PracticeSchedulesBlog

Four Practice Schedules To Practice Efficiently

Alright I’m just going to give you a practice schedule. You can alter this depending on where your at and where you want to work on. Essentially I’m going to give you 4 days worth of practice, giving you specific things to focus on each day: A = Chords, B = Scales, C = Arpeggios, D = 7th Chords. There’s so much under each category, that I’m hoping this is a schedule that you can grow with. It’s not very realistic to practice each one of these things in the suggested time frame, so pick one or two, but most importantly, change your routine every day. The goal is that over time things will sink in.

I have this available below as a PDF download, and even have a “Practice Tracker” PDF too. Write down the time you practiced, the routine you practiced and switch it up each day. I also mention “Key of the Day”. Key of the Day: What I would do is run through the circle of 4ths every time you practice. Start on C then follow the Circle of Fourths: (C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-F#-B-E-A-D-G) for each following day. Example: On Monday, use the key of C. On Tuesday, use the key of F. On Wednesday, use the key of Bb.

20% of time | 30 minutes = 6 minutes | 45 minutes = 9 | 60 minutes = 12
40% of time | 30 minutes = 12 minutes | 45 = 18 minutes | 60 Minutes = 24 minutes

*First number “30 minutes” would mean your allotted practice time. Second number would be what that percentage means for your actual practice. Example: You have 30 minutes to practice, you practice “Finger Exercises” for 6 minutes.
**15 Minutes, Just practice one of the 40% topics.

Practice Routine A

Chords

Finger Exercises/Diminished Chord Runs | 20% of Time

Number Finger Exercises

  • Different Combinations of 1-2-3-4
  • 1) Do one combination ascending spanning 7 frets
  • 2) Do another combination descending spanning 7 frets
  • 3) After you’re comfortable with that try a whole sequence (1-2-3-4, 1-2-4-3, 1-3-2-4, 1-3-4-2, 1-4-2-3, 1-4-3-2) spanning the 6 frets.
  • Diminished Chord Runs
    Bends – 3 Areas of Neck (5th Fret – 10th Fret – 15th Fret)

  • Each finger, going up a whole step.
  • Ascending = Bending, hearing the tones in between.
  • Descending = Pre-Bending, sounds the same as hitting different frets, no tones in between.
  • New Stuff | 40% of Time

    – Major and Minor Chords

  • CAGED Chords (Major and Minor)
  • Triads (4 different string sets: 1-3, 2-4, 3-5, 4-6)
  • Wide Interval Triads
  • Inversions
  • Put them in common chord progressions, in different areas of the neck
  • Analyzing stuff you know | 40% of Time

    – Songs You Know How To Play/Songs You Like

  • Take some time one day, and write out a list of songs you want to analyze, it’s a bit of back-end work, but will pay off when it comes to practice. Start a list on your phone, look at your set… whatever’s clever just don’t think “I’ll do that the day of”. Put it in a random order.
  • What are the Chords As Numbers?
  • Play it in a different key (Key of the Day)
  • Use some of the new chord shapes
  • Play it using major and minor chord shapes that aren’t your “go-to”
  • Practice Routine B

    Scales

    Scale Runs/Bends/Finger Exercise Chord Runs | 20% of Time

    – Scale Runs

  • Two different ways depending on the week (Circle Of Fourths & Throughout the Whole Neck)
  • Major and Minor Scales (Ionian and Aeolian)
  • Major and Minor Pentatonic
  • Always start and end on the root note
  • Key of the Day
  • Finger Exercise Chord Runs

  • Finger to a string. Similar to the combinations above, just now with chords
  • Bends – 3 Areas of Neck (5th Fret – 10th Fret – 15th Fret)

  • Each finger, going up a half step.
  • Ascending = Bending, hearing the tones in between.
  • Descending = Pre-Bending, sounds the same as hitting different frets, no tones in between.
  • New Stuff | 40% of Time

    – Different Scales/Modes

  • Dorian Scale
  • Mixolydian Scale
  • Harmonic Minor Scale
  • Lydian Scale
  • Phrygian Scale
  • Lydian Dominant Scale
  • – Horizontal Scales

  • One String (Major/Minor/Pentatonics/Modes)
  • Two Strings (Major/Minor/Pentatonics/Modes)
  • Three Strings (Major/Minor/Pentatonics/Modes)
  • **Order I put things are how common they are… roughly.

    Using Backing Tracks to Let Stuff Sink In | 40% of Time

    Take a Backing Track That’s Relevant to the “New Stuff” You Practiced. & Major/Minor

  • Key of the Day
  • Set Limits for Yourself
  • Allow yourself to only use a certain number of strings
  • Allow yourself to only stay in a certain position
  • Build phrases
  • Limit your rhythms you can use (8th notes or a rhythm linked) but still allow pauses for phrases
  • Sing something and play it
  • What beat your start on/what chord you start on
  • Practice Routine C

    Arpeggios

    Arpeggio Runs/CAGED Chord Runs/Bends | 20% of Time

    – Arpeggio Runs

  • Two different ways depending on the week
  • Major and Minor Arpeggios
  • Always start and end on the root note
  • Key of the Day
  • – CAGED Chord Runs

  • Key of the Day
  • Only up and down the neck – Major & Minor CAGED Chord Shapes
  • Bends – 3 Areas of Neck (5th Fret – 10th Fret – 15th Fret)

  • Each finger, going up a whole step.
  • Ascending = Bending, hearing the tones in between.
  • Descending = Pre-Bending, sounds the same as hitting different frets, no tones in between.
  • Transcribing | 40% of Time

    – Take the Same List You Made Above and Learn the Chords/Melody/Solo
    – Learn It (or Part Of It) By Ear

  • How does the melody compare to the chords underneath?
  • Do the chords fit within a key? If not, what’s a good way to analyze/solo?
  • Transpose to Key of the Day
  • – Take a Lick You Learn and Change It to Be Your Own

  • Change the first note
  • Change the last note
  • Change the rhythm
  • Metronome Only | 40% of Time

    – Put a Metronome On Each Quarter Note (1 2 3 4)

  • Strum song/chord progression (good way to try new chords from A)
  • Practice scales (good way to try new scales from B)
  • Solo using only (well… mainly) arpeggios of a chord progression/song
  • – Put a Metronome on Each Snare Hit ([1] 2 [3] 4)

  • Strum song/chord progression (good way to try new chords from A)
  • Practice scales (good way to try new scales from B)
  • Solo using only (well… mainly) arpeggios of a chord progression/song
  • Practice Schedule D

    Extended Chords & Arpeggios

    7th Arpeggio Runs/Inversion Chord Runs/Bends | 20% of Time

    – 7th Arpeggio Runs

  • Two different ways depending on the week (Circle of Fourths or Ascending and Descending the Neck)
  • Major 7, Dominant 7, Minor 7, Minor 7 Flat 5, Diminished
  • Always start and end on the root note
  • Key of the Day
  • – 7th Inversion Chord Runs

  • Key of the Day
  • Only up and down the neck
  • Bends – 3 Areas of Neck (5th Fret – 10th Fret – 15th Fret)

  • Each finger, going up a half step.
  • Ascending = Bending, hearing the tones in between
  • Descending = Pre-Bending, sounds the same as hitting different frets, no tones in between.
  • New Stuff | 40% of Time

    – Major 7 Inversions/Arpeggios
    – Dominant 7 Inversions/Arpeggios
    – Minor 7 Inversions/Arpeggios
    – Minor 7 Flat 5 Inversions/Arpeggios
    Diminished Arpeggios
    extended chords

    Analyze and Practice Jazz Charts/Read Classical | 40% of Time

    – Take a Jazz Chart and Pick One at Random

  • If the Whole Thing Looks Intimidating Take the First 8 bars the First Day, the Second the Second Day or Any Section of It.
  • What are the tonal centers?
  • How would you play the chords?
  • What arpeggios/scales would be appropriate?
  • Can you substitute the chords with inversions/extended chords?
  • Make a loop/video of you playing the chords. Take it slow and try to play pieces of the right arpeggio/scale.
  • Find versions of the scale/arpeggio that are close
  • – Take a Jazz Chart, Learn the Melody
    – Take a Classical Chart and Read Through It

  • The reading isn’t to play it performance ready, just to think about tonal centers and/or keeping your reading chops from disappearing.
  • Practice Schedule PDF

    Practice Tracker PDF