Practice Schedule

One of the great benefits of a good teacher is that they can really help you do this so that you're spending your time addressing your weaknesses, while at the same time giving you ideas on how to vary the routine so it doesn't get boring.

Canned schedules try and include all the important bits -- working on scales, rhythm, right hand techniques, fingerings, songs ... but all of them ultimately are going to be worse than something tailored to address your personal individual needs and wants.

My personal schedule will work really well for no one else than me. You almost certainly don't have the same strengths and weaknesses. You almost certainly don't have the same goals and (unless you're another total anachronism like myself) I know you aren't learning the same types of songs ;)

I think this question is frankly the best argument for someone you can look to as a mentor, if you pay them or not.

I would have to agree about lessons/mentoring. I've been playing for a few years and have mostly taught myself. I got to a point where I spent a lot of time trying to devise practice schedules and learning plans and found that I was mostly just rying to avoid the fact that I was at a plateau. I took a few lessons and that really helped. Plus it important to play with people, even if you are paying them... hmm that sounds a little naughty ;) .

Yeah, definately, a mentor is great. Also, just play! Even if it isn't the most productive practice, it still helps. When I give guitar lessons, I always encourage independent study.

The mentor thing is a "gimme", no one can fully assess their own weaknesses.

On a more helpful note, I would say that you attempt to view your own abilities as objectively as possible and see what really seems to be missing, even if the closest you can get is really vague, general type areas like "theory". That at least gives you an area to start rounding out.

Playing with other people at approximately your experience level will be good for you too, in terms of bringing all your abilities up to a more even plane.

Here's what I do - and no matter what I've practiced over the years, it's always been four big parts:

1) Warm-up
2) Review older material
3) Work on new stuff
4) Plan the next day

As I practice, I make notes in a log. Stuff I'm not happy with, things that need more work. And at the end of a session, I figure out what I'm going to practice the next day.

Warm up is important. That always includes some scales and finger drills, and I have slightly different warm-up routines for acoustic, electric, and classical... acoustic is heavier on finger drills (I think I get more benefit from the heavier strings), electric is heaviest on scales, classical is a lot of right-hand (picking hand) drills.

Review is essential - that's where the real progress comes, believe it or not. I mark my pieces - if I try something and it's flawless first time, I junk it; I figure if it's great at first sight, it's not at the level I need to work on. If it's not flawless, it goes into daily practice. Once it's flawless, I put it aside for a week. If it's flawless again, I put it aside for a month. If it's flawless then, I junk it... but if it's not the way I want it after one week or month, back in the daily practice pile with other new stuff.

My practice routine constantly evolves, and yours will too. Years ago I did the really regimented 20 minutes of drills, 15 minutes of scales, etc. thing. That gets old, and doesn't really address your needs, just the general chops.

Thanks a lot for the replies guys

I know that would be great to have a mentor, but at my current state of funds, it is impossible...

Well, I'll try to check my weaknesses the best I can, search for new material, and employ the tips you've given me. thans a lot.

m4nti

Noteboat's suggestion of a practice log is very very good and one I heartily agree with!

Logs, notebooks, whatever you want to call them . .. keeping track of what you're doing is very very important to improvement.