to divide it in parts.
For example: 1. Scales and fingergym 2. Arpeggios and triads 3. Chords (Full shapes and theory), rhythm, and fingerpicking if you play that.
Practice those sections with the technique you want to improve, or use parts of songs as practice. You can make a more detailed practice sheet if you'd like. JustinGuitar has a great sheet on his site. (I don't know if I'm allowed to link it)
For example: 1. Scales and fingergym 2. Arpeggios and triads 3. Chords (Full shapes and theory), rhythm, and fingerpicking if you play that.
Practice those sections with the technique you want to improve, or use parts of songs as practice. You can make a more detailed practice sheet if you'd like. JustinGuitar has a great sheet on his site. (I don't know if I'm allowed to link it)
I just started following a routine in the last couple of years after just playing for a long time, it has really advanced my advancement considerably. Right now I do technique exercises for about 15 minutes, then I pick one key per day (like A one day, B the next, etc...) I spend 5 minutes finding that note all over the neck with a metronome. Then practice scales and modes in that key and focus on finding the 1st, 3rd, and 5th note of the scale. Then I usually improvise over backing tracks or looped chord progressions. All of that usually takes about 90minutes, after that, I work on learning different songs, riffs, and Syngates lessons and etudes.
I start with a warmup of the basic 1-2-3-4 alternate picking at a VERY comfortable tempo (165 bpm at the moment) - not going for speed here, going for building consistency and reducing movement while also getting the blood going. I then segue into some downpicking warmups by running through MoP and a few other downpicked Metallica gems also at that same tempo on the metronome.
After that I have ten minutes each of hand-sync exercises (always a weak spot for me) and legato strengthening before moving into a few minutes each of alternate picking and economy picking scale lines, then I move into things I want to work on.
Right now, that's what I call "Hammett quads" and the opening patterns of Tesla's Modern Day Cowboy solo, which is a 16 note pattern lick across the top two strings.
After that, I either learn a new song or just play along to songs I already know and love.
I try to do this at least 4-5 times a week, but I make sure I play for at least 10-15 minutes a day, no matter what.
After that I have ten minutes each of hand-sync exercises (always a weak spot for me) and legato strengthening before moving into a few minutes each of alternate picking and economy picking scale lines, then I move into things I want to work on.
Right now, that's what I call "Hammett quads" and the opening patterns of Tesla's Modern Day Cowboy solo, which is a 16 note pattern lick across the top two strings.
After that, I either learn a new song or just play along to songs I already know and love.
I try to do this at least 4-5 times a week, but I make sure I play for at least 10-15 minutes a day, no matter what.
Usually start with some song I know well, to warm up and get in the mood. Then I go for some chromatic runs to a metronome, first at a "medium" speed (for me medium, advanced shredders may find it slow), that is slowly pushed (like 1 or 2 bpm per week), and then the same runs about as fast as I reliably can play in sync with the metronome. After that, time for practice of scales and arpeggios and "technique of the week" stuff.
Might overall average like 30-60 minutes per day on routine stuff like that. Then another 1-2 hours of learning/practicing songs and improv.
This is just a general order, sometimes I might just start with some cool riff I really wanna learn, or I may have discovered a cool track and really wanna try some improv on it, but most of the time I follow the routine.
Might overall average like 30-60 minutes per day on routine stuff like that. Then another 1-2 hours of learning/practicing songs and improv.
This is just a general order, sometimes I might just start with some cool riff I really wanna learn, or I may have discovered a cool track and really wanna try some improv on it, but most of the time I follow the routine.
I wouldn't say I have a routine as such but when I practice it usually involves any of the following for however long I feel like doing them;
Modified 'spider' exercises, hand synch exercises, legato and alternate picking excercises, rhythmic picking and subdivisions (gallops, and 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, triplets), tremolo picking, downpicking and stamina building and occasionally I will throw in some some theory stuff like scales and chords. Mixed in among this I will play or learn fun riffs and songs.
I really need to sit down and organize all of this stuff into an actual routine one day.
Modified 'spider' exercises, hand synch exercises, legato and alternate picking excercises, rhythmic picking and subdivisions (gallops, and 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, triplets), tremolo picking, downpicking and stamina building and occasionally I will throw in some some theory stuff like scales and chords. Mixed in among this I will play or learn fun riffs and songs.
I really need to sit down and organize all of this stuff into an actual routine one day.
I really like the idea that you can always improve on something and make it even better just by practicing a little bit!, its great!My routine always falls around what I'm working on at the time - I try to split it between something technique & something Improv. So I'm working my hands & my ears
Technique wise - This month I've been working on cleaning up my sweep picking muting - so sitting with a click at slow speeds and checking that no strings are ringing out, then doubling speeds & being really picky about not trying to rush going quicker until the technique is clean
Improv wise I've been experimenting with some chord substitutions - chords that you can replace chords in a progression with & stacking Maj & Minor 7th chords to get really sparkly sounds. I usually do this with my loop station so I can hear both parts against each other
I
When i'm struggling with some technique i'll just try and play a song includes the technique, its real fun!
I don't have one. I should though. I guess my routine for the moment is my practice of the Beat It solo. I do like 10 minutes of playing it with a backing track, then 15 minutes of practicing it with a metronome and 10 minutes of practicing very small sections like a measure. I add about 20 minutes when I feel ready about learning a new section.
Practice some songs, play some songs I know and that's are fun, then play with a metronome, and practice other things depending on what I want to work on that day, then I learn 2 more notes of a dream theatre song. Hopefullly by the end of my life I will be able to play at least one full dream theatre Song. Or a synyster solo
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