r/guitarlessons • u/Urizen1017 • 1d ago
Question Practice Routine everyday
Hi. I have been trying to relearn guitar after 17 years. I have been practicing scales and reading about theories. What is your usual practice routine everyday? I have been struggling to have a time as I work 13 hrs shift per day for 4 days a week. I find it hard to focus when I am on my fays off because I am always tired and needed a full rest. What advice can you give me guys? Thank you so much!
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u/ziggymoto 23h ago
You are contrained by that schedule for sure. Try 15min on the same skill each of the days with the shift. Then for the off days practice 2 hours+ each day including that same skill you practiced on the shift days but also adding others. You can weekly cycle the skills you work on for those shift days.
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u/RTiger 23h ago
Be kind to yourself. With that schedule, the four work days are likely to be very light. Maybe 15 minutes maybe 5. That’s okay.
On the three off days try to do more. It is vital to keep it fun. However some drills can help you have more fun down the road.
I favor a balanced approach, outlined in the book The Musicians Way. It includes learning songs, ear training, music theory, paper music training, scales, metronome work.
On the light days maybe just try to play a song you know well. On the heavy days try to balance the fun with progress. If you are fortunate, guitar time will be a refuge that recharges you. Not another chore to do on a day off.
Again keep the main focus on fun, be kind to yourself.
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u/vonov129 Music Style! 21h ago
It makes no sense to look at other's practice, think about what you want to work on, check what you{re struggling with, pick 2 or 3 things and work on 2-3 exercises that will help with those
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u/Jazzlike_Middle_9828 20h ago
Pick a song you like, maybe one you used to know from when you last played, and work towards it.
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u/TepidEdit 14h ago
You can get routines, and then you get bored and then it feels like work.
I would go for a loose structure, but make sure its easy to difficult and simple to complex.
Try to learn scales and theory in context. It's better to learn a song and figure out what key its in, what scales are used, why it sounds dark, tense, happy, light as this will help with ear training.
Then there is ear training. The biggest part I missed for years. Work out simple melodies by ear each day - haply birthday things like that. In 100 days you will be able to think of a melody in your head an play it - that is cool!
Good luck!
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u/AttilaTheHun2025 22h ago
I do not read theory or doing scales... I just play what I like and make it interesting. Even that way, sometimes is hard.
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u/Adventurous_Sky_789 1h ago
Put on YouTube videos about theory while doing casual stuff. Find any topic and just listen to the lesson. Do that several times. Eventually it’ll make sense just from exposure.
This is what I did to get familiar since I have a very short attention span so I tend to miss details. It’s a good way to learn topics on the go and during downtime if you’re unable to practice.
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u/OutboundRep 1d ago
Make a list of the things you want to get better at. Be realistic about how much time you have. Divide that time between the things you want to get better at. Do the thing for that amount of time when you can.
Remember that anything above zero compounds, don't let perfect be the enemy of good and you'll likely find energy from and for your hobbies.
For me I "budget" to have an hour and I specifically work on Transcribing, Right Hand Rhythm/Muting, Songs, Solos, Scales, Triads in that order of importance. That's 6 things for 10 minutes per day. I lock in and do an exercise to a metronome as much as I can for that ten minutes. After I've done all those things, and only after I've done those things, if I have more time I'll repeat one block, maybe pick up the next part of the song, next phrase in the solo etc.