As musicians, it's vital that we get as good as possible in as little time as possible, or in other words: practice efficiently.
In this lesson you will learn all about how to maximize this practice efficiency to really squeeze every last drop of benefit out of your practice sessions, and learn a little bit of the science behind how our brain and hands learn best. 

How should we practice? Short sessions? Long sessions?

We humans (especially when it comes to motor-learning) respond best to consistent, regular, and "spaced out" practice sessions when trying to learn a new skill or improve an existing one. "Binge practice" (practicing for long periods without breaks) is simply not the way to go - we just don't learn that way. By distributing practice sessions over time, we avoid mental burnout and fatigue, allowing for more effective consolidation of skills from short-term to long-term memory. This approach also enhances retention, encouraging deeper understanding and critical thinking about movements. Furthermore, "spaced out" practice optimizes neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt and reorganize in response to practice, leading to more efficient motor control. That's the verdict: "spaced out" practice - not "binge practice" - is essential for achieving lasting mastery of motor skills.

How long should these "spaced out" practice sessions be?

Practice session length is also key. It turns out that optimal motor-learning improvement is achieved through these "spaced out" practice sessions so long as they are no shorter than 15 minutes, and no longer that 60 minutes. This is the sweet spot! Any shorter than 15 minutes and the brain doesn't warm up properly and pay attention, and any longer than 60 minutes ("binge practice") causes the brain to become complacent and disengaged. The resulting diminishing returns essentially stops the strengthening and forming of the relevant neural connections, hindering progress, and improvement. By making sure our practice sessions are between 15 and 60 minutes long, we can maximize our improvement, consolidate skills, and maintain a high level of mental engagement.

How long should breaks be?

Research suggests that taking regular breaks is essential for effective motor learning and memory consolidation. To refresh the brain and prepare for another practice session, breaks should last 15 minutes or more. This duration allows the brain to relax, recharge, and consolidate the newly acquired information, making it easier to retrieve and apply in the next practice session. A break of this length enables the brain to transition from an active, focused state to a more relaxed, diffuse mode, allowing for the processing and solidification of new neural connections. By incorporating regular breaks of 15 minutes, we can optimize our practice schedule, enhance our overall progress, and maintain a high level of mental freshness and focus.

Example:

Keeping in mind all we've learned, let's study how a guitarist could utilize a 2 hour time slot in their day - inefficiently and efficiently, respectively:

INEFFICIENT:
Let's say a guitarist decides to practice an exercise for 120 minutes non-stop ("binge practice").
The first 15 minutes is largely ineffective as the brain and hands are warming up. Nothing much is accomplished here.
The next 45 minutes are effective, but then wanes beyond the 60 minute mark.
This guitarist gets a very poor 45 minutes of total effective practice.

Now let's take a look at how this 120 minute time slot could be more efficiently utilized.

EFFICIENT:
Let's say another guitarist decides to chop the 120 minutes into two practice sessions, having a 15 minute break in between ("spaced out").
Again, the first 15 minutes of any practice session is mostly ineffective, but take a look at the total effective practice time across both sessions.
This guitarist, thanks to the strategic use of a break, achieves a significantly higher 75 minutes of total effective practice.

SUMMARY:
Both guitarists above used the 2 hour time slot, but the guitarist practicing efficiently racked up 30 minutes of total effective practice 
more than the guitarist practicing inefficiently, and even got a break to use social media, use the bathroom, or grab their 20th coffee of the day.

Be sure to use this knowledge you've gained here and apply it to your practice schedule.
The additional practice you can squeeze out of your precious time adds up as the years go by.

This is working smarter.

Alfred Potter - "Splendor of Sands" Album

My second album
Recorded between 2019 and 2023, my second album "Splendor of Sands" (instrumental progressive metal) was heavily inspired by guitarists such as Vinnie Moore, Tony MacAlpine, and Michael Romeo. It tells the fantasy story of Asaren and his time in exile in the magical land of the "Splendor of Sands" as it twists and turns through a variety of musical vistas, from shred to thoughtful modal ponderings.

Story
"A young wizard, Asaren, is banished by an angry King to a mysterious land on the far side of a desert where he is to spend the remainder of his days in exile. He gradually learns about the curse placed on the city by the ancient inhabitants hundreds of years prior and his destiny to break it and free himself."

Graphic Art Novel
This digital album download also comes with a graphic art novel PDF you can read while listening! With the help of talented artist Samuel Fonseca, you can at last read the full story of Asaren's exile in the Splendor of Sands in stunning visual detail.

 DOWNLOAD MP3 ALBUM NOW

$15USD

 SPLENDOR OF SANDS - THE FEATURE SOLOS

Learn all 9 feature solos from my 2023 album "Splendor of Sands" with this ebook PDF and accompanying GuitarPro tab files!

What's included?

- Tablature and music notation for the 9 feature guitar solos
- GuitarPro tab files with all instruments
- Written commentary explaining each solo + exclusive insights

$10USD

 PRACTICE ROUTINES

Too many students struggle understanding what to practice, how to practice, and for how long to practice. My Practice Routines series of ebooks fixes this once and for all! Each ebook contains the essential exercises needed to master each of the vital lead guitar techniques: Alternate picking, economy picking, sweep picking, legato... they're all here. Learn how to execute each technique, what exercises to practice, what speeds to shoot for, and how to create your own customized practice plan for success.
I wish I had these when I was younger. 

So, what's in these ebooks?

- How to execute the specific technique
- Detailed instructions on how to create a practice plan
- 8 essential exercises for mastery
- Speed target medals to aim for
- Accompanying GuitarPro TABs for study

How do you sign up?

The "Practice Routines" series of ebooks is hosted within the VIP Club private website. Become a monthly Patreon-style supporter, log in, and get practicing (+ the rest of the site's HUGE amount of bonus content) right now!

What are scale sequences?

A sequence is a repeated and ordered pattern applied to the notes of a scale or arpeggio.

Imagine walking in a straight line for 8 steps. You could go ahead one step at a time like you normally would or you could decide to mix it up. For instance, you could step forward 3 times and step back once. You could step forward 4 times and step back twice. You could even skip a distance of 2 steps and then take a step back. All of these would be different ways in which you could walk ahead 8 steps. They are different patterns. They are different sequences.

Why learn them?

From the moment you learn a scale, it is your duty as a musician to convert it into music. Playing scales up and down the same way forever simply won’t cut it, and so the use of scale sequences is the answer. Sequences are an essential part of fretboard freedom and musical freedom. The more you master, the more interesting and creative sounds you can make with scales. Using sequences can change the way in which your guitar leadwork affects a track/song/jam. For instance, simply playing up through the notes of a scale produces a rather bland and straightforward result, represented below by a straight line. Whereas by applying something powerfully intervallic, you can produce a far more jagged and melodic sound to the ear, represented below by the jagged rising line:

 The Four Terms

All you need to create scale sequences is this set of four terms: "Forward", "Back", "Skip", and "Hold". It's really that simple!

"Forward" means to proceed a number of intervals.
"Back" means to retreat a number of intervals.
"Skip" means to skip a number of intervals.
"Hold" means to hold on the final interval.

Examples of Scale Sequencing

To demonstrate how the four terms "Forward", "Back", "Skip", and "Hold" can be used to create scale sequences, I will now walk you through some examples.

"Forward (any number)" (unsequenced):

The instruction of "Forward (any number)" tells you to proceed through any number of notes. Forward any number of notes (can be anything, 1 through to infinity) produces an unsequenced scale, as you're just playing one note after another. This means that "Forward 1" would produce an unsequenced scale, as would "Forward 2", and so on. This isn't very interesting, but it serves to point out that even an unsequenced scale is actually sequenced! Let's proceed with more examples.

"Forward 3, Hold":

The instruction of "Forward 3, Hold" tells you to proceed through three notes and to treat the last note of the grouping as the first note in the next grouping. The result is that every third note gets double-picked. This creates a sequence that resembles something one might actually play. 

"Forward 3, Back 1":

The instruction of "Forward 3, back 1" tells you to proceed through three notes, and then drop back one to continue the sequence. If you are familiar with my tuition material, you may recognize this sequence by the name of "Linear Threes".

"Forward 4, Back 1":

The instruction of "Forward 4, back 1" tells you to proceed through four notes, and then drop back one to continue the sequence. If you are familiar with my tuition material, you may recognize this sequence by the name of "Linear Fours".

"Skip forward a 3rd 4, Back 1":

The instruction of "Skip forward a 3rd, back 1" tells you to play the first note, then skip the second entirely to play the third of that original note, and then drop back one to continue the sequence. If you are familiar with my tuition material, you may recognize this sequence by the name of "Skipped Thirds". It also has the name "Diatonic Thirds". It's quite a common sequence in lead guitar.

"Forward 6, Skip back a 3rd":

The instruction of "Forward 6, Skip back a 3rd" tells you to play forward six notes, then skip back a 3rd to continue the sequence. If you are familiar with my tuition material, you may recognize this sequence by the simple name of "Sixes". Have you been playing this for years and never known its name?

Create Your Own Sequences!

You can create your own sequences! Simply use the four terms: "Forward", "Back", "Skip", and "Hold" to start building.
I will make one up now so you can see how this might work. I will use the diminished scale as it is one I frequently work within (as it uses all four fretting fingers with great regularity and is easy to sequence because of how the intervals are naturally laid out).

I really am making this up right now, let's see how I do:

"Forward 4, Back 1, Skip forward a 3rd, Back 1, Skip forward a 3rd, Skip back a 3rd":


An unsightly name, for sure, but a pretty pleasing sequence nonetheless.
Remember that although I have given all examples so far as ascending-only, you can certainly play them descending - the name does not change:

Now you try! Choose a scale, combine any of the four terms, and see what you can build.

Bonus Sequences You Have Probably Never Regarded as Sequences

Check out these three sequences which you've probably never realized are sequences.

"Hold" Just gives you a tremolo. The instruction simply tells you to treat that note as the first and last note of all groupings. A little silly to point out? Not really! We all know just how useful the humble tremolo can be.

"Forward 2, Back 1" immediately traps you in a loop where you go back and forth between two notes. Useless? No! This is a trill and is quite common in legato playing.

"Forward 3, Skip back a 3rd" will also trap you in a loop, but this is actually a very useful picking exercise. You may know it as "Repeating Triplets".

 Get my "40 Scale Sequences" ebook PDF for more!

$5USD

 KILLER SCALE RUNS

In collaboration with N&MCreation, I proudly present: "Killer Scale Runs"! The ultimate video course designed to take your scalar lead playing to the next level. Learn how to fully navigate the fretboard, weave through complex & custom sequences, while deploying a range of essential lead guitar techniques.
 
So, what's in the course?

- 30 scale run video lessons in a variety of musical styles and speeds (3 scale runs for each jam backing track!)
- 10 jam backing tracks by N&MCreation
- Accompanying GuitarPro TABs for study

How do you sign up?

The "Killer Scale Runs" video course is hosted within the VIP Club private website. Become a monthly Patreon-style supporter, log in, and get working through the course (+ the rest of the site's HUGE amount of bonus content) right now!

Please wait while you are redirected to my Bandcamp store...

The neutral-pickslanted single-string tremolo is the most fundamental pre-requisite I teach for fast and impressive multi-string alternate picking. Getting this up to a fast tempo and high level of reliability is vital. Only once it is mastered can a student move on to pickslanting and multi-string picking. Forget unsightly, tense, and exhausting elbow spasm picking; It's as the saying goes: "It's all in the wrist"!

STEP 1: "Tabletop Test Tremolo"

The very first task is to experience exactly how the wrist yaw picking motion feels and to gauge how fast you can already do it:

- Lay your hand and arm on a desk/tabletop
- Keep your thenar and hypothenar in contact with the surface at all times (see hand image below for the palm anatomy I'm referring to)
- Twitch your hand side-to-side at the wrist as fast as you can (see animation GIF below)
- You may notice that the forearm moves side to side as well (It naturally does this sympathetically in response to wrist motion. This is fine! This is not elbow picking)

STEP 2: The "Hoisted Grip"

The "Hoisted Grip" will allow and encourage your hand to lay flat on the strings. Achieve it like so:

- Rest the pick on the first segment of the curled-in index finger
- Bring the thumb to meet it

STEP 3: The Tremolo

Begin picking a string (G-string as an example) as shown in the animation below:


- Yaw side-to-side at the wrist
- Bring the pick to rest up against the next higher and lower strings, like a wrestler bouncing off the ropes
- Do not allow the index finger or thumb to contact any of the strings at any point during this motion (see above)

These three tips will guarantee that you are indeed wrist yaw picking side-to-side with a neutral pickslant.
(NOTE: the resting up against the neighboring strings, AKA: "Rest Strokes", will naturally disappear as you speed up and your motions become smaller, but definitely do use them during the learning phase, these are your 'training wheels')

What now?

I imagine you are wondering what the purpose of this is?
Well, once the neutral-pickslanted tremolo has been established and developed to a fast tempo (150bpm to 200bpm 16th notes), you are then ready to move onto Downward pickslanting (DWPS)/Upward pickslanting (UWPS) and eventually 2-way pickslanting (both).
It will please you to know that the picking motion never changes - it's always this side to side wrist yaw you've developed.
In fact, the only difference between neutral pickslanting and DWPS/UWPS is the slight clockwise or counter-clockwise forearm twist respectively.

This is why I push students so hard to develop the neutral-pickslanted tremolo.

It is worth saying, that although this is the method I use and teach (and have come to recognize as the best and most effective), there are certainly other ways to pick! For instance, I used to use the Yngwie-style "Forearm Rotational" technique, and had huge success with it (apart from the fact it can't be used to play UWPS). While I urge you to implement the above technique, I more so urge you to find what works best for you as an individual. 

If you want help with technique, join my Discord and get chatting with me and everyone else:
https://discord.gg/G9r65Uu6vY