If you had 8 hours a day to practice what would you do?

hollywoodrox

That’s 24 20 minute chunks . I would probably build in 20 minute breaks every 40 minutes 
  So it would be less than 8 hours 

I would spend most time learning songs . Solos , rhythm parts ,picked arpeggios  in 20 minute sections until I could play them comfortably at speed and probably with most a bit over speed to allow for when a band speeds up in a gig situation so you have room to breathe.

I would learn the notes of the fretboard better I’m still slow at the moment 

I would use the Solo app by Quayle and beeby to increase interval knowledge ,triad knowledge etc 

I would learn more licks in the style of my fave players and practice adapting them to new licks and jamming over backing tracks 


I would practice some more of my more basic songs for performance so I can go to jam nights 
join a band or do gigs  while I’m learning more challenging stuff 

Practice writing songs in the style I like , guns n roses and sleaze rock kinda stuff 


The ultimate goal is to learn to play like Slash for me  and play stiff I really like in a band  not just stuff I’m playing because that’s all I’m capable of .


looking at my journal  it takes about 4 hours or more to do 2 hours of solid practice .
this factors in  30 minutes for breakfast , a break for a poo about 20 minutes  so 70 minutes is 
lost somewhere , just setting the time on amazing slow downer software between songs , drinks of water between reps ,etc .  I have a huge jug of water .

bearing this in mind . 8 hours would get you 4 hours so,I’d practice .

I always allow a minutes grace at each end of an exercise  so say I started working on it at 
15.40   I would count the time from 15.41 to 16.02 as 20 minutes  so on 6 sections of songs that’s about 12 minutes accounted for.  

It’s very easy to think you have practiced more than you have if you don’t record times and info 
  You can also note down small revelations  that help you for further sessions , like ,do that thing with grip on descending part etc 

tanihhiavlt

I like George Bensons attitude, "I don't call it practice, I call it getting better acquainted with my guitar".

Think about it, you don't practice having friends.. Well perhaps after lockdown we all do, but guitars are almost friends.

8 hours, I'd spend several hours listening to music. About an hour learning sight-reading. An hour strumming and singing. An hour composing and orchestrating. 30 minutes on Tarrega, an hour transcribing, 20 minutes on a technique, 10 minutes stretching, 40 minutes on scales or arpeggios and the rest on improvisation over jazz standards. 10 minues per string (a la Advancing Guitarist) then all in.

mudslide73

I had a 3 year period of 3-4 hrs a day about 20 years ago which accelerated everything nicely. I did spend a lot of it jamming over records which made me stronger at improvising. I've never had the time to do this again but I attribute all that I have feel wise to that time. I think there's too much distraction now even though the learning materials are infinitely better.

Dominic

I would never touch Steel Strings or slim necks.
I would play nylon Classical and maybe deviate into Flamenco and a bit of light-hearted Samba.

A classical guitar,well played is a very beautiful sound ;an electric guitar outside of a band/orchestra isn't.

dindude

I’d A/B two almost identical overdrive pedals 

icu81b4

Best advice is to sell the game console. They suck time straight out of your hands. 

Greatape

I generally practice in hour or two hour stints, as life allows. If I have two hours (less common), it would usually include at least half an hour of reading, ten to fifteen minutes of metronome practice (who doesn't need to work on their time?), Fifteen to thirty mins of chord scale stuff, round the cycle of fourths and then the remainder would be working on a standard or something using ireal pro - the melody in different registers, harmonisation options, improvisation, etc. I don't do this every day. Some weeks I might only get to it three or four times. 

I think the key - not matter what the time allotted, be it an hour or five mins - is to be focused. By all means have a bit of time for mindless noodling, but also have a bit of time where you can practice on something that you can make progress on. So presently, my side project is learning some Meters tunes on bass. Which is great ear training because my bass clef reading sucks, so I'm doing it off the records. And I'm not really a bassist.  This is something I can squeeze into little slots here and there. 

I don't think I could do eight hours. My brain falls over too quickly. 

bbill335

i'd probably play video games and watch telly for most of it

fretmeister

I would follow an already proven curriculum set by a professional teacher.

I’d also take the grading exams to keep myself honest and make sure my progress was tested and confirmed. 

stickyfiddle

2 hours each on bass, keys and drums, and 2 hours of listening to new music.

Barney

Probably anything but practice ....I think you can learn all you need in a few hours a day  iff working on the right things 

nikharrison

Depends on your objectives

And whether or not those 8 hours were concurrent or broken up.

Teetonetal

I used to practice 4 - 8 hours a day, combined with studying at the GIT.

The key thing is that the practice has to be structured, goal oriented and develop over time.

My practice was largely dictated by the course but it was vaguely:

Ear training, sight reading, scales, arpeggios, chords, licks in style of, learning songs for live performance. Specific techniques and fingerstyle.

A key element was recording yourself and listening back. Really focusing on quality.

It made me loads better, but I did struggle to maintain it. 

Greatape

Teetonetal said:

A key element was recording yourself and listening back. Really focusing on quality.

Oh man, yes - but is there anything more brutal than listening back to oneself?  Especially as relating to time. 

bertie

I do,  and I don't, not sure I ever have TBH probably why after 47 years Im still shit  

no need to thank me  - 

PolarityMan

Based on experience......... I'd prob just piss around on youtube for a bit, then get distracted and record a bunch of chugging on reaper. 

Jalapeno

I think I'd tit about and waste the majority of time, but I'd love the opportunity.

LastMantra

The only time I really practice is if I'm trying to record something and I repeat it to get a good take. I've not actually recorded anything for years. 
If just playing is practice then I do that a fair bit. 
I usually come up with a part play it a few times to get it smooth then start playing something else.