Originally Posted by: gmixstudioscan anyone reccomend a practice routine? I am trying to get fast but dont want to kill my hands in the mean time
also is it going to be hard as i use a les paul

Routine? To be honest, do whatever makes you want to continue playing. Don't make a/the routine such that it becomes a chore. Playing is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. The journey will always be a matter of constant learning so you want to set the precedent of how you practice now with a matter of how much you enjoy it when you pick up the guitar every time.

That said, this was my historical regimen from 'back when'...except for the GT part since there was no internet in the 80's: (1) Warm up exercises (run through scales etc) (2) Applying a learned concept (ie - you just got done watching a GT tutorial tutorial) (3) Learning a popular riff (4) Noodle-o-rama (this is the part where I just let rip for the fun of it)

The thing I lacked when I had such a regimen was a focus on understanding theory. I learned scales and had an ear enough to apply them but didn't understand what went on 'behind' the concepts. Playing is good but I think I would have been better if I had understood better what my ear knew to do

My first guitar was a '69 Les Paul Deluxe and it suited me just fine as a first guitar so, I don't think so.... :D