TOPIC: Practice Booster

I've found the best motivation for me to practice every day... scales and timing!... pick a practice thing that assumingly is boring yet productive that you know how to do like, a scale, and do it once, twice,(three timess a lady)...then do it again etc.and even again. After playing the G scale 2 or 3 dozen times I notice how hard it is to be consistant! My perserverence gages or teaches me to play cleaner each time. I'm learning disipline.(: Keep the scales going for at least 10 minutes, more if you're having fun with it. Now do your practice as you've always done it and you'll notice how much more you enjoy your practice even doing the same songs!...My particular problem is I play too abraisively, to loud so, I'm working on playing softer, more respectfully and warming up with scales helps me develop a better feel with my strumming hand as well as my fretting hand. Another thing that's helped motivate me is arranging my practice area(in this case my home office) to be more inviting. It's amazing what a little cleaning up will do!

George, your playing loud is not bad....I use YOU as motivation to try and play louder...I know that I play too softly at times (usually when I don't feel comfortable with the song)....I use you as a visual (in my head) to try to go louder See, there's always a reason....

Don't forget to play your scales every day... G, A, C, D, and E major. Even if you don't have time to practice, it takes only 5 seconds per scale X 5 scales = less than one minute. Then you can say you played today and it keeps those scales embedded in your head. If you only know 1 scale, play that one. My favorite is G. I'm almost to the point where I can play it over the whole neck.

Playing scales and arpeggios have been helpful to me in figuring out melodies by ear....I can hear how different notes relate to eachother.
Here's a definition....

An arpeggio is a group of notes which are played one after the other, either going up or going down. Executing an arpeggio requires the player to play the sounds of a chord individually to differentiate the notes. The notes all belong to one chord. The chord may, for example, be a simple chord with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the scale in it (this is called a "tonic chord"). An arpeggio in the key of C major going up two octaves would be the notes (C, E, G, C, E, G, C).

Mompodell: Thanks for the definition and the inspiration for further little practice exercises. I think you're right that my ear gets a little better when I take the time to practice the scales and learn where notes are.

George: I agree, keep playing loud. I often play too softly, so having you there reminds me that I need to be heard too.

Lspencerini- Listen to "Love in Vain" by the Rolling Stones for an "arpeggiated" version of a very very old blues song not usually played that way.

George-great comments. Crossing to other instruments is also helpful. Subbing in a band practice, I played electric bass for three plus hours on Sunday with some good old southern boys playing loud old time rock- Lynyrd Skynrd, JJ Cale, SRV, CCR, Stones, ZZ Top, Hendrix, Bad Company, Tom Petty, etc. They played dozens of songs I "mostly" knew but didn't know the bass parts for except for a few (Glad I learned "Pride and Joy" this year!!! ). They gave me the key, the basic chord changes and I was on my own.

Besides being incredible fun, it's great training for practicing timing, groove, staying with the song and the band, having to play the song ALL THE WAY through, watching for cues from the guitarists (watching the rhythym player's hands and chords is very helpful) and cues for endings. You can't keep your head buried in your chest looking at your hands.

Also having to listen for intervals on the fly for playing the bass parts is difficult and good training. Especially with all the noise....And best of all, playing with, in this case, a really good drummer!!! Great practice. We even did a jam based on a John Lee Hooker/ZZ Top groove that went on for a long time and was great practice as well as loads of fun. And sounded cool.

They did ask me if I wanted to play guitar on a couple of songs, but I wisely declined......

I still want to learn how to play the ukelele some day, though. Maybe my wife will get me one for my birthday in a couple of months.