6 answers
Alexander
Student
Delavan, Wisconsin
3
Questions
Asked
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How long do I need to practice to see improvement?
I play guitar and when I get home I play for a hour and a couple of times during the day.
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6 answers
John Graham
Music Producer
20
Answers
Bremerton, Washington
Updated
John’s Answer
Hi Alexander!
When I was taking classical piano, I practiced an hour a day. After five years, my classical piano teacher said I had learned all the basics and methods and could continue on my own if I wanted to; but thought that paying someone to make me practice would be a waste at that point. I decided to move on to pop music piano, organ, and guitar - and I had a new teacher for three years that taught me music theory and arranging techniques. I practiced two to three hours a day because I loved it so much. After that we moved to Southern California where I sang in choir, madrigals, played in bands, at church, and performed at clubs in town. Looking back, I think the period of greatest improvement in what I wanted to achieve was that last three years - but I couldn't have done it without that basic foundation in keyboard skills that I learned from classical music.
When I was taking classical piano, I practiced an hour a day. After five years, my classical piano teacher said I had learned all the basics and methods and could continue on my own if I wanted to; but thought that paying someone to make me practice would be a waste at that point. I decided to move on to pop music piano, organ, and guitar - and I had a new teacher for three years that taught me music theory and arranging techniques. I practiced two to three hours a day because I loved it so much. After that we moved to Southern California where I sang in choir, madrigals, played in bands, at church, and performed at clubs in town. Looking back, I think the period of greatest improvement in what I wanted to achieve was that last three years - but I couldn't have done it without that basic foundation in keyboard skills that I learned from classical music.
Thomas O'Shea
Live Sound Engineer, Music Producer, Musician
73
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
Have you ever heard of the 10,000 hour theory? That theory states that it takes 10,000 hours to really master something that you want to do. The top songwriters, producers, audio engineers, and any other job (even not in the music industry) took 10,000 hours to be good enough to produce quality products that are industry standard.
Don't be nervous about that however- 10,000 hours is what it takes to master something, but you continually get better as you practice. Someone who practices every day for 1 hour for a year is already 365 hours into their 10,000 hours. If you want to do music as more of a hobby or if you're doing it to be expressive and speak your mind- it literally does not matter how much you practice- you will see improvement as you continue. Some of the pieces I was working on this semester I only really practiced 40 ish hours total- yet the performance was meaningful and expressive. At the end of the day, that is the most important thing.
Don't be nervous about that however- 10,000 hours is what it takes to master something, but you continually get better as you practice. Someone who practices every day for 1 hour for a year is already 365 hours into their 10,000 hours. If you want to do music as more of a hobby or if you're doing it to be expressive and speak your mind- it literally does not matter how much you practice- you will see improvement as you continue. Some of the pieces I was working on this semester I only really practiced 40 ish hours total- yet the performance was meaningful and expressive. At the end of the day, that is the most important thing.
Ryan Flores
Business Ops
15
Answers
Springville, Utah
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
The amount of time you practice is less important that what and how you practice. If you practice bad habits, for instance, you will get good at those bad habits. It's imperative to spend time practicing specific things, with deliberate intent, to improve at those specific things. The trick is knowing what to practice, and how to practice it. For that, nothing beats having a good teacher who can listen to you play, accurately assess your skill levels, and help you to formulate a plan for what/how to practice. Even if you can only take a handful of private lessons, the advice a good teacher can give during that short amount of time can save you years of running in circles wondering how to improve.
Rolando Caraballo
7
Answers
Knoxville, Tennessee
Updated
Rolando’s Answer
An hr is more than good for advance players, if you are on the beginner stages no more than 15 min. Practice the correct posture. carpal tuner is a real thing. Improvement...? that will take you all your life.
Practice songs the original way and them add your own interpretation.
Make a chesses song and make sound good.
if you are a beginner, do not use distortion or FX. Only the natural sound of the guitar.
Practice songs the original way and them add your own interpretation.
Make a chesses song and make sound good.
if you are a beginner, do not use distortion or FX. Only the natural sound of the guitar.
Rory Lall
Administrative Assistant
57
Answers
Valley Stream, New York
Updated
Rory’s Answer
Greetings Alexander! Here's a collection of scientifically-backed tips to fuel your journey towards guitar mastery:
Consistent Practice: Strive to engage in guitar practice for a minimum of 15 minutes each day. Even brief, daily practice sessions can bring about significant progress.
Targeted Sessions: Approach your guitar practice like a vigorous gym workout. When practicing, concentrate on specific objectives such as techniques, exercises, or drills. Steer clear of merely playing songs you're already familiar with – that's akin to a relaxed swim at the beach.
Emphasize Quality: Shorter, focused practice sessions are more beneficial than extended, unfocused ones. Try to limit your practice to no more than an hour at a stretch. If you wish to practice for longer, incorporate brief breaks to rejuvenate your mind.
Intentional Practice: Intentional practice involves deep concentration on particular skills. For instance, hone your picking technique, strumming exercises, or scales. This practice style accelerates your improvement.
Warm-Up is Separate: Warming up doesn't count as practice. Just as you wouldn't exit the gym after a warm-up, don't include warm-up time in your practice duration.
Remember, consistency trumps the total number of hours. Regardless of whether you're a novice or an aspiring professional, strive for regular practice to witness significant improvements in your guitar playing. Enjoy your musical journey!
Consistent Practice: Strive to engage in guitar practice for a minimum of 15 minutes each day. Even brief, daily practice sessions can bring about significant progress.
Targeted Sessions: Approach your guitar practice like a vigorous gym workout. When practicing, concentrate on specific objectives such as techniques, exercises, or drills. Steer clear of merely playing songs you're already familiar with – that's akin to a relaxed swim at the beach.
Emphasize Quality: Shorter, focused practice sessions are more beneficial than extended, unfocused ones. Try to limit your practice to no more than an hour at a stretch. If you wish to practice for longer, incorporate brief breaks to rejuvenate your mind.
Intentional Practice: Intentional practice involves deep concentration on particular skills. For instance, hone your picking technique, strumming exercises, or scales. This practice style accelerates your improvement.
Warm-Up is Separate: Warming up doesn't count as practice. Just as you wouldn't exit the gym after a warm-up, don't include warm-up time in your practice duration.
Remember, consistency trumps the total number of hours. Regardless of whether you're a novice or an aspiring professional, strive for regular practice to witness significant improvements in your guitar playing. Enjoy your musical journey!
Jeremy Au
School
1
Answer
San Marcos, California
Updated
Jeremy’s Answer
Hey Alexander, great question! I'm glad that you've been practicing everyday, and I certainly hope that you are improving! I typically enjoy practicing for at least 15 minutes a day and I limit myself to 120 minutes a day so that I can take time to rest and indulge in the things that I've been working on for that day. While it may sound effective to practice a lot, there is such thing as over-practicing that may even reverse your progress as a musician. This doesn't apply to everyone, but it is definitely a possibility. I personally like to hone in on the subjects of trouble and hash out as as many problems as efficiently and effectively as possible, and I like to make sure that I truly learn from my mistakes so that I don't have to spend countless hours making the same mistakes over and over again. In doing this, you're essentially optimizing your practice time, giving you more time to learn new songs or techniques that can benefit from your quick, optimized practice. Improvement will vary between player to player, so there's no way for me to tell you how long it'll take for you to "see improvement" because you can improve in MANY categories. Before I start practicing, I think about a small goal I want to accomplish during that playing session and try my best to accomplish it. Kind of like a side quest. As long as you're staying consistent and practicing with purpose, your skills will skyrocket.