How much should you practice each day?
My goal is to in about a year try and get some form of a metal band, or heavy metal-like band together.
I've heard anywhere from 1-5 hours from different people. I've heard that too much can actually be counterproductive.
I'm just wondering how much is enough and how much is too much for someone who is serious about being a professional guitarist.
Thanks for the replies!
"Into ruin, I am sinking, hostage of this nameless feeling!" - MetallicA
An hour per day is sufficient to make progress. It allows you to schedule in various exercises.
I put in at least an hour every weekday and stop at 2. It just gets to be too much. Usually on weekends I take one day off, and another day with a half hour of practice...
-Metaellihead
Although "over"-practicing can be strenuous, I dont beleive it to be counterproductive. Most of the greats put in anywhere from 1 - 10+ hours a day. SRV was known to play from the mornings when his brother went to work until the night when he got home. Same spot in his bedroom without moving. If you are hurting yourself or exhausting yourself healthwise it is not advisable, but I dont see how you can practice too much. I watch my progress in exact proportion to my amounts of practice whether its 20 minutes or 6 hours. The more the better.
Kido
totally agree, the more you work on and the more you learn the longer it willl get, well for me it does anyway, cause i want to always keep going over what i've learned to keep from forgetting it. so my practice time increases steadily as time goes on.
The bridges that I walk across are weak. Frustrations fill the void that I can’t solely bear.
And I have turned away and searched for answers I can’t understand...
I say at least 3 hours a day is best :D
I try to practice two to four hours a day, more if I also have tunes that I have to learn for a band I play with. Most of the time my whole practice is spent learning jazz.
Practice daily, it's better to practice 1-2hrs a day than it is to practice once a week for 12hrs. The more the better, but the quality of practicing is more important than the quantity.
I practice at least 3 hours a day. But for me it isnt practice - its simpley playing - I never pick up the guitar cos I think "I guess I should practice or ill get rusty", its always cos I enjoy playing. I think if u have that attitude you'll progess well, any less than 1 hour a day I dont think is good tho
A much as you can.
aka Izabella
2 to 3 or as much as i can.
When i played bass guitar alooooooooong time ago, i used to practice 6 hours a day 6 days a week.
I much prefer 6 string now though! 8)
All you know about me is what I've sold you. I sold out long before you ever heard my name.
I sold my soul to make a record, Dip sh#t, And you bought one. ~Maynard James Keenan~
My goal for the coming year is 2 hours a day. It won't always happen, with a job and six year old son, but I'm going to try. "Practice" never feels like something I HAVE to do, It's just what I want to do whenever I can. Late at night and early in the morning (5:30 AM) is the only chance I get, but that is when I'm most relaxed and able to concentrate the best anyway.
I rise before the children and put in about an hour on acoustic. Then, weekdays, I aim for 1.5 - 2 on electric in the evening and do more on the weekends. Lately I've been rehearsing with a band which adds another two hours or so a week to my practice schedule. (If my wife read this, she'd say I play more than this but I think she exaggerates a wee bit about how much I play.)
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
For me: I aim for 45 minutes a day. (plus at least 15 minutes of goofing off)
I don't see any problem with practicing as much as you want; unless, of course, negative physical problems ensue; or your practice time has negative social or life consequences. (i.e like total withdrawal, or missing work, or neglecting loved ones...etc.)
Sometimes, a guitar-free day per week is beneficial. Provides a much needed rest; and will allow for other personal development which will bring more to your study of guitar; and make you a more well-rounded person. In other words, you don't have to practice every day...after a while, such a strict schedule can get overwhelming...
happy and healthy playing,
~ghost~
8)
"Colour made the grass less green..." 3000 miles, Tracy Chapman
Sometimes I have to do any reading on theory or articles (like those found here, for instance) during my so-called “practice timeâ€. Inescapable. Oh well.
As for Musenfreund's comment about his wife overestimating his practice time, I've found it's best if I practice when my wife is sleeping or preoccupied, i.e. not in the room.
If I pick up my guitar she will invariably come through and utter a sentence that starts with “As long as you're not doing anything could you ….(some chore).†Extremely annoying. It's not that I'm trying to avoid household chores of course. :D She walks/runs several miles every evening, I'd like to see the reaction I'd get if I stopped her halfway through and asked her to take out the trash. "As long as you're not doing anything..." Yeah, that would go over real well. OK, I'm done complaining.
:lol: :lol: :lol: Kinda funny actually. I tell myself that anyway.
Sometimes, a guitar-free day per week is beneficial. Provides a much needed rest; and will allow for other personal development which will bring more to your study of guitar; and make you a more well-rounded person. In other words, you don't have to practice every day...after a while, such a strict schedule can get overwhelming...
Exactly why I do one day reduced practice and one day off from practice.
-Metaellihead
