Everything Bianca

Continued from Part 2.

The primary focus of my practice is on techniques. I currently have no interest in playing a particular song. Songs mean nothing if I can't hit the notes, hold the chords, or switch them without a 3 second interlude. If my technique is strong, songs will be the easy part. (That's what i tell myself, anyway.)

Richard Lloyd's Lessons.
This man is my primary teacher, and he doesn't even know it.  Many of the lessons I will refer to below came from this site. I highly recommend a thorough reading of everything there.

Practice Session 

When I play my guitar, I do the following:

Tuning - Even if the guitar should still be in tune. I play the strings, using relative tuning, just to hear it, to get accustomed to it. 

Finger Warm Up - I go through the 6 patterns that are used to build scales. See: Preparatory Exercises for Scalar Studies on Lloyd's site. I have decided (based on my 'net research) to do  everything at 60 bpm for March. That's still a fair challenge for me. My pinky likes to miss the strings. I go both up and down on each string with each exercise.

Chord Switching - I got my advice from Play Guitar Magazine. I had already taught myself most of the chords in this lesson, so now it's just an exercise in switching G C D E A, and the minors and the 7ths of E and A. I don't understand how to hold Dm yet. My fingers just... give me the finger... when I make an attempt. At 60 bpm, I need 3 or 4 beats at most to switch a chord.

Major Scale Forms - Another one from Richard Lloyd. These exercises are designed to teach me the 7 major scale forms and the 5 chord shapes. I'm still on I and III. Barre chords are a challenge.

Major Scale Loops - These are fun and relaxing once you get the pattern down. I know 3 of them so far, and they act as an additional finger exercise and a movement exercise across the strings.

Flatpicking Patterns - I got this one from Brad Davis. I started it this March, last week even, I think. (This is where I got the idea to practice *everything* at 60bpm, not just this lesson, for March.) I've added up to exercise 4 into the lesson at this point. Using this lesson has brought me greater peace with my pick and strumming as a whole. Well, this lesson, and listening to Davis' music.

Fingerpicking Patterns - I have a compilation of patterns from via Youtube. Travis picking is by far my favorite. But if you do a search for 'fingerpicking patterns' on youtube, you'll find several more to add. I spend a little time on each one. For Travis picking, listen to the #5 example on guitarland. That's what I've been practicing. ^_^

And... that's my day.

Now, yesterday, I found more resources (mentioned below) and some song samples that will help me practice my fingerpicking. So, I think I'll add a session for song learning as I build my finger endurance. Then I can make a proper hour of my guitar practice.

The current resource I'm scouring is WholeNote. I spent a good hour with it yesterday and found more additions and things to try ... and I wasn't even halfway through my search results. Good stuff.

Guitar Name - And finally, I named my guitar. Her name is Patience. ^_^