# How many hours a week do you practice/play?



## gtone

Since I have a day job, a family and interests outside of of music, it ranges from about 6 to 18 hours a week for me. I need to be at the higher end to improve my chops, the lower end I can pretty much cruise along in maintenance mode.


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## Nohtanhoj

Generally around the same for myself. I'm a full time engineering student and I have a ton of extracurricular things to do. However, whenever I'm not studying or sleeping, I've got a guitar in my hands. =D


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## Ti-Ron

At least one hour a day, minimum! I'm not a pro or even close but I love playing try new stuff. The worst part is that I'm always playing more when I have final term papers to do...don'T know why!  And I play way much since I've sold almots every FX I had, I pass more time to play then turn knobs, finally!


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## dufe32

Ti-Ron said:


> At least one hour a day, minimum! I'm not a pro or even close but I love playing try new stuff. The worst part is that I'm always playing more when I have final term papers to do...don'T know why!  And I play way much since I've sold almots every FX I had, I pass more time to play then turn knobs, finally!


+1

Spending more time turning knobs will never improve your chops. I scaled down my rig a couple of years ago and it immediately had an impact on my "progression" - and I am 40 yrs old. In fact, I am a better player since the day I got rid of everything and went back to basics. And I sound better too. But still, I should practice more.


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## Guest

I try to play at least 7-8 hours a week a far cry from the 28hours a week I was doing when I was doing my Bachelor in Music, but I found that if I concentrate on one, or max, two subject matters I can still improve my playing even with just an hour a day.


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## geezer

I usually play an hour and a half a day with four or five extra over the weekend.


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## Stratin2traynor

I get to practice 15 min (bare min even if I am dead tired and would prefer to sleep) to 1 hour per day. If I had a time machine I would go back to my teenage years and slap myself in the head every time I said "I'm bored or I have nothing to do". Could have been practicing guitar instead of whining. 

Now that I am 40 with 3 kids, finding time to practice is kinda tough. On the odd occasion I manage to cram in 2 hours of practice/playing - but that's very rare. Luckily I play for the shear enjoyment of it. If I played for money I would starve....


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## wolfbane2222

Well i am new(So new i am just learning cords)
but i am learning at 30 mins a day (second day so far lol)
but once i get the cords down some i am sure i will put alot more time into it


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## Robert1950

I don't really practice. I just noodle around.


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## zontar

How much I practice or even play depends how much is going on in my life.

Some weeks it's not much, other weeks it's at least 14 hours.

Most weeks it's somewhere in between somewhere.

I'd guess the average at about 5-7 hours.

Recently it hasn't been as much, with various Christmas activites, and I haven't been feeling that well also.

I did play a bit last night at a Party--and had someone do some "Fake Blues" when i played a simple blues riff. That was entertaining.


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## Gee-ter Guy

Proberly 6 hours on school days, and prob 6 hours on not school days :smile:


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## Big_Daddy

I vary from week to week based on my work and home schedule and, now that I'm in a band again, the number of new tunes I need to learn. For example, last week I needed to learn 5 new songs for our next practice. I probably spent 10 hours alone on _one_ song (Steely Dan's Reelin' In The Years) coz the guitar parts were so tough. Before joining the band, I may not have played that much over a two-week period. I like to take a day or two off once in a while as well to just refresh my brain and my chops (gettin' old you know:smile


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## Nohtanhoj

Well, joining a band logically would increase required practice time.=D

I've been looking for a band around the Toronto area, cause I think the only way I'll shock myself out of my current "comfort zone" is to be around musicians that are far better than myself. Currently, I'll pick up my guitar and try to practice, but I end up either jamming my favourite songs or trying to write my own. 

A few prospectives have turned up, but with my schedule, it'll be a casual band rather than one that likes to play 5 shows a week. =D


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## Xanadu

I'm hitting 5-7 hours a week, but even then it's not really practise, I might try to learn a new scale, or play with a new tuning, or learn a new song. Other than my warm-up I don't really repeat things from day-to-day

But it's hard to find time what with a new job, and school


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## CHTele_1970

I'm in with the majority here. Try at least an hour a night but with work and some kids in the house it sometime doesn't happen. No band thing I'm in just my own enjoyment and boost me up when I'm down. Thank my mom for buying me my first guitar 30 years ago, white Strat copy from sears! And glad I kept up and have better ones now!

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## Scotty

Usually weekends only - Averages 4-6 hours week, but could be an all day Saturday marathon. Depends on the weekend's to do list or other happenings


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## Mooh

A band practice adds a couple or a few hours to the week's practice, and usually I enjoy that a lot. Otherwise I play with students for several hours, depending on their level and assigned tunes, and whether I like the tunes well enough to duet. Plus I play on and off throughout the day, sometimes prepping for students, sometimes just jamming for myself. My fundamentals are pretty good given that I'm constantly demonstrating for students, but I don't get near enough time to suit me on what* I *want to play.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guyfrets

A good day for me is 4+ hours practicing and playing; a bad day 1-. Fortunately, the bad days are mostly confined to weekends. I teach guitar students and do quite a bit of arranging and transcribing so I guess I'm lucky to have so much time for practicing and playing. Here's an interesting aside. If I don't get my 4+ hours for more than a day or two during the week my general disposition deteriorates very quickly. Any one else feel this way?


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## amagras

I practice 20 min a day but never skip days. That exclude a few minutes of muscle stretching exercises, the time I spend recording or practising what I have to record and the time I spend just playing for fun or following standards on biab. Sometimes I feel a little more motivated to extend my 20 minutes to one hour, in rare occasions up to 6 hours, but the usual for me is less than half an hour of metronome practice.


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## Adcandour

I'm usually playing with my son. I try to squeeze in some "me time" though. I'm obsessed with backing tracks on YouTube - it's changed a lot for me.

I would say I'm at about 1 hour a day now. Educating myself on gear is also taking up time.

It helps that I'm in love with my Monty and the eleven rack through the fryette power station is very inspiring.


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## knight_yyz

Nowhere near enough. If I get one hour a day it's a good day. I'd like to get that up to at least 2 per day


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## 335Bob

Being retired allows me a minimum of 3 hours daily, up to 6 hours when preparing for rehearsals/gigs.


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## Lola

I usually spend at least 1-2 hours a day BUT if I eat a cookie it turns into 6 - 8 hours marathons. An edible allows me to focus in on technique, scale runs, combination of scales run etc. I can come up with the most creative things to practice in between songs. I never get bored! That's when I turn into a maniac! There's nothing better than having such an enjoyable time just playing and practicing all by myself. No one to bother me. I am in my own world! That's the best feeling, is being able to play for as long as I want with no distractions!


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## rhh7

Just had my second guitar lesson, love my teacher! Taking lessons has motivated me to practice at least 30 minutes per day. I intend to increase this as my fingers toughen up. I already have a callous forming under my first blood blister.


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## Lola

rhh7 said:


> Just had my second guitar lesson, love my teacher! Taking lessons has motivated me to practice at least 30 minutes per day. I intend to increase this as my fingers toughen up. I already have a callous forming under my first blood blister.


Just awesome. Where are you taking your lessons rhh7?


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## sambonee

adcandour said:


> ....I'm obsessed with backing tracks on YouTube - it's changed a lot for me.....


I've found that backing tracks are so key to long term improvements on timing and experimental improvisation. I used to jam to neil young decade all the time. 

Now the digitech trio is my new jam buddy. Excellent for writing songs and practice. It's really a game changer.


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## rhh7

Lola said:


> Just awesome. Where are you taking your lessons rhh7?


Long & McQuade at 58th avenue in Calgary.


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## Lola

rhh7 said:


> Long & McQuade at 58th avenue in Calgary.


Keep us posted on your progress!!


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## knight_yyz

I got two 45 minute sessions done today, both on the Taylor 416 with newly installed John Pearse strings. (i went one gauge lighter than stock) One session when I got hom at 8am and the other when I woke up around 5 pm. I learned a new song and my fingers are hurting like hell. Nothing like playing an acoustic to get those calluses built up. LOL

Someone mentioned a time machine. If I had one i would go back to when all my buddies were playing in the garage and I just sat and listened and rolled dubies for all of them. Not once did I think about playing. I would go back and get someone to teach me. I started when I was 50, but I could have started when I was 30.... sigh


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## Gearhead88

It depends on what else is going on , some days it's a quick couple of songs or some noodling , some days it can go for an hour or maybe several hours .

I do need to take some lessons , I've been mostly self taught , I have figured out how to play a bunch songs by ear . You tube has been very helpful . I don't do tabs or read sheet music.

I need to meet up with others who play , I only know a few , it's tough to get together some times.


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## High/Deaf

It varies, but probably never less than 30 minutes/day. Band practice at least once a week is four hours of playing. Other things, like having to learn new tunes for a scheduled gig, ramps up those times as I prioritize it higher. But the best incentive is buying new gear. That usually really ramps up the practice time for a week or two, maybe more.



That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, K?


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## bw66

I try to get in about 10-12 hours a week, outside of teaching time. Lately, it's been considerably less than that - but our band has a gig in 3 weeks, so that will force me to get some time in on the bass at least.


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## brohymn2

Try for an hour a day


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## Stonehead

Not nearly enough!


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## Robert1950

I noodled on two guitars today.


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## ed2000

Lucky me, I'm retired. Lately I can afford, possibly, 1 hour a week. Too much ** *###$^ and ( %%), * ** ##* going on in my life at the moment.


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## Budd

My group rehearsals are usually 4/5 hours , & I sing as well . If we can swing it twice a week . Many times after that we go to a jam session ( organized ! ) jam for 3/3/.5 hrs . I'm 73 yrs old so I sleep in some days ! You can take the man outa the music but not the music outa the man 
Budd


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## Lola

Budd said:


> My group rehearsals are usually 4/5 hours , & I sing as well . If we can swing it twice a week . Many times after that we go to a jam session ( organized ! ) jam for 3/3/.5 hrs . I'm 73 yrs old so I sleep in some days ! You can take the man outa the music but not the music outa the man
> Budd


That's incredible! Wow! I want to be exactly like you when I mature!


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## Blind Dog

OF. 40+ hrs. per week. I'm blessed with the ability to not get bored with repetition. Some say I 'zone out' -- I think of it more as 'zen out'. Worst part is, I play really slowly too. There's just something about playing a good guitar.

*Edit:* six months later I'm down to about half. About three hours a day. I was concerned that I was headed towards repetitive stress -type injury. And it's hard to keep learning, rather than just repeating. A new guitar, or the house to myself, and I'm likely going to be at it all day still.


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## bzrkrage

Being an "At-home-dad" does have a few perks.
An hour here and there is awesome, a regular 3 hour Thursday afternoon with bass & drums.
So say 8hours a week?
Oh, @CHTele_1970, nicely dug up dead thread btw! 2009-2015!


Sent from my Other Brain


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## brohymn2

bzrkrage said:


> Being an "At-home-dad" does have a few perks.
> An hour here and there is awesome, a regular 3 hour Thursday afternoon with bass & drums.
> So say 8hours a week?
> Oh, @CHTele_1970, nicely dug up dead thread btw! 2009-2015!
> 
> 
> Sent from my Other Brain


Badass I'm also gonna be a stay at home dad here pretty soon, looking forward to it


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## flyswatter

3 hour band practices twice a week. 3 or 4 gigs per month. 1 or 2 hours on other days when I can manage it.


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## Sneaky

Averaged over the year and rounded off to the nearest hour, approximately zero hour per week.


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