# Need Help Structuring My Practice Time



## Dionysus (Aug 30, 2011)

Hello all, 

I am wondering if I could get some advice/help formulating a practice routine that utilize my time more effectively. 

I play everyday for about 1 to 2 hours and am able to cover things like scales, arpeggios, chords, cover songs, and harmony but I still feel as though I am not making the best use of my time. I don't know how long I should dedicate to learning other peoples songs in day; or how much time I should be putting in to learning licks and solos. On top of this once I learn a song, lick, chord, or solo I do not really know how to effectively internalize what is happening. As a result I am not really able to compose my own unique sounding songs or figure out cool licks while free playing. Basically my practice routine is all over the place. 


Thanks for reading


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Sounds like you're covering all the bases. You didn't really tell us what your goals are, but I have inferred that composing is one of them. Aside from actually sitting down, gritting your teeth and writing stuff down, studying theory can help - though many will argue that knowing theory can get in the way, I am not in that camp. Theory is always useful to know, even when you ignore it.

Aside from that, I would find other musicians to play with. 

Also a good instructor or coach is always helpful - _and_ solves the problem of finding other musicians to play with. (Full disclosure: I am a music teacher, so I do have a bias.)


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## jeremy_green (Nov 10, 2010)

I don't see ear training on your list? How many songs do you learn with just your ears? This should be number one by a wide margin. Tabs are your enemy bro. Also theory - HELL YES! I use it every time I play. Anyone who says negative stuff about learning it is simply too lazy to have done it and are making justifications. Don't buy into that nonsense.

What about spontaneous composition? How much making up your own versions of songs and solos do you do? Everything you do should be making music. Less exercises MORE music. Even during a drill make music out of it.

Also metronome and rhythm work? The biggest thing between a pro and a non is their timing.


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## Dionysus (Aug 30, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions. 

My goals are a little bit unknown to me, to be perfectly honest. However, my primary goal is to be able to put together pop/rock/progressive songs that have interesting chordal arrangements and also have the ability to use odd meter signatures. I only own an acoustic guitar so learning how to do bends are fairly limited. However, I would like to be able to use my guitar to put together some cool sounding solos. Eventually, years down the road, I would like to be able to play Joe Pass's "Unforgettable" album front to back, verbatim. However, I would first like to be able to create my own interesting sounding pop/rock/progressive songs. 

As for ear training, I am able to distinguish pretty readily simple chord progressions and have just been starting to be able to identify things like borrowed chords and key changes. Solos and licks, in that regards, are a little bit more difficult for me to figure out but I have some success with it; in the last couple of months I have just been trying to figure out and play along with melodies from songs I know well. I have written about 15 songs that I would say I am pleased with but I feel like when I write now I am constantly feeling bored due to the fact that I cannot seem to find unique progressions or song characteristics: pop music is my back ground and my ear always pulls me towards 1,4,5 progressions or 6,2,3 progressions. Metronome work I do daily: I will warm up with chromatic exercises, 72 bpm, for about 5 mins while changing rhythms from full note, quarter, triple, and sixteenth; then I will usually try and fully play through songs I have already learnt with the metronome going; after that I will sequence some scales with the metronome. 

There seems to be an infinite amount of material to cover before I will feel satisfied with my ability enough to actually consider myself a player. Right now I still feel cumbersome and non confident in my playing even though I can play some songs and work out some melodies. 

My year long goals -though I am not sure if they are going to be effective - are to be able to play the whole In Rainbows album by Radiohead: I love Johnny Greenwoods style and that album boasts many different meter changes, time signatures, and modal mixture; I have been slowly working my way through Eric Clapton's Unplugged album as I would like to be able to use licks like him; Norah Jones's album Come Away With Me is an active project because there are extensions and altered chords I am unfamiliar with being used with fairly basic chord progressions... And a few other artists. 

I'm not sure if any of that info will give you a clearer picture of where I am at right now but thanks again for looking over this thread.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

There is a good slide show from musictheory.net that talks about building chord progressions:
Common Chord Progressions

The most important thing that they mention (IMHO), is that you will probably find it most helpful to start from the final chord when building a progression. 

From there you can look into chord substitutions, secondary dominants, etc.

Also, if you listen to old jazz standards and tin pan alley tunes you will find some excellent chord progressions - Christmas songs have some great progressions too.


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## jeremy_green (Nov 10, 2010)

For theory get Mark Levine's "jazz theory" book

The Jazz Theory Book: Amazon.ca: Mark Levine: Books

It is the best book I have come across. There is a chapter in there on reharmonizing and chord substitutions which should help you in your song writing.

As far as the other stuff goes follow your love .... But make sure to maintain about an 80% mix of songs (learned mostly by ear) and a 20% on the other technical aspects. Remain soundly focused on making music - especially during technical exercises. If you follow this formula you really can't go wrong.

Lots of new songs all the time. Analyze each one and figure out key and what scales used etc. these observations are critical as you go forward


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

I did the same thing with Norah Jones. I wanted to figure out those way cool chord progressions so, (and I'm not trying to sound like an ad here by mentioning this is almost ever thread I post in but...) I use Amazing Slow Downer and it really, really helps me. I just listen until I can make the same chord on my guitar and until it sounds just right. Half the time I have no idea what the chord is even after I find it. The think about ASD is, if the recording is clear enough, I can sometimes hear the individual notes that make up the chord, which is a big help. With Norah Jones you're pretty much looking at a chord for every word (not literally.... but close).

10---------9---------7----------7----------7----------5--------------------------
-----------11-------------------8-------------------------------------------------
11-------------------8---------------------8----------7--------------------------
12---------11-------------------9-------------------------------------------------
12-------------------9---------------------9----------7---------------------------
10---------9---------7----------7----------7----------5---------------------------
one------flight------down-there's-a song----on--------low----


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