Practice Routine, this is what I've planned Options

[mattacuk]

Hi there,

A tip I might add is Try to remember its not just about how many hours you put in. Maybe less focus on hours might see better progress. I tend to practice 3 hours or so a day but I dont worry about the time (since muris put me in the right direction).

I used to spend hours a day just playing exercises and scales seperate which although good perhaps wasnt the most efficient way of practicing. Now I tend to shred through the scales I wish to practice using sequencing and other chops which means im practicing both technique and scales at the same time. The other portion of my practice I devote to learning songs/tracks of my favorite players which makes practice really fun and I think thats what its all about!

What im trying to say is dont make your practice "robotic", make it fun and you will feel even more motivated

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This post has been edited by mattacuk: Feb 23 2009, 05:35 PM

[Oxac]

I understand if everyone can't understand my post. It's one of those things that you almost already have to have done, to understand the greatness of it. Anyway, I'll try to explain the best way I can (using examples).

Terminology:

Arpeggio: Notes of a chord played separately. EX: Amaj7 arpeggio - A C# E G# (you can extend it in octaves, doesn't have to start on A and it doesn't have to end on G#).

Triad: Chord that consists of three tones. The normal way to build triades is by stacking thirds from a scale.

EX: A major. A B C# D E F# G#.

From this you can build 7 triads.

A - a third up we find C#, third up again and we find E. A C# E gives us the A major chord.

If we use the same scale, starting on B (dorian) we get B D F# (B minor triad).

A seventh chord (Amaj7 per example) is built the same way, but you just add one more third.

Amaj7 is then A C# E G#.

Amaj9 is then A C# E G# B

Could you tell me Amaj11?




Another way to look at 7th chords is by stacking triads separated by a third. In Amaj7 that gives us A major triad (A C# E) + C# minor triad (C# E G#).


The major scale has 7 modes ( Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian). Guitarists love shapes, boxes and patterns so we have a couple of ways to relate them to guitar. There are awesome topics about modes and such in Andrews theory lessons.

Basically Ionian is starting on the first note of the scale, Dorian - second (I wrote them in order above).


So what I like to do is to take one of these "boxes" and play patterns within it. But even more rewarding is playing these arpeggios that exists in every box. All of the 7 different arpeggios exists in every box. And when you're done practising all of the arpeggios in all boxes all over the fretboard in all keys, you know ALL shapes basically. Maybe you shouldn't practise 4 notes per string boxes so much as it is a little overkill so of course you'll have positions you haven't practised, but you'll probably never feel sorry about it. I'd just practise 4 nps boxes to be able to transition from the normal CAGED (andrew theory lesson - READ IT!) and 3 nps boxes smoothly.

I hope this clears things up, if not... maybe an instructor with more experience than me have understood my approach and can explain it better.

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[playaxeman]

I understand if everyone can't understand my post. It's one of those things that you almost already have to have done, to understand the greatness of it. Anyway, I'll try to explain the best way I can (using examples).

Terminology:

Arpeggio: Notes of a chord played separately. EX: Amaj7 arpeggio - A C# E G# (you can extend it in octaves, doesn't have to start on A and it doesn't have to end on G#).

Triad: Chord that consists of three tones. The normal way to build triades is by stacking thirds from a scale.

EX: A major. A B C# D E F# G#.

From this you can build 7 triads.

A - a third up we find C#, third up again and we find E. A C# E gives us the A major chord.

If we use the same scale, starting on B (dorian) we get B D F# (B minor triad).

A seventh chord (Amaj7 per example) is built the same way, but you just add one more third.

Amaj7 is then A C# E G#.

Amaj9 is then A C# E G# B

Could you tell me Amaj11?




Another way to look at 7th chords is by stacking triads separated by a third. In Amaj7 that gives us A major triad (A C# E) + C# minor triad (C# E G#).


The major scale has 7 modes ( Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian). Guitarists love shapes, boxes and patterns so we have a couple of ways to relate them to guitar. There are awesome topics about modes and such in Andrews theory lessons.

Basically Ionian is starting on the first note of the scale, Dorian - second (I wrote them in order above).


So what I like to do is to take one of these "boxes" and play patterns within it. But even more rewarding is playing these arpeggios that exists in every box. All of the 7 different arpeggios exists in every box. And when you're done practising all of the arpeggios in all boxes all over the fretboard in all keys, you know ALL shapes basically. Maybe you shouldn't practise 4 notes per string boxes so much as it is a little overkill so of course you'll have positions you haven't practised, but you'll probably never feel sorry about it. I'd just practise 4 nps boxes to be able to transition from the normal CAGED (andrew theory lesson - READ IT!) and 3 nps boxes smoothly.

I hope this clears things up, if not... maybe an instructor with more experience than me have understood my approach and can explain it better.

He Oxac

Thanks for your understanding and patience to explain this.

You did a good job; now i bell is ringing.


Could you tell me Amaj11 you asked

This consist of
1 A
3 C#
5 E
11 D

Don't know for sure if I have to add the 7th (G#) like you did in the Amaj9 is then A C# E G# B

Now about playing the boxes

Don't know if I understood completely but I think it is like this:

Ionian: A B C# D E F# G#.
Dorian: B C# D E F# G# A
Phrygian: C# D E F# G# A C
etc. for Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian

So now you play in box 1 these 7 arp's for Amaj7:
Ionian: A C# E G#
Dorian: B, D, F#, A
Phrygian: C# E G# C

etc

I will take a look at Andrews lesson also for better understanding

Cheers

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[Oxac]

Not 100% correct I'm afraid. The Amaj11 arpeggio includes the 7th and 9th. So it'll be: A C# E G# B D.

About the arpeggios again: What I mean is that in A major scale there's 7 7th arpeggios. They are

Amaj7, Bm7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E7, F#m7, G#m7-5. What you need to do is to understand that these are the arpeggios. You don't have a B dorian arpeggio, that's a scale (equal to A major, but starting on . However the chord you build from B dorian is Bm7.

This way you'll really learn what you can built out of the scale. You'll also learn when to use what scale.

IE. You have a chord progression: Gm7 C7 Fmaj7 - you'd naturally use the F ionian scale to improvise. (II V I in F major).

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This post has been edited by Oxac: Feb 24 2009, 09:14 AM

[playaxeman]

Now i understand what you mean

Thx

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[AdamB]

Well it's going great so far, managed to do all my practice up until this morning. I missed this mornings 2 hours 30 mins, as I'm moving this mornings and friday evenings onto sunday this week, as I had to be in work (lame) early this morning and my girlfriend is away on the weekend so I'm spending some time with her on friday evening instead. I think so long as I come up with ways to re-arrange my practice when things like this happen, I'll still be able to keep it up. Having the sunday spare is definantly a good thing, as most weeks I can keep it to just laze around and chill, but still fit in a couple of hours when things go wrong in the week.

Done 13 and a half hours so far this week, another 16 and a half to go!

I've found doing the random lessons has been really useful. I decided that I would chose them at the beginning of the week and then continue 2 all week rather than keep chosing each day. I might continue the ones I've got at the moment for another week, as it's something I've neglected for a long time - playing extended chords with weird fingerings. I can play straight maj/min chords fine and although I can play the chords (fmaj7/a etc.) perfectly fine, my hand gets tired after 10 seconds and then stops being able to pull them off cleanly. This is obviously a problem, so I'll continue playing progressions with them until my hand hardens up a bit. The other one it chose this week was unlocking your scales, which funnily enougth is what has been suggested I do in this thread. Maybe it's fate...?

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