Off Topic Practice practice practice (for 100 days)

[Metalcat]

Hey guys, haven't posted so much in a while, but I thought I'd pick your brain on something.

So I dunno if you've seen this video...

but basically I want to try something similar to just improve my technique all around. But more specifically precision, speed, and no tension with my picking technique.

I'm about to go off to my second year attending Berklee, and a lot of times I felt inferior and several steps behind a lot of my peers there. In my private lessons I had to go back and totally readjust the way I pick and while it was a short term setback, it was still highly demotivating, on top of everything else I felt around these other amazing guitarists. But now I'm making an active effort to change that.

I'm not aspiring to be the next Petrucci/Vai/Govan/(insert shredder here), nor am I planning on investing my time writing heavy or technical music, but I do listen to some of that music occasionally, and the benefits having really good technique regardless of what style of music you play are obvious.

My only uncertainty is exactly how much I should practice to see results in 100 days...an hour a day? 2? 30 minutes? I'll have a lot on my plate anyways between classes, homework, practicing what I need to, practicing what I WANT to so I don't go crazy, and I'm looking to start a band AND find a job too. So the key here is going to be efficient practicing all the time...

So if any of you guys out there have tips, exercises, links, videos, ideas, songs to check out, or anything pertaining to the above...it would be highly appreciated.

Day 1 is TODAY, and I'm ready to make the next leap as a guitarist.

 

[Rachmaninoff]

My only uncertainty is exactly how much I should practice to see results in 100 days...an hour a day? 2? 30 minutes?

You can't predict something abstract like musical development. In 100 days, with discipline and following Michael Angelo Batio's "practice practice practice" mantra, you're likely to improve, but it's hard to say how much or where. And the amount of time is just as much as you can without feeling discomfort or pain, which is a sign that your body needs rest.

As a teenager, I used to practice for insane amounts of time daily, something like 6 hours straight. And I kept this for years, not 100 days. So don't be frustrated if your development in 100 days is not as much as you imagined. Just carry on and keep practicing.

practicing what I WANT to so I don't go crazy
(...)
So if any of you guys out there have tips, exercises, links, videos, ideas, songs to check out, or anything pertaining to the above...it would be highly appreciated.

You answered your own question. If you'll dedicate such an amount of time doing something, it must be something you enjoy from the heart. That's something all the great professionals (not only musicians) have in common: they love what they do.

As for the specifities, I quote Billy Gibbons: play what you want to hear. Do you want to play legato solos? Practice legato. Do you like speed picking? Practice alternate picking. Also observe your reference guitarists: watch Steve Morse doing his alternate picking, and think how his technique can help to improve yours (and not how you can copy him). Effortless picking? Watch Yngwie and pay attention to his right hand, what can you borrow from him?

And be sure to record stuff, so you can look back and see how you improved, and you become a source of motivation for yourself.

 

[ThatsAgood1jay]

You can't predict something abstract like musical development. In 100 days, with discipline and following Michael Angelo Batio's "practice practice practice" mantra, you're likely to improve, but it's hard to say how much or where. And the amount of time is just as much as you can without feeling discomfort or pain, which is a sign that your body needs rest.

As a teenager, I used to practice for insane amounts of time daily, something like 6 hours straight. And I kept this for years, not 100 days. So don't be frustrated if your development in 100 days is not as much as you imagined. Just carry on and keep practicing.




You answered your own question. If you'll dedicate such an amount of time doing something, it must be something you enjoy from the heart. That's something all the great professionals (not only musicians) have in common: they love what they do.

As for the specifities, I quote Billy Gibbons: play what you want to hear. Do you want to play legato solos? Practice legato. Do you like speed picking? Practice alternate picking. Also observe your reference guitarists: watch Steve Morse doing his alternate picking, and think how his technique can help to improve yours (and not how you can copy him). Effortless picking? Watch Yngwie and pay attention to his right hand, what can you borrow from him?

And be sure to record stuff, so you can look back and see how you improved, and you become a source of motivation for yourself.

+1

Think about how a person goes about losing weight: There is no magic bullet, it takes consistent effort and discipline.

Practice daily, and stay focused on what particular aspect you want to train, and the rest will follow. If you feel like you just don't have it today, or maybe you skipped a practice day, don't let that demotivate you. Come back more determined the next day.