Practicing

[Flatearth]

Hey all...

I've played guitar for a bit over a year, and I've got a few questions about practicing. Any help you're willing to give is much appreciated.

First of all, how should I break a practice down? Assuming I've got 1-2 hours to practice, how much time should I spend playing/learning songs, how much practicing older scales and chords, and how much learning new ones?

Secondly, is it better to learn as many chords and scales as I can, or to really perfect one or two before moving on.

My last question kinda ties in with the second one; if I'm practicing scale patterns (just for example, 1,3,2,4 2,4,5,3 3,5,6,4 on major scale) with a metronome, is it better to learn one pattern until I can play it at a blazing speed, or to learn a whole bunch at the same time and slowly work up the speeds together?

Thanks in advance to anyone who cares to answer.

[Lava_Monster]

Well, my advice is warm up with scales. Practice chords. Techique afterwards. If time allows a song.

I think the key for scale pattern is to learn them well. Doesn't matter how fast you can do them, as long as you know them by heart.

[CW14]

is it better to learn as many chords and scales as I can, or to really perfect one or two before moving on.

Perfect them too some degree. You don't have to be playing them at 400bpm with 64th notes, just get them to where you can play it cleanly, doesn't matter how fast. Do this, and you can go on learning as many as you want.

BTW, same goes for songs - whatever you do, don't clutter up your repertoir with bits 'n pieces that you can't play properly.

[spanky10940]

I try to mix it up a little each time. i don't have as much time as you do, but to start, I'm the scale guy.. I do a few of the blues pent, (just love them blues) and then major, etc... Then I practice a few songs that i want to learn. i finish up with the parts of the song that I'm having trouble with and if I have time, and other things are mastered (or as close as I'm gonna get, time permitting) I'll start on something else..

I figure this way I'm getting a little of everything in and then when I just want to sit and mess around, I can practice the songs I've been trying when I sit and concentrate. For me, just sitting and playing is so much fun, it works out...

don't know if it did, but I hope that helps..