How many hours a day do you practice?

[Zaulkin]

Just curious - How many hours a day do you guys spend practicing? And by that I mean solid, timed, focused practice, digging deep and trying to further your skills as a guitarist/song writer? Noodling doesn't count.

Initially I was very curious about the guitar and in the first week I was clocking up quite a few hours without thinking. As I got more fascinated with the instrument I was probably peaking at about 6 - 8 hours a day of intense practice, more on the weekends. I had a lapse about a year ago where I didn't do much - perhaps an hour a day - and my improvement seriously went downhill. I'm pretty sure this happens to most people who get interested in something, there is usually a point where just it all just becomes too much.

Anyway, I'm back up to my old standards now at about 3 - 5 hours of solid practice a day, plus 2 - 4 hours of uni. Ever since I've been noticing big improvements each day...

So how much time do you spend on the guitar? Do you search for ways to get technically better or do you prefer to jam?

[werdna]

I was doing about 3 hours solid, including ear training, not including noodling. After three months, my chops were tighter, and I have better navigation over the fretboard. But then I got a job, and now I get maybe an hour a day, not digging too deep.

[druz15]

I barely ever practice anymore, except band practice, and I find that because I'm away from it for a few days at a time, I play much more interestingly and almost better because I'm so into it cause I haven't had a chance to pick up a gat in the last day or whatever.

But I'm sure if I practiced regularly I'd improve speed etc, but I find then I get bored of it and less inspired.
Weird

[Sabbath Bloody Sabbath]

I'm at about 2-3 Hours a day at the moment. Has varied through the years though with work, uni etc. I get really excited about learning new things and writing new songs so it helps more with the motivation I find than just jamming the same shit every time, thats when you feel you're in a rut i find. Jamming definitely has its place though...

[danrawkz]

0 hours per day at the moment, too many assignments

[Zaulkin]

I barely ever practice anymore, except band practice, and I find that because I'm away from it for a few days at a time, I play much more interestingly and almost better because I'm so into it cause I haven't had a chance to pick up a gat in the last day or whatever.

But I'm sure if I practiced regularly I'd improve speed etc, but I find then I get bored of it and less inspired.
Weird

I think if you practice a lot you naturally get bored with the sounds of different scales etc... So if you do less, some of those 'new' sounds are more exciting when they come out.

Jamming definitely has its place though...

I agree, jamming with others is one of the best (and most fun) ways to learn. Plus it makes you keep up with the guys you're jamming with.

[The Scarecrow]

I don't really practice so much as I songwrite, but I guess the two aren't mutually exclusive. Generally, I'll pick up my guitar for at least an hour or two most days, usually whilst dinner is cooking/watching news/before anyone gets home that'll be bothered by noise.

I have at least 6-8 hours a week band practices between both bands, more if gigs or recording coming up.

[crowbgood1]

I've been playing the same lick for 30 yrs or so.... I practice it still.

I find as I get older I can play it with less notes.

I like that lick a lot.

[Bg]

I've been playing the same lick for 30 yrs or so.... I practice it still.

I find as I get older I can play it with less notes.

I like that lick a lot.

This ^

Shit, I know how to play Freebird, is there anything else to learn?

I don't sit around playing the pentatonic scales. I already know them. I don't need them faster.

[ash]

I've been playing the same lick for 30 yrs or so.... I practice it still.

I find as I get older I can play it with less notes.

I like that lick a lot.

I practice this much ^

[Rog]

While I was unemployed, I practised quite a bit, but only the lead work on all the songs my bands play and only then because I was transitioning from playing bass to guitar.

Now that I'm carrying the country again, all I ever do is polish those solos.

[jeremyb]

Busy job, 3 year old son, pregnant wife, earthquake bullshit, so basically fuck all, need to make more time, would like to achieve an hour a day, but generally have been so tired after work and doing home things all I want to do is chill in front of the TV, but back into biking to work again and the exercise is helping with my energy levels so things are looking up I'm improving slowly, so need to put more work in really

[hamo]

Yeah, basically none. When I do eventually get the chance to pick up my guitar I do some clueless noodling, play the three or so riffs I can actually remember, and then give up. Will improve this scenario eventually.

[bender]

I barely ever practice anymore, except band practice, and I find that because I'm away from it for a few days at a time, I play much more interestingly and almost better because I'm so into it cause I haven't had a chance to pick up a gat in the last day or whatever.

But I'm sure if I practiced regularly I'd improve speed etc, but I find then I get bored of it and less inspired.
Weird

This.

I've been playing the same lick for 30 yrs or so.... I practice it still.

I find as I get older I can play it with less notes.

I like that lick a lot.

And a little bit of this.

I think if you practice a lot you naturally get bored with the sounds of different scales etc... So if you do less, some of those 'new' sounds are more exciting when they come out.

And definitely not this.

I have a fundamental problem with music that sounds too perfect. Overproduced, overpracticed, overstudied, overcorrected (whether it be autotuned or edited so that it's in time) music makes me angry. Flaws, rawness and unpredictability are what makes music interesting to me. In the same regard, the first time I play a lick is the time I like it most and the more I try to recapture that by practicing it the more it loses it's soul. My solution is to figure out the essence of the lick (usually two notes that fall on particular beats) and practice working those into whatever else I happen to be playing. That way they come out different every time. What I'm getting at is that the only practice I really do is noodling.

[calling card]

I've been playing the same lick for 30 yrs or so.... I practice it still.

I find as I get older I can play it with less notes.

I like that lick a lot.

Haha 25 yrs for me and some large gaps, like the growth of a tree...
Good subject, I've been back into the electric 4 yrs, honeymoon is over & have to beat myself with a stick to practice. When I do it's about 45 mins to an hour, no new songs for awhile, just trying to hang on to what I've got before it fades from memory. There is a lot you can do with even 4 notes purely by listening, no theory study required. Thought I'd get off my arse & jam standing up last night, really dug in and enjoyed it, loud too.