[Technique] What is your favorite excercise?

[reyleon]

Hi everyone. New to the forum, not sure if this has been covered. I tried searching the forums and didn't see a thread like this.

Pretty self explanatory, what is your favorite exercise. I feel like I always find places where I can improve, maybe ya'll can help me out?

Annnnd go!

 

[Huggy Love]

Playing actual songs.

 

[xjbebop]

12 oz curls...

 

[jimfisher]

g o l f

 

[bluefade]

EATING !

 

[ReptilianNosewood]

Pentatonic groups, 5's and 6's mostly for leads like Eric Johnson, good warmups and very fun.

 

[garrett]

Playing actual songs.

Not only is this fun, it also forces you to learn something start to finish. Learning songs, as much by ear as possible, is a great skill. Like anything, the more you practice and the more songs you learn, the easier it becomes to learn new ones.

When I only have time and motivation to noodle (which is most times), I like to pick a key and work on playing in that key anywhere on the fretboard, moving horizontally, vertically and diagonally. I usually stick to pentatonic, but it's fun to mix it up with some different modes at times. Again, it's fun, keeps the fingers in shape, keeps the creativity going, and expands my knowledge and level of comfort on the board.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Inversions

 

[CVS]

I start out my practice session by playing my PRS HB II in acoustic mode and do a bunch of fingerpicking patterns with all sorts of jazzy type chords all over the neck. This seems to wake up the fingers on both hands.

 

[Berten]

does looking at the guitar from all angles count? cause I'm mastering that right! too much work and no play makes me a dull boy!

 

[CVS]

EATING !

Along with your beverage of choice!

 

[CVS]

does looking at the guitar from all angles count? cause I'm mastering that right! too much work and no play makes me a dull boy!

You know what they say - "If you can't envision it................."
I think looking at it "counts".

 

[owickerman]

Right now its minor harmonic arpegios.
I love larsen training too but it seems to annoy everybody else...

 

[Big Eric Bee]

Flatpicking fiddle tunes. Maybe not so much an exercise as just having fun with a guitar. It's one thing that can easily go from acoustic to electric.

Sometimes will sit down with a tune book and work on sight reading melodies. Occasionally will do the same with backup, but only if I can sing the tune in my head at the same time.

 

[Bran_Flakes]

My favorite varies wildly, usually depending on what I happen to be trying to get better at. Currently I'm trying to work on my economy picking (because frankly it's not-so-low-key crap right now), so there's a few little runs I'm doing to work on that.

A little off-topic, but I've always found it funny how whatever I seem to be practicing most at home usually ends up being used more when I play live. Maybe I'm not using it more per-say, but just noticing it more so...

 

[Kabukiman]

I pick up my acoustic every day, and I usually try and come up with something musical, rather than doing an exercise, and make something unique every time. If it's a little melody, or a chord progression, etc

I sometimes do it while I'm doing something else like watching a video or reading the paper or a book