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john of MT
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Joined: 10/08/09
Posts: 1,527
john of MT
Full Access
Joined: 10/08/09
Posts: 1,527
08/18/2020 5:33 pm

I've always thought the problem is not what to practice, but how to find the time. I max out at two hours a day and there's still stuff that doesn't get done. None the less, I keep reminding myself that it's not a competition, it's not a race, and the learning will never end assuming I want to keep learning.

Roughly, I have four main blocks of 'stuff' that I bulid my practice sessions around, the premise being it all needs to be practiced, there is no 'either, or':

- warmup and drills wherein I concentrate on building my chops, i.e., technique. I devote a lot of time to this because... you know... I need to.

- new songs; songs I'm learning for the first time

- review and refresh old songs; I gotta go back and practice songs I've learned or I'll lose 'em. It builds the repertoire.

- lessons (not songs), i.e., GT (or other) lessons that teach technique and new 'stuff.'

How much I or you devote to any of these blocks depends on what needs the work. While it's important to remain sharp with what has already been learned it's more important to concentrate on what one doesn't do well... the hard stuff. Constant playing and replaying of what is already down pat gets in the way of one's progress.

IMO.

Good luck, have fun.


"It takes a lot of devotion and work, or maybe I should say play, because if you love it, that's what it amounts to. I haven't found any shortcuts, and I've been looking for a long time."
-- Chet Atkins