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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Poll: What's The Best Way To Practice?
Posted by: korblitz Aug 25 2012, 05:14 PM
How do you guys practice the GMC Lessons?
Do you use metronome or backing tracks? Do you use software like Guitar Rig and plug into the computer or connect to the amp? What's your ritual? How do you tackle a lesson? Tips and or Tricks?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 25 2012, 06:52 PM
I run through and learn everything on its own first and I don't play along to any backing track or metronome until I've memorised the solo (or song) entirely. I usually practise free-time for a while and then I'll use a metronome to work over any particularly hard parts.. but if I'm 80-90% there then I'll start playing over a backing track 
Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Aug 25 2012, 06:54 PM
i like to use drum loops 
Posted by: sumitnxt Aug 25 2012, 07:59 PM
in my view best way to practice is ...not forcing yourself to learn .. there no point learning anything if you are getting too serious about it
Posted by: PosterBoy Aug 26 2012, 08:29 AM
Learn the notes of the piece bar by bar slowly
Play it slowly all together in freetime
Play it at a slow tempo to metronome (focus on any tricky parts)
Increase speed using Metronome until I get to a Backing track tempo
Play to backing track, when done well
Increase speed by 5 bpm up to next backing track etc
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 12:25 PM
I like backing tracks or full song playbacks to play along and practice, cause it just feels better for me thanb playing to only a click or a drum loop.
Posted by: Slavenko Erazer Aug 27 2012, 12:29 PM
I think the best way of learning is playing in a BAND, but you didn't put that as an option in this poll 
!
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 12:48 PM
Playing in a band is the ultimate thing, but when we rehearse with BG everybody has to be able to play his chops already, so band rehearsals are only finetuning, the learning takes place at home in our case But in general you are absolutely right of course, forget about playing "with" clicks, backing tracks, drum loops or CDs, get a bunch of guys, go to your rehearsal room and PLAY!!!
Posted by: AK Rich Aug 27 2012, 08:10 PM
I would have to say that practicing naked is the best way to go... oh wait... thats not what you meant is it? 
I pretty much go about it the same way as Ben does, If it is a GMC lesson I take advantage of the backings at the slower tempo's to get things fine tuned, If it is a song I may use a media player to slow down the track to learn fast runs and correct phrasing, first by ear if I can then resort to tabs if I need to.
Posted by: SpaseMoonkey Aug 27 2012, 09:43 PM
Lately I've strayed away from a normal. I use to just do an exercises with a click track, but I get bored fast. So I've started doing backtracks with a drum to keep it on beat. Then I add my practice over that, it makes it more fun to me. It makes me practice more on the clarity of everything. Got a buzz, bad palm mute, or a note? Finish that session out and repeat it again and keep going, while slowly speeding it all up. This and I've been slowly working my ears with simple songs that I hear in my head adding bends and vibrato. Since you need to use not only feeling but hearing with them as well.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 28 2012, 09:04 AM
Definitely..!! Oh.. I see we're in a club of 2 right now with this....
*Stay quiet, pretend you didn't say anything...*
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 28 2012, 11:20 AM
But in general you are absolutely right of course, forget about playing "with" clicks, backing tracks, drum loops or CDs, get a bunch of guys, go to your rehearsal room and PLAY!!! Same approach in both my projects: Everybody already knows what and when to play and we rehearse together just to blend together as a band and manage to create a state of mind for the songs.
Otherwise, when learning something, my approach is similar to Ben's
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 29 2012, 08:20 AM
YES ! I always tried to get that across to other guys in the band but they never saw it that way. The only time most of them played was when they came to practise..
Posted by: Slavenko Erazer Aug 29 2012, 09:02 AM
Ben, most influental bands in the world created their ideas and chops on the rehearsals
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 29 2012, 09:08 AM
Well, some of them may have done.. like Metallica maybe. But the bonus was that they would play all the time, everyday probably.. so at least they were honing something. They were at least students to their instruments whereas a lot of people I've played with viewed their instrument as just something they did once a week.
I view practise and rehearsal as 2 entirely different things. Practise is what you do on your own, honing your skills. Rehearsal is putting it together with others and smoothing it out.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 29 2012, 09:13 AM
But that's not an excuse for not working at your part at home
Do you know how many rehearsals Dream Theater had with Mike Mangini, before hitting the first tour together? ONE rehearsal out of what I have heard Maybe that's exaggerated, but when you join a band, you most certainly don't learn the songs in the rehearsal room. When you write music together, a good idea is sparked at the rehearsal room and then pre-production kicks in at home on the computer. That's where the idea starts to shine. It's like digging a out a diamond - you know it's valuable but it won't shine until a jeweler will give it its facets This is my approach.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 29 2012, 02:31 PM
Do you know how many rehearsals Dream Theater had with Mike Mangini, before hitting the first tour together? ONE rehearsal out of what I have heard
Maybe that's exaggerated, but when you join a band, you most certainly don't learn the songs in the rehearsal room. When you write music together, a good idea is sparked at the rehearsal room and then pre-production kicks in at home on the computer. That's where the idea starts to shine. It's like digging a out a diamond - you know it's valuable but it won't shine until a jeweler will give it its facets This is my approach.That's what I call being professional!
I think that as Marcus said, everybody must go to the rehearsal with the parts learnt and well played so one rehearsal could be enough if each member does his homework. I like practicing in front of the computer and use drum loops, songs and metronome to do it. GMC backing tracks are also one of the things that I mostly use for practicing.
Posted by: TreyDeschamp Aug 29 2012, 02:32 PM
I usually just kind of pick the notes to get used to them. Then I try to play them video by video and then I'll go for the backing track and start playing from memory.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 29 2012, 02:39 PM
I think that as Marcus said, everybody must go to the rehearsal with the parts learnt and well played so one rehearsal could be enough if each member does his homework. I like practicing in front of the computer and use drum loops, songs and metronome to do it. GMC backing tracks are also one of the things that I mostly use for practicing.
Yes, indeed, backing tracks are always of good help
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 29 2012, 06:42 PM
Maybe that's exaggerated, but when you join a band, you most certainly don't learn the songs in the rehearsal room.That's what I'm talking about.. that's the way it's done !
Posted by: AK Rich Aug 30 2012, 05:34 AM
*Stay quiet, pretend you didn't say anything...*
Man its a wonder you guys were able get get any songs down together if everyone showed up for rehearsal to learn their parts of the songs while you waited for them so you could actually rehearse at some point. It must have been extremely frustrating.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 30 2012, 08:40 AM
Oh man, you have no idea how grueling it was for Voodoo to replace the old bass player. People either lack attitude or they simply 'catch' the harmonic progressions, but will not take the time to understand and assimilate the formulas and become one with the groove. There's a total lack of professionalism in the rock/ metal area in Romania - mainly because the scene does not pay. Why would you be a pro in a field where you can't earn your living - many might ask...
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