EvanPC Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Just curious... When you're playing, how would you describe what it is you spend the most time on? Do you pick up the guitar, and play through others' songs you know? Do you work on your own material, or do you noodle about randomly, not really trying to write something, but occasionally come up with something in the process to pursue further? When I first started playing, my focus was improving my skill but by means of playing others' music. Wasn't interested in writing my own stuff, I just wanted to learn to play the music I liked. As I got better, the desire to learn other artists music went away almost completely. To this day, I don't know a lot of covers, though I did go through brief spurts with bands like Zeppelin in the past few years. Anyway, I spend a lot of time playing, but not really playing anything...if that makes sense. How would you categorize or describe how your time is spent when the guit's in your lap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 If I'm not working on stuff for the band, or just noodling around, I like to practice along with those Guitar World & GuitarDVD lessons on whaterver from rudiments to "in the style of" techniques. I really dig the ones done by Andy Aledort. He's great to watch and really breaks it down for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Usually just noodling around or practicing riffs, I'm still an intermediate beginner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Usually throughout the day, I will have about 2-3 sessions of about 15 minutes where I will noodle and try to figure something out. Then I will usually have one where I play for like an hour or two going over songs I wrote, working on new songs and jamming on some Black Keys stuff I currently have about 10 songs almost completed that I'm trying to put the finishing touches on (nuance guitar, lyrics, etc.) so that has been taking up a lot of time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I really dig the ones done by Andy Aledort. He's great to watch and really breaks it down for you. Andy's the man. i bought the Guitar World "lick of the day" app for my iPad: he and Jimmy Brown are both excellent to watch/learn from. I play every night: probably 2-3 hours, once the kids are asleep. The majority of my time lately is spent on exercises: i've been working on finger picking and hybrid picking, and have been forcing myself to use right ring finger and pinky more and more. "banjo rolls" i think they're called, but also more free form movement. i've been spending a lot of time reading about modes, trying to "learn" more about why things work. i'm finding that things that sound good to me often have an explanation. lol i am also getting ready to start formal lessons again, to learn the stuff i glazed over on when i was younger... :) Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I don't practice, unless I am playing with others and need to master certain parts - then I do rehearse those. Since I'm not playing with anyone at the moment I basically just make crap up. Sometimes I just noodle in front of the TV. Sometimes I blast familiar riffs... Hendrix, Cream, Free, Zeppelin, etc. especially if I am tweaking amps, effects, etc. - which I do a lot. I am the worst at actually doing lessons, tabs, etc. though. The worst. I try the lessons out of Guitar Player or Premier Guitar. I really do try. I generally just end up improvising though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I'm a self proclaimed noodler. I dont really like learning songs of other people unless I think it's really good. Occasionally I'll write a riff that I think is good but untill I think of another few riffs I'm still just playing all the old stuff I know.I tend to play my riffs to death so I get good technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I tend to go over stuff I haven't done in a while... just to keep some fingerings in my arrangements in memory, and maybe to add something or another. And on occasion to try something new... either a change to an arrangement of something I already do or an entirely new piece. Since mostly I do fingerstyle stuff solo... that seems to make sense. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Now practicing feverishly for a gig of covers in February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I learn guitar riffs and easy songs (just to get people off my back when they ask what songs I know). I find it exciting to learn a new cover but painful to master it, play it over and over until perfect is not for me. If I was playing in a serious band I'd do it. Improvising and playing with backing tracks is one of my favorite things to do, noodling unplugged comes second and when the inspiration hits I like to record a small clip here and there, probably I will do this more now that that I have a Mac Book Pro on the way, I have not recorded lately because my 2 current computers frustrate me, I am really done with PCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Most of my effort goes towards writing,and like what Surfpup said sometimes I noodle acoustically in front of the TV and in fact sometimes while on here on the forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I learn covers, and play my own stuff. Sometimes unplugged, other times rockin' out! But I usually start by warming up with some scales and picking exercises for 10 or 15 minutes. I've been trying lately to record everything I'm doing. I know that EVERYONE here, at one time or another, have come up with some killer tunes, only to forget how it was played, or arranged. I did exactly that last week! My friend was here playing my bass and I started jammin' on some ideas I've been playing with. She was like "Dammit! Who is that? That's some bad sh*t!" (it really was!) (GodSmack / Alice In Chains sound) But it was just me................. Only thing was, I didn't record what I did and still haven't figured out exactly how / what it was I played! So I've got my microphone hooked to my pc permanent, and hit record every time I sit down and start playing. Now, as long as my hard drive doesn't crash in the middle of something, I can go back and listen to it later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I got Netflix a few months ago so lately I have been going through quite a few instructional dvd's on all kinds of different genre's including jazz, classical, slide even country if nothing else it's got me trying some different stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanbeastie Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 i tend to doodle about on the guitar or play parts of songs then find myself going of on a tangent and starting to write new stuff. i let my fingers and imagination take over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Tari Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Working on my second CD. I have all my attention there right now. I'm Still practicing my songs from the first, but since it's all me I've picked up some other insterments to learn to fill it out better then the last one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 New and old material........all original........... A bit of studies as well................... Starting some jazz studies............. I'm a rock and blues player................. Folk and Americana.................. But I often sound like a jazz player........... So, gotta study some to find out why................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canon_mutant Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Just a hobbyist, it almost always starts hearing a tune or a lick within a tune I don't know and I pick up the guitar to learn something new. Then I revert back to going over stuff I've learned most recently and almost always before I quit I am playing stuff I've known for years, Pink Floyd, Eagles, Heart, ZZ top, Zeppelin, Kansas, Rush etc. I'm stuck in the 70s in case you can't tell. But, I generally learn something new almost every time I play and that keeps it fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I am not a talented player. Before I started lessons again, I would try to teach myself others' songs, but I never got better as a player. Since I started lessons with a great instructor (on and off for the last six years), my playing has really improved. I practice an hour a day, but on weekends I just play whatever for an extra couple of hours. I have Band in a Box, so I will often just improvise over that. When I practice, I break the session into three parts: scales, new songs, then either theory or practice songs I've learned over the last six months to get better on them or make sure I don't forget them. When I learn a new song, I'll learn the rhythm and lead parts. I play jazz primarily, but I like blues and blues/rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'm mostly a noodler. I'll run through some scales and excercises to limber up, but mainly just play improv blues riffs and stuff. If I'm in front of the TV, I like to try and work out the comercial jingles or TV theme music for fun. It keeps my family entertained. I've learned music from Sponge Bob, King of the Hill, The Office and The Home Depot commercial to name a few. If I know I have a gig coming up (like this Friday), I'll usually cram for that too. I also have a few jazz books and DVDs which I try and learn, but I always seem to get sidetracked before I get too far. I really should be more disciplined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 It's always cool to slip a little well known jingle into your improv occasionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 95% of the time , I am writing my own tunes/riffs...the other 5%, i try to practice scales and stuff like that but it gets boring fast and i give up and write riffs hehehe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Usually practicing my RUSH songs and trying to learn new ones. Other times jamming with my sons helping them with their originals. And other times just jamming with one of my sons (the bass player) and usually RUSH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick- Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I usually warm up for 20 minutes and then start fooling around with riffs and songs i know...then i start with my own songs and i can be with that for hours without noticing Whenever i listen a song i like i try to learn it but by ear, the lessons online and dvds and that stuff just bore me, i think it's also a good training for your ear... This week i decided i would start praticing a little bit more serious, so i've been doing some scales and stuff like that with a metronome and building up some speed with some exercises i developed myself! If you're interested in them send me a message and i'll send them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 When I'm not learning or practicing covers for or with my Band I'm usually riffing around looking for a catchy hook or interesting chord run. Or perhaps, when I get a little tired or the Guitar (it has happened) I'll pick up the mandolin or fart around on the Keyboard. I find the Keyboard just frustrating enough to get me back into playing the guitar, reminds me not to take the skills I've built on the instrument for granted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvanPC Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 I got Netflix a few months ago so lately I have been going through quite a few instructional dvd's on all kinds of different genre's including jazz, classical, slide even country if nothing else it's got me trying some different stuff. I was wondering about this myself. I also have netflix, and have sort of searched for anything guitar related on the instantly viewable content, but never found anything. Are you ordering these through the mail, or am I just missing something in the instant content? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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