Finding time for guitar practice

[jster]

Here's an easy one. Put an ear training web site as your home page.

[Rick5]

I get home from work around 5:30 - 6:00 and go to bed around 10:30 - 11:00. It's usually pretty easy for me to get in 2 hours with my hands on the instrument during that period (not counting breaks). During the breaks, I'll read some theory, use earmaster pro, or something like that. I'd prefer to get in about 3 hours, but that has to wait until weekends. 2 hours feels a little less than ideal to me. No TV. I watch 1-2 hours per month tops.

[Mr JDG13]

+1 for the silent guitar, I can practice regularly from 11.30pm to 1 or 2am, although at that time I work more on the technical side. It's difficult to get through chord changes when you lack sleep...

[Brianmcg321]

When I started playing the guitar two years ago I only gave myself one rule:1. Pick up the guitar every day.It doesn't matter if its for 5 minutes or five hours. Even for just five minutes practicing some scales or memorizing the notes on the fretboard is worth it.One thing I did to make it easier is that my guitar sits on a stand next to the couch. If I sit on the couch I put the guitar in my lap. Sometimes my wife may give me a funny look if she is watching something important like "The Real Houswives of OC" or something like that. Then I just sit there practicing chord changes without strumming. Just switching back and forth.Don't ever think its not worth it since you can't get in X amount of time. Any amount of time is worth it, YOUR A GUITAR PLAYER MAN!!!

[pierre richard]

there you go brian...

time on the instrument...

[chancho]

Silent guitar?

[docbop]

Silent guitar?

Yamaha Silent Guitar

[Vladan]

Something tells me this is much less silent than my Tele played unplugged.

[Mr JDG13]

I find the steel model equivalent to any solidbody guitar indeed (except the onboard preamp with effects and headphones output). If you have an heavy picking hand, people will hear it, but if you comp fingerstyle it is fine.

[sjl]

What about dynamics?
You have to be flexible and modulate your picking strength.

[Mr JDG13]

What about dynamics?
You have to be flexible and modulate your picking strength.

Sure, but it doesn't change the fact that if you pick hard, for practicing purposes or any other reason, your slg will be heard...

[jster]

There are some other things that I forgot to mention. I often--probably more than half the time--do two or more things at once. So for example, I just finished this thing on secondary dominants, but it gave me a chance to memorize 7 harmonic minor patterns and how the arpeggios for the dominant chord fit into those scale patterns. So arguably I did three things at the same time. The downside is that things sometimes feel like they are moving slowly. But the upside is that what I am doing is tightly integrated. Or another kind of example. I do a fair bit of "composition", but I routinely try and motivate it with some bit of theory that I just learned. So the next thing I write may very well be something that uses harmonic minor and/or the relevant secondary dominant (III7).

Another thing is not fighting the flow. There are three parts to this and this applies if your day has some flexibility. 1) So you are practicing but there is some biggish outside interruption. In that case, rather than be frustrated, I think it is better to just switch gears to other things and return to the music later. 2) Or, more interestingly, if you hit some difficulty internal to your practicing, if all other things are equal, I think that is the best time to stop for the time being. Your mind will work on it in the background, then it often will seem easier when you come back to it later. 3) If you are really making some breakthrough, then cancel all the other things you have to do; if necessary, lie and call in sick, whatever it takes to really flesh out what you have discovered.

[Liarspoker]

Two of my three kids sleep in the same room so after the wife and/or I have finished reading them bedtime stories I play them guitar.

I ask the eldest ( nearly 5 ) which key I should play in and he mostly picks 'sharp' keys ( A sharp, C sharp etc ). Makes it interesting.

Then when they are asleep my wife lets me noodle on for a while so I get half an hour in that way.

I usually try for a little extra at various times throughout the day. Usually when the Mrs is out......ssssshhhhh.

[jazzman1021]

I enjoy practicing late at night. It's quiet and the interruptions are fewer. {Honey this honey that etc etc} Just me and my favorite audience Biscuit the dog. O course I'm retired and if I want to sleep during the day, I can. Sometimes I go all night, if there's nothing going on the next day. [Honey this etc etc] I can divide my time usefully.

[Vladan]

I'm all with you, although I don't practice, but rather create. Late night creation/ playing is why I mostly use Tele, although I'd rather X-155.

[pingu]

Answer ............ don't watch the TV

[jazzman1021]

I totally agree. I do most of my composing and more creative stuff in the evening. Biscuit never cares if I make a mistake or 2. I'm also fortunate because I don't have any neighbors very close, so I can use my amp at a lowered volume.

JM

[Vladan]

Lucky guy. In Europe, we're stuck in flats, so kid's just 5m and a plaster wall from me, therefore I'm all direct to mixer and on headphones. I don't even have a real amp at home.

[jazzman1021]

Living in the country has advantages and disadvantages. Gigs are harder to come by, but the peace and quiet help the serenity both for playing and living. TV is my enemy.

JM

[wizard3739]

I am retired from the Engineering world and am now enjoying an active jazz musicians' life. I usually practice early in the morning for a couple of hours (very quiet here at that time) and spend some time studying and practicing new concepts.

wiz

[Lane]

I get up before work and try to squeeze in an hour or two. Some days are better than others, of course. I used to play at night, but that doesn't work for me.

[coolvinny]

I try to do as much in the morning before work as I can, then some more at lunch hour. But even evenings when one is exhausted can be useful if they are used for the right material - which I believe to be more creative concepts (exploring new ideas). Or just chill and listen to jazz, which is important!

[Lane]

Good point about night practice. I often kick myself, because there was a time when I had hours to practice. I used to manage an apartment complex, and during that time, I was able to take advantage of several hours of downtime to play. Looking back, I probably wasted so much time work on the wrong things. I should've been training my ears, learning tunes, transcribing, etc. Instead, I spent a great deal of time working on scales. You live and learn, I suppose.