How do you work on technique?

I have always loved practicing. The analysis of weaknesses, the solution, the regimen. I'm working on musical ideas now, but plan on working on strength and control soon. What kinds of exercises are you working with? I'd like to get some ideas.

I know that some people believe that practice of this type constrains inventiveness, and I respect that view. But for those of us who are trying to improve our physical abilities, in the service of musicality, can anyone share their practice routines?

I read that BB still practices scales. What about other players?

Play till your fingers bleed! Then play some more.

Seriously, I have two methods: learn new songs that force me to pick up new chords, progressions and formations. Even simple nursery rhymes help me understand how melodies work with chords and you never know when this stuff pops up in a jam

The other method is to go back to my classical guitar books and relearn all that stuff I forgot while playing my Tele!

As far as your talking of building strength... I average at least 1+ bluegrass jams a week that go at least 2.5 to 3 hours of people really keeping hard at it and that's always a exercise in technique and strength. Especially as long jams go on where some strength is an issue and I have to work to keep it all together whether it's concentrating on others, playing technique or just keeping it together to keep playing. I never get that much time or intensity playing by myself.

Larry, I'm probably repeating myself here, so forgive me if I sound like a stuck record (CD)...

Back when I had time to academically practice 4-8 hours a day, I assigned different disciplines to incremental time frames, and technique and fingerboard knowledge occupied between and a hour and a half and two hours per practice session. I kept a metronome and a log book to chart my progress (benchmark of the guitar geek!). Basically, I took one thing at a time, and just drilled it and lived it until I was sick of it. Obviously, the starting point was major scales (both the Bill Leavitt Berklee-approved fingerings, and later, the shred-approved three note per string forms), and after that, it was the modes (emphasis on natural and dorian minor, lydian, and mixolydian; I've always tended to work more with stuff that I could actually practically apply... phrygian is a great sound, but my material hasn't screamed for the sound very often); following that were all the arpeggios, harmonic minor, melodic minor, whole tone, diminished, augmented.

As to the above, I did a variety of things with them. I picked every note, and conversely, played everything as legato. Since 4 and 3 are the basic subdivisions, I played everything in common time, and with a triplet feel. I played everything with straight eighths and with swing eighths. I practiced placing accents on different counts within the measure. I was a huge fan of melodic sequences; I did groups of four, groups of six, diatonic thirds and sixths, as well as fourths and fifths, to name a few. I worked with sweep picking, finger picking, hybrid picking. I worked on legato hammers and pulls that involved all combinations of the fretting fingers. After the technique workout, I made certain to turn on the radio, get rid of the rules, and just play for an hour or so, to check out what had actually managed to creep into my improvisations. After that, it was transcribing solos, trying to write or arrange something, screwing with different musical styles, sight reading, ear training, and messing around with rigs, pedals, and weird noises.

Anymore, my technique (such as it is) basically subsists as the result of my obligations. Pending gigs and teaching commitments are certainly motivating factors, but nothing causes me to scrutinize my motor skills and basic mechanics like recording... every nuance, every articulation, every squeak, every whatnot - can make or break it. At my session earlier this eve, I was charged with playing standard and high-strung acoustic guitars, and mandolin. The physicality and dynamic character of each instrument is a bit different. In particular, what I was hearing on mandolin was, well, a bit beyond where I'm at with that instrument at the moment. In order to cut the tracks as I wanted to hear them (honestly, sans studio "trickery"), I had to knuckle down pretty hard. As a result, I know that instrument better today than I did yesterday.

I have always loved practicing. The analysis of weaknesses, the solution, the regimen. I'm working on musical ideas now, but plan on working on strength and control soon. What kinds of exercises are you working with? I'd like to get some ideas.

I was going to wait several days to watch this thread grow before participating, because I do not have a healthy practice regimen. I do play 1/2 to 1 hour nearly every day, which is probably not bad for a geographer who does not play out, ever.

Mentioning BB King is funny, because I doubt he ever picks up his instrument and says 'now I have to practice those scales and runs to sound more like BB.' He just does his thing. I do recall an '80s interview with Gilmour where he says he wished he could play like EVH. Even as a kid I saw humor in that (and I respect both players).

My practice regimen is to play as many different types of music as possible. I try to learn licks and songs that are chord-based, and lead-based. I attempt various genres like jazz (from gypsy to bepop to swing), rock (everything), classical (more interested in transcribing and arranging non-guitar music like piano sonatas), standards, (Gershwin and Porter) easy listening (Mercer, Hart, Mancini), Música Tejana/Norteña (Nebraska City radio station has me hooked), and even country.

For note reading I grab an instrumental book like clarinet, trumpet, or flute, and try to play music I have not heard before. We have a lot of sheet music in this house. Also, hymnals are fun because they typically have 4 parts, and two of them are in bass clef.

Part of my practice regimen is to turn on the radio and try to pick up what is playing and play along. There was a time when I could never do that, but with practice it got easier. I know this is a scatter-brain tactic, which is why I withheld adding right away. I guess I do a little of everything so that some positive comes out of it.

--gh

I end up practicing during the commercial breaks of the evening TV shows I watch. Just have the TV remote handy, press mute, then play an unplugged Tele or Strat until my show resumes. BION, I end up practicing about 1 hour a night!

As far as substance, I try to practice a little right hand picking each day to keep sharp. Banjo rolls, alternate, sweep, tremolo, and chickin picking. Also work on licks that are difficult. Some homemade and some I picked up from others. I also try to play and sing at the same time to keep my coordination of the two in-sinc. Very rarely power on the amp.

As you can see, my practice regime is very laid-back, but I enjoy it.:wink:

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I hardly ever play at home. However, I've been gigging a whole lot for the last five years, and while I don't work on technique away from the gig, I do THINK about it, and I try little things out at just about every gig.

My technique is utterly different now, compared to five years ago! Yet it was such a gradual change that I barely noticed it as it was happening...

Cheers, Tim

Mentioning BB King is funny, because I doubt he ever picks up his instrument and says 'now I have to practice those scales and runs to sound more like BB.' He just does his thing. --gh

I just finished BB's autobiography. He says he plays scales before every gig. He reads music and has studied the Schillinger System since the 1960s.

Concurring with Mr. Bowen above, I too generally just "practice" what I'm working on for gigs and projects and upcoming gigs and projects. Thankfully most of that involves something technical that I've never encountered before. Learning something technical that's new to me seems to help ALL aspect of my technique. Along with that when I hear something on a record that I like - any style, any instrument - I try to learn it.

When I'm burned out, in a rut and don't really want to practice, but feel that my chops are "down", I will absolutely practice scales. All of the major scale modes. Each one up and down the neck from the 3rd fret to the 15th. Strict alternated picking usually with a metronome starting only as fast as I can play cleanly and then increasing speed over a week or two. To really work my picking hand I'll attempt to play that Villa-Lobos Em etude (the one every classical guitar major has to learn for it's right hand workout) with a pick. I do it fairly slowly but it's great for string skipping accuracy.

I used to practice 1-2 hours a day, partially on basic technique (I have always struggled with my hands) and partially just to learn whatever music I need for an upcoming gig.

Now that I am not performing so much, I will go through practicing binges for a few months splitting my time on technique and studying different musicians to try and broaden my sound...right now I am just getting out of a slump of playing6-8 hours a days with students and not practicing. I have some gigs coming up so now I have to knock the rust off...

i'd say, make sure at least part of your practice regimen is playing tunes all the way through.

I play drums a lot. Exercises for drums are good for my guitar playing, because rhythm is always my weakness.

I also do a LOT of critical listening to other music - not just guitar, but also music from other cultures. Other players, especially non-guitarists, are a fountain of inspiration for me.

For practice, I'll try adapting ideas from other instruments to the guitar... for example, I'll try to learn a Miles Davis solo. Since he's on a trumpet and has breath control, I have to think hard to find ways to adapt his phrasing. For a REAL challenge, try following a master turntablist with pick scratches!