Do you practice a variety of things or focus on a couple.

[Ides of March]

this is bugging me. I have a sheet of 10 things a week that I put down as my goals but worry if this is a good idea. Each of the 10 things is a different category that I feel I need to work, on. But then I wonder if I will be just forgetting what I just learned if I dont come back to it for a couple days. This could be anything from scales to technique to riffs and learning songs to going, over stuff I am familiar with. Would appreciate any suggestions.

[Fretgears]

this is bugging me. I have a sheet of 10 things a week that I put down as my goals but worry if this is a good idea. Each of the 10 things is a different category that I feel I need to work, on. But then I wonder if I will be just forgetting what I just learned if I dont come back to it for a couple days. This could be anything from scales to technique to riffs and learning songs to going, over stuff I am familiar with. Would appreciate any suggestions.

I used to do something similar writing a list of things I wanted to do, but here is the most important thing I learned as I saw all of these lists piling up and nothing was changing...

a "list" is not a "plan".

Seriously, lists just prevent you from developing a plan and also from then testing that plan and then revising the plan based on the results of that test to move yourself toward your goal.

One list is ok, as long as you sit down with a scientific method in mind and come up with a testable plan for each of those items.

But writing a list of 10 items every week is only going to make you feel guilty and unfulfilled when the lists pile up and nothing is really changing for you from one week to the next.

[Tomo]

These are like food! We love to eat all... but if we do...we get too fat!

List things first.

Choose things from that list.

More choices and pick a few items so that you can digest and feel good!

Must have: A note book and a pen. No computer!

Tomo

[MRCHILL4]

i have been working on finger strength and coordination for the better part of a year now. these are exercises that don't involve guitar, but are beneficial to guitar playing. i have notice a huge difference. not that i am playing harder ( although it is easy to do now if i wanted to do that ) but it takes less effort and expenditure of energy to do what i used to do. my endurance has improved and phrasing as well. i can concentrate on what i want to do, rather than the physical aspect of it.

[Tomo]

this is bugging me. I have a sheet of 10 things a week that I put down as my goals but worry if this is a good idea. Each of the 10 things is a different category that I feel I need to work, on. But then I wonder if I will be just forgetting what I just learned if I dont come back to it for a couple days. This could be anything from scales to technique to riffs and learning songs to going, over stuff I am familiar with. Would appreciate any suggestions.

Are you working what area? Condition for performance? Styles?

Tomo

[Ides of March]

I used to do something similar writing a list of things I wanted to do, but here is the most important thing I learned as I saw all of these lists piling up and nothing was changing...

a "list" is not a "plan".

Seriously, lists just prevent you from developing a plan and also from then testing that plan and then revising the plan based on the results of that test to move yourself toward your goal.

One list is ok, as long as you sit down with a scientific method in mind and come up with a testable plan for each of those items.

But writing a list of 10 items every week is only going to make you feel guilty and unfulfilled when the lists pile up and nothing is really changing for you from one week to the next.

Thanks, I have been trying to do a bout 5 to 10 minutes for each catagory and focus on what I need to work on the most. I ususally don't do all 10 I pick like maybe 4 depending on how much time I have. As far as goals for the week I just want to get in a structured practice regiment so I don't sit down and noodle, or search through books and magazines for what looks interesting. Cause then I am just wasting time I don't have to waste. I guess maybe cutting the list down to 5 and focusing on those all week or for multiple weeks would be better for now. But I really like this list idea cause I have not been noodling that much for a week now.

[Fretgears]

But I really like this list idea cause I have not been noodling that much for a week now.

That's definitely a good thing.

Could you give us an example of your current list with the same detail you have it written as?

[fatb0t]

No practice is wasted practice I believe. The more you play the better you get. The more variety the better. Just becareful not to neglect important things. Say you love soloing - make damn sure you practice just as much rhythm even if it doesn't interest you as much. The reverse is just as true.
Believe me when I say this is VITAL.

[Ides of March]

That's definitely a good thing.

Could you give us an example of your current list with the same detail you have it written as?

Absolutely

1 PICKING EXERCISES W/METRONOME TOP 3 STRINGS

2. TRILLS UP AND DOWN ALL KEYS

3. MAJOR SCALE, HARMONIC SCALE, I AND II

4. CRAZY TRAIN FILLS 1ST AND SECOND.

5. MEMORIZING NOTES ON FRETBOARD.

6. CHORDS (LEARN NEW)

7. ARPEGGIOS

8. IRON MAIDEN INTRO AND RHYTHM

9. TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN RHYTHM.

10. CRAZY TRAIN RHYTHM

Sorry for all the caps, that's my list for the week, I have become psycho about getting better on the instrument and search and search for a routing that will work for me. I have so much material to study from, magazines, dvd's, guitar grimoire, binder of Pebber Brown practice material from his site, cover songs, original songs.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the material and what to work on. Which is why I need structure, that's just the type of person I am.

[Ides of March]

No practice is wasted practice I believe. The more you play the better you get. The more variety the better. Just becareful not to neglect important things. Say you love soloing - make damn sure you practice just as much rhythm even if it doesn't interest you as much. The reverse is just as true.
Believe me when I say this is VITAL.

Thanks I agree. I am mostly a rhythm player but alot of the songs I like require riffs and knowing technique instead of just major and minor chords. I am a huge Randy Rhoads fan which is why I am doing alot of technique because he does fills and palm muted picking and stuff like that. I also like all types of Blues, Metal, Hard Rock, Alternative and such. But there are alot of chords other than Major, Minor, power chords, 7th's I don't know.

[Fretgears]

Absolutely

1 PICKING EXERCISES W/METRONOME TOP 3 STRINGS

2. TRILLS UP AND DOWN ALL KEYS

3. MAJOR SCALE, HARMONIC SCALE, I AND II

4. CRAZY TRAIN FILLS 1ST AND SECOND.

5. MEMORIZING NOTES ON FRETBOARD.

6. CHORDS (LEARN NEW)

7. ARPEGGIOS

8. IRON MAIDEN INTRO AND RHYTHM

9. TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN RHYTHM.

10. CRAZY TRAIN RHYTHM

Sorry for all the caps, that's my list for the week, I have become psycho about getting better on the instrument and search and search for a routing that will work for me. I have so much material to study from, magazines, dvd's, guitar grimoire, binder of Pebber Brown practice material from his site, cover songs, original songs.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the material and what to work on. Which is why I need structure, that's just the type of person I am.

Here's one thing I would do to start... put the songs in a different list from the theory stuff. Sometimes you'll be in the mood for learning songs, and sometimes you'll be in the mood for theory.

Next, let's simplify the theory categorization.

Technique/Style -

1 PICKING EXERCISES W/METRONOME TOP 3 STRINGS

2. TRILLS UP AND DOWN ALL KEYS

Theory-

1. MAJOR SCALE, HARMONIC SCALE, I AND II

2. CHORDS (LEARN NEW)

3. ARPEGGIOS

Specific to the guitar-

1. MEMORIZING NOTES ON FRETBOARD.

If you study intervals, you can get by for quite a while by studying the interval patterns on the fretboard while only knowing "the notes" on the lower two strings. Memorizing every note on the fretboard is a nice challenge but the value in it is that it allows you to communicate things to others playing different instruments. I really don't believe it makes you a better guitar player - knowing how to recognize intervals throughout the neck from any given root will, and tucks into the Arpeggio practice.

[Ides of March]

Here's one thing I would do to start... put the songs in a different list from the theory stuff. Sometimes you'll be in the mood for learning songs, and sometimes you'll be in the mood for theory.

Next, let's simplify the theory categorization.

Technique/Style -

1 PICKING EXERCISES W/METRONOME TOP 3 STRINGS

2. TRILLS UP AND DOWN ALL KEYS

Theory-

1. MAJOR SCALE, HARMONIC SCALE, I AND II

2. CHORDS (LEARN NEW)

3. ARPEGGIOS

Specific to the guitar-

1. MEMORIZING NOTES ON FRETBOARD.

If you study intervals, you can get by for quite a while by studying the interval patterns on the fretboard while only knowing "the notes" on the lower two strings. Memorizing every note on the fretboard is a nice challenge but the value in it is that it allows you to communicate things to others playing different instruments. I really don't believe it makes you a better guitar player - knowing how to recognize intervals throughout the neck from any given root will, and tucks into the Arpeggio practice.

I am not that familiar with intervals. I just ordered Berklee Music Theory book 1 for an introduction. To be honest, as long as my list has what I need to work on so I have a basis of what to follow it helps. I feel that breaking it further down will just add more sub groups to look at ya know.
Memorizing the fret board for me I figured will help me for soloing and finding what key the solo would be in.

[docbop]

My practice routine fluxuates from simple and focused to scattered all over. Right now I going thru of phase of scattered, unfocused, and frustrated. Trying to write a practice plan to use for new few weeks.