A common question we get from guitar students of all levels is, “How long should I practise,” and, “How should I structure my practise session?”
Both are very good questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. For this post I will answer the first question and will deal with the next question in my next post.
“How long should I practise”?
The most important element in practising is consistency. I’m sure you all know this from other endeavours but I cannot stress this point enough. I would love to see students practising 5 days a week. In terms of how long one should practise per session, it is going to be dependant upon the goals of the individual. Here are a few common scenarios that we see at our Vancouver guitar lesson studio:
Hobbyists: these are students who just want to be able to play some of their favourite songs and perhaps be able to join in on a casual jam session with some friends. I would suggest a minimum of 15mins per day. I have found this to be a great time frame, which can suit a variety of different schedules types (working professionals, students etc). The key is to ensure you are practising the right way for 15mins! As mentioned, I will discuss the best possible routines in my next post.
Amateur to Advanced: These are students who are past the point of learning songs and are looking to improve their improv skills; are possibly preparing for gigs and performances; or even preparing for music college auditions - in this case you are going to need more time with your hands on your bass guitar, electric or acoustic guitar, or drum kit. You are going to need more time to hone your technique, and more time working on theoretical concepts of music such as scalar knowledge and even more time applying that theory to the guitar. You need to be practising constantly and hitting enough repetitions in order to actually use any of that theory in an applicable way. I would suggest a solid hour practise session day.
All of this of course is dependant on many factors and this is just a guideline. The more you practise, the quicker you are going to progress so please feel free to add more time to the routines. The only thing you must remember is CONSISTENCY. I have seen countless students begin taking music lessons with a bang. They practise a lot (far more than what we recommend), they make quick progress, and then eventually start losing momentum due to the inability to balance all of life responsibly with unmanageable practise routine they have set for themselves. They eventually stop progressing and worst case scenario stop playing altogether! Most of our students who have been the most successful have a daily routine that is sustainable. If you are extra motivated and do not tend to suffer from the prior affliction than by all means continue adding more time to your routines.
Just remember Patience and Persistence are you two best friends when it comes to improvement.
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