|
I'm glad you are asking this. The nice thing about developing as a musician is that there are so many things involved. My approach is to focus on one thing, then when I poop out, I work on something else. I can usually go back and forth, from freshness to boredom, to freshness, etc.
Here are some general things that I think are good to work on:
1. Learning the notes on the fingerboard.
2. Learning the notes of the major and minor scales.
3. Learning the notes of the major, minor, and dom 7 chords.
4. Learning to get around on the fingerboard with single notes.
5. Learning to play good rhythm guitar in all styles.
6. Learning to read music at least at the level of being able to play a few bars in a few minutes. Sight reading is great, but it may not be necessary for you. But being able to decipher and work out how to play a passage in a few minutes will serve you well.
At my peak, in my youth, I played a 5-hour gig 4 nights a week, rehearsed 2 hours a day, taught guitar 3-4 hours a day, and practiced 2 hours per day. I really improved quickly during that 6 month period.
I also have dropped everything else in order to master some aspect of the guitar. Other than teaching guitar to make a living, I would virtually stop playing live in order to concentrate on a 3-month plan of study. I did that several times and really cleared up some old lingering problems.
I am back playing again after a 25-year layoff. My method now is to play along with good blues backing tracks or Youtube blues videos. Everything I work on is done while I play with the backing tracks. This is to develop my sense of being in a band and all the timing and phrasing issues that entails. It would be better to be in a band, but not very practical at this time in my life. I do not play scales ever. I believe that the strict up and down the scales in even-note rhythms does not promote good phrasing habits. I am now focusing on developing good reflexes, so that good ideas emanate from within and can be played expressively. On the positive side of the scale issue, they are good for learning what goes on when the melody or solo interacts with the chords. Scales are also good for learning the fingerboard. Scales are also good for working on some very basic aspects of technique: alternate picking, use of the fourth finger, and solid, even time with an even dynamic level. Zoning out and really meditating on these aspects of technique while playing 12 major scales in every position will take you to a higher level, but maybe at the cost of playing robotically. Just let me say that I am glad I did that when I was young, since it gives me a lot of technique at the root of my playing. Nowadays I can afford to play with backing tracks and doing the other things I mentioned above.
Some people here are working with me off and on through PMing. If you would like some help is setting up a practice routine, I'll gladly try to help you with that. I really enjoy helping others in their journey.
__________________
larry
|