Question: What should I include in my practice sessions for classical guitar?
It’s important to develop a balanced practice session for classical guitar in order to both improve and to enjoy yourself. As a basic overview of the practice session, you should include the below areas:
- Technique Routine – Including both exercises that you know well to focus and warmup the hands but also exercises to help you develop your technique.
- Learning Materials – This can be method books, etudes, sight reading, fretboard knowledge, research, whatever you are learning at any given time. Beginners and intermediates should be using method books in one form or another.
- New Repertoire – Always be learning at least one or two new pieces. They might be easy material or very difficult. New content expands our knowledge and challenges us to work through new musical ideas and fingerings.
- Concert Repertoire – It doesn’t matter if you are playing concerts, recording pieces, or practicing alone, this is repertoire you are memorizing and playing at your highest level.
- Enjoyment & Reward – In this section you should play some manageable pieces that you can play well without too much concentration or effort. Or anything that makes you feel good.
Don’t be worried or overwhelmed if you don’t have each category yet. You can start with just the Enjoyment section and the technique routine and continue to add structure slowly.
See my full in-depth article on practice sessions
How to Practice Music and Organize Your Practice Session – A lesson on how to practice music, classical guitar, and organize your practice session
If you are at the intermediate level you might also want to see my article and video on: 7 Technique Categories to Practice Every Day on Classical Guitar
You can find practice routines for each level in my Full Technique Book.
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