There are many benefits to keeping a practice schedule, and that's what this vid is all about! I know it might seem excessively regimented but done right it can really accelerate your progress.

Fun Time

So the first thing I want to mention is making sure you have time for fun.

I generally recommend beginners schedule HALF of available time to mucking around, playing songs and just enjoying the instrument.

Intermediate players should maybe allow a quarter of practice time to free playing. I find that it opens the doors to the new things I'm working on to come and mingle with the older ideas and concepts I like using. If you do a One Hour Workout and then add on at least 15 minutes of jam muck around time (maybe even a half hour!). Many of my students found it easier to just do the scheduled routine during the week and then jam lots and play for fun on the weekends... just don't forget to do it!

More advanced players or professionals may struggle to find fun time, but it's still important! I personally love playing anything so whether it's a session, learning a song to teach or whatever - I'm enjoying it :) probably because it's such a wonderful privilege to be able to play guitar to make my living!

My Practice History

I still clearly recall when I was first introduced to the idea of a proper practice schedule with timed focus session, I'd just started studying at The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and had a new teacher and I thought he was joking! This new teacher, John McMillian, really helped me sort out my practice. I'd enrolled to study classical guitar (my parents really wanted me to go to university and it was the only music school in my town!) but I was much more into funk, jazz and rock. So John sat down and worked out how I could work on everything at once - he was an accomplished player and teacher in many styles and I'm forever thankful for his guidance in those years. I heard he recently passed away (2017) and I had not spoken to him since I left Tasmania so I never got to tell him much I appreciated his teaching.