What do you practice?

antonyiv

I saw a thread asking how often do you practice. I'm interested in what do you actually practice?

Here's my list:

1. Chord progressions using CAGED in various keys: 1-4-5, 2-4-5, 5-2-1, 1-6-4-5, and other combinations
2. Arpeggios - I start with major and minor triads in all 5 positions and then add extensions - 7, 6, 2, etc
3. Inversions - again, I start with major and minor triads and then add chord extensions
4. Some left and right hand exercises for about 2-3 minutes
5. Jam on a track or two for about 5-6 minutes
6. Debug a song - open a tab and try to understand the chord sequence, the harmonization and the solo

Needless to say, that's a lot of stuff, I try to cover it everyday but sometimes just don't have enough time. Unfortunately, I tend to forget stuff if I don't practice often. 

I have a plan for the future how to practice modes, but right now I'm trying to nail these things first. 

Cheers

TheBlueWolf

At the moment I'm trying to consolidate my theory and ear training into being able to find intervals on my guitar. I started just with the length of the top E string but I'm planning to be able to find intervals across the strings too

Plectrum

Simple. I just practice the songs I'm actually going to perform. If there's some part of it which is particularly difficult I'll probably practice that in isolation before putting the whole thing together. I don't practice things I'm never going to play; life's too short.

Lestratcaster

As I'm a tutor now I just revise the material I'm going to be doing in lessons. If its a new song I haven't taught before and don't know how to play obviously I'll have to learn it myself first. If its grades sometimes its presented differently to how I was taught at music institute. I'm always working on my technique and rhythm as its important in music (90% of guitar playing will be rhythm) so I make sure strumming patterns are accurate, locking in with the drums and riffs are played correctly, and tight as hell.

viz

TheBlueWolf said:

At the moment I'm trying to consolidate my theory and ear training into being able to find intervals on my guitar. I started just with the length of the top E string but I'm planning to be able to find intervals across the strings too

Good stuff

Roland

Plectrum said:

Simple. I just practice the songs I'm actually going to perform. If there's some part of it which is particularly difficult I'll probably practice that in isolation before putting the whole thing together. I don't practice things I'm never going to play; life's too short.

The remaining life in my fingers is too short for much more than this. A few years ago I would have practiced new techniques. Nowadays I'm more interested in hanging on to what I already know

Barney

Iv been going back to basics ...or stuff that i thought i knew but didnt well enough ..been working a lot on triads in different inversions keys over all strings ect ...working on my phrasing and timing using them ..then adding the scale notes to them...basically trying to break out of the scale type playing and pick my notes and know what they are going to sound like

bingefeller

I'm just learning songs and practicing alternate picking. 

EricTheWeary

I might be the wrong person to answer this...I have never had a properly structured practice routine and I'm definite that my playing is all the worse for it. Certainly spent a lot of time in aimless noodling. However, I find now I do need to do some aimless noodling just to warm up - get my fingers working properly and get my ear 'in' although it's problematic if I then don't get beyond that. 
Our set list is fairly static but I might work on something from it although more likely that I work on a song we might do ( my ' if they piss me off I'm doing this in the next band' set list I keep in my head). I try to include an element of transposing within this - if it's a three chord strum still trying to work out which three chords. Usually within this there's also an element of revisiting a technique or idea that I haven't thought about for ages. 
Couple of times ( sorry, this might get weird...) I've stood in front of the mirror and delivered a lesson on something. That is a bit weird but it's helped me realise how badly I've (mis)understood something so had to go and work it out. Not entirely sure that's a recommended method though! 

ArchtopDave

1. Practice for my guitar lessons at the moment is about using the Diminished Scale, and Modal Borrowing.

2. Band stuff. Working up existing songs, and learning new ones.

antonyiv

EricTheWeary said:

Couple of times ( sorry, this might get weird...) I've stood in front of the mirror and delivered a lesson on something. That is a bit weird but it's helped me realise how badly I've (mis)understood something so had to go and work it out. Not entirely sure that's a recommended method though! 

Great thing is that you practice public speaking that way too.