Am i practicing too much?

You will actually make far more drastic improvements if you can manage to leave your axe down for about a month (shock - horror!!). Spend the time listening to technically perfect guitarists with strong melodic skills (my playig and composition improved by listening to Vinnie Moore & Thodore Ziras while taking a long break). When you go back to playing you will find yourself staying away from the practice patterns and scales and focusing more on playing new original material. Once you know the scales and patterns I don't see the need to continue playing them as often, that only gets you faster at playing those scales and does little to advance your creativity. The strange thing is your technique will be stronger, more personalised and your overall playing will be more creative after a longer break. It's hard not to play for that long but i've always noticed the biggest advancements in my playing after longest breaks. It's not easy taking that much time off though!!!

Originally Posted by: SuperhumanYou will actually make far more drastic improvements if you can manage to leave your axe down for about a month (shock - horror!!). Spend the time listening to technically perfect guitarists with strong melodic skills (my playig and composition improved by listening to Vinnie Moore & Thodore Ziras while taking a long break). When you go back to playing you will find yourself staying away from the practice patterns and scales and focusing more on playing new original material. Once you know the scales and patterns I don't see the need to continue playing them as often, that only gets you faster at playing those scales and does little to advance your creativity. The strange thing is your technique will be stronger, more personalised and your overall playing will be more creative after a longer break. It's hard not to play for that long but i've always noticed the biggest advancements in my playing after longest breaks. It's not easy taking that much time off though!!!

Dude...Thats a level of psychotic zen only a monk living atop a mountain can achieve! :eek:

Originally Posted by: AkiraSaw him on the 23rd of October in Nottingham.

It was AMAZING!

still talking about this.......... ugh your so lucky.

Originally Posted by: SuperhumanYou will actually make far more drastic improvements if you can manage to leave your axe down for about a month (shock - horror!!). Spend the time listening to technically perfect guitarists with strong melodic skills (my playig and composition improved by listening to Vinnie Moore & Thodore Ziras while taking a long break). When you go back to playing you will find yourself staying away from the practice patterns and scales and focusing more on playing new original material. Once you know the scales and patterns I don't see the need to continue playing them as often, that only gets you faster at playing those scales and does little to advance your creativity. The strange thing is your technique will be stronger, more personalised and your overall playing will be more creative after a longer break. It's hard not to play for that long but i've always noticed the biggest advancements in my playing after longest breaks. It's not easy taking that much time off though!!!

could you repeat that?....

Taking a month off is pretty tough, it usually only works when you're stuck in doors with a new girlfriend playing naked twister;-) Seriously though, the longer you've been playing the more you realise that taking a decent ammount of time off actually improves your playing. Increased creativity and a fresh approach. Get out there, drink some beers, meet some more women. If your playing doesn't improve at least you won't be getting 'hairy palm' syndrome!

i sort of do the same thing i guess. i dont actually lay down the guitar entirely, but i do sort of take time off of one style to completely immerse my self into the other.

for example, i stopped playing blues for a couple months to only work on neo-classical. nowww, i know scales, etc much better so i can do blues better.

i also lay down the electric for weeks at a time to only play acoustic, which also greatly helps your electric playing when you go back to it.

2 dude keep up ur playing,!! maybe soon or l8r u'll be featured in a famous guitar mag!!

if i have a free time like yours, maybe ill be more dedicated than yours!! :D