do you practise guitar every day?

**Dennis D** · 02-10-2018, 07:28 PM

Louis Armstrong:

" If I don't practice every day, I know it.
" If I don't practice for two days, the critics know it.
" If I don't practice for three days, the public knows it . "

If it was good enough for Louis Armstrong - -

**blackcat** · 02-11-2018, 07:33 AM

Tend to practice one hour am ( am retired, but social life, large garden and all other stuff tend to make days fly by ) and then to wind down after 21h where poss'. Main focus is the current song project and then other stuff in the evenings. Not a big fan of TV!

**mwcarr** · 02-11-2018, 08:29 AM

I play everyday, at least 15-20 min. A lot of days several times a day. I'm not so sure I'm "practicing", but rather working out ideas that have been on my mind. I think about music and musical ideas a lot away from the instruments (I play violin as well). In my life it's an unbroken thread that is many years long. I do have a weekly standing gig that keeps me pretty sharp and for which I try to bring new material to regularly.

**marcwhy** · 02-11-2018, 11:09 AM

I have an hour lunch break at work, unpaid; while most chumps stay at their desks working -- free! -- I scarf my lunch and practice for the hour (at least 4/5 days, if not 5/5 sometimes!), unplugged, so I don't mess with anyone. I have several books there I'm working through, play-alongs, etc. It feels good.

BTW (and there's research on this stuff), "a little each day is more effective for the brain than a lot on Saturday."
[Kind of like alcohol: one drink a night is fine, but save up and drink seven on Saturday -- not good!]

Marc

**Kirk Garrett** · 02-11-2018, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Steven Herron

I owned a guitar shop for about 30 years and taught on average about 40 - 50 private students each week ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens. The students that improved the quickest were the ones who played guitar everyday. It seemed to be the consistency of having the guitar in their hands everyday so that it felt like it belonged there that made the difference.

In other words, the students who played guitar for an hour each day progressed more quickly than the ones who practiced for 7 hours on the weekend and then skipped the rest of the week.

Hope this helps!
Steven Herron
Learn To Play Chord Melody Guitar

This. Just like learning a foreign language. Doing it every day, even for only 30 minutes, is way better than waiting till the weekend or taking breaks for three or four days at a time, if you want to keep growing. I start losing my touch on some things after a couple three days off.

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**darkwaters** · 02-11-2018, 02:23 PM

I try, and that's as brave a claim as I'm willing to make.

**Kirk Garrett** · 02-11-2018, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by smokinguit

I do every day, but sometimes I need a little vacation. When I get back my guitar gets very hot for the first week!

This too though. An occasional break (couple times a year for a week or so) can really refresh things and make me reassess what I really want to do musically.

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**deacon Mark** · 02-11-2018, 03:00 PM

I do not but if I am in the shop repairing guitars I do play them a bit. I tend to try and play everyday some but not always making it. Then I do have days on weekends or vacation day and I might play 3-4 hours. From the time I was about 19 till age 23 I taught and played hours every day. I would guess average then 5 hours guitar in hands doing something. The real practice and how I got much better was playing gigs. I played with a big jazz band for 2 years and while hard to solo a lot it sure made my playing better and sense of time.

Johnny Smith said that practicing was practicing but playing was playing, and that mattered much more. He was right in many ways. Finally if any of you are like me I have other things that interest me. I have been a runner and cyclist for 40 years and nothing better than a nice long bike ride on a beautiful day. The older I get the less I worry about it and frankly the only thing to work on when you pair it down to the basics are tunes. Learning new tunes, memorizing tunes and melodies, and figuring out different ways to play through them.

**rpjazzguitar** · 02-11-2018, 04:43 PM

I probably average two or more hours per day with a guitar in my hands, counting rehearsals and gigs.

It's not well organized, though. Some of it is working on tunes I'm playing with groups. Some of it is working on whatever feels like the biggest weakness that week. Some of it is getting passages or licks up to speed. And, when I'm focused, I use IRealPro, pick a tune, pick a strategy (where on the guitar, which scales, which substitution patterns) and then play the tune in 12 keys.

**sgosnell** · 02-11-2018, 05:07 PM

But remember, 12 keys isn't enough. There are 30 keys.

**Boston Joe** · 02-11-2018, 07:20 PM

Just about every day. I only don't practice if I'm away without access to my guitars, or if I've recently done a lot of playing and am "played out." But other than that, I'll grab my guitar any time I've got some free time.

**Musically Mr M** · 02-12-2018, 12:07 AM

Yes, after over thirty years of playing, performing and teaching, I still practice everyday. It's regimental for me; just like eating, taking a bath, going to the toilet etc.

**txguitar** · 02-12-2018, 01:12 PM

Almost , I play Mon-Sat, 2- 3 hrs a day. I take Sun off. I've read several interviews with players I really respect and they
say that you should take one day off to give your hands and your mind a break. It makes sense to me, if you really practice
aggressively through the week, I think you need a break. I find it hard not to play though, I get so used to it though the
week, it's hard to break the habit. I say practice makes better !

**Skip Ellis** · 02-12-2018, 09:10 PM

I never practice (or play) unless I'm learning a new tune for a gig. Once in a while, I pick up the Martin flat top and play for 5 minutes but that's about it. The stuff I've already learned, I don't forget.

**sgcim** · 02-13-2018, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

I do not but if I am in the shop repairing guitars I do play them a bit. I tend to try and play everyday some but not always making it. Then I do have days on weekends or vacation day and I might play 3-4 hours. From the time I was about 19 till age 23 I taught and played hours every day. I would guess average then 5 hours guitar in hands doing something. The real practice and how I got much better was playing gigs. I played with a big jazz band for 2 years and while hard to solo a lot it sure made my playing better and sense of time.

Johnny Smith said that practicing was practicing but playing was playing, and that mattered much more. He was right in many ways. Finally if any of you are like me I have other things that interest me. I have been a runner and cyclist for 40 years and nothing better than a nice long bike ride on a beautiful day. The older I get the less I worry about it and frankly the only thing to work on when you pair it down to the basics are tunes. Learning new tunes, memorizing tunes and melodies, and figuring out different ways to play through them.

Deacon, a friend of my father's lived in an apartment on the floor below Johnny Smith when he lived in the Bronx, and he said JS used to drive his family crazy by practicing something like twelve hours a day.

**voxss** · 02-13-2018, 06:17 AM

every day i start with Latin..lifts me big time..Wave,Day in life of a fool,Corcovado,Triste,Shadow of your smile,Once i loved,then some WES,,,YEsterdays,,Polka moon beams etc..all transcriptions..band in box....do i improvise..when you consider whats written down.no...magic is to translate them..add the odd Flourish...Scales...how tedious...never lol

**Little Jay** · 02-13-2018, 06:52 AM

I play everyday, it's not necessary always practice, but if I haven't played I feel like something's lacking. For that reason I can't go away from home for more than a day without taking a guitar :-) (Holiday without a guitar is not a holiday for me). My girlfriend had to get used to that but she accepts it now....

Normally I come home from work after picking up my girlfriend from her office and our daughter from the after school around 18:30. After preparing diner and socializing, from around 20:00 I have time to play, but I don't play uninterrupted. I usually play a little, then chat with the family a bit, play again a little, make a phone call, watch tv with the guitar on my lap and quietly noodling, check the jazz guitar forum on the ipad, and so on. When I prepare stuff for a rehearsal I can be a bit more focused. But normally, transcribing a solo and practicing it - like the Nina Simone solo I did some weeks ago - can take about a week easily.

I usually have one or two rehearsals plus a gig on Friday or in the weekend, so on average 2 or 3 three nights of extended uninterrupted playing. When I don't have a gig or rehearsal that week I visit one of the local jam sessions for continuity.

My favorite moment of the week is Sunday morning, when the family is still asleep or minding their own business and I take my morning coffee and a croissant to the 'guitar room' and play for a couple of hours. It gets even better when my 8 year old daughter joins and sings along with my playing or asks me to play one of the songs she sings. Life's good!

**deacon Mark** · 02-13-2018, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by sgcim

Deacon, a friend of my father's lived in an apartment on the floor below Johnny Smith when he lived in the Bronx, and he said JS used to drive his family crazy by practicing something like twelve hours a day.

I never implied or said he did not practice only to distinguish between practice and playing. We all need to practice but real learning is on the gig.

**Endorphins** · 02-13-2018, 05:21 PM

If I play a little first thing in the morning, it increases the chances of me picked it up again later in the day. Right now it might just be a run through of whatever tune I'm writing or working on.

Later in the day I might have more of a focused session.

**Thelonious1** · 02-15-2018, 10:15 AM

if im not pushing 3 hours + im not advancing. 2 hours of practice is just maintenance.

**ESCC** · 02-15-2018, 11:38 AM

Not during the Olympics.

**neatomic** · 02-15-2018, 07:54 PM

my guitars are very clever...if i don't pay attention to them..they start surrounding me...gotta pick one up, just to back the others off

night of the living guitars

haha

everyday for decades..and if i miss...i make up...

like eating & sleeping

a constant joy they've always been!!

cheers

**TKO** · 02-16-2018, 02:53 AM

I need to have a guitar in my hands every day. Even if it's for just 5 min. Usually it's progressing some idea I've had or working on some practice routine I have trouble with (nowadays it's mainly classical/flamenco/other acoustic guitar techniques

). When I have more time to spend, I'll try to do some songwriting also.