The Daily Practice Routines of Professional Guitarists: Similarities to Athletes and Musicians

The Daily Practice Routines of Professional Guitarists: Similarities to Athletes and Musicians

Professional guitarists who make their living in a music band often need to maintain their guitar playing ability through regular practice. This is similar to how a professional athlete might spend hours each day at the gym to maintain physical fitness. The daily practice routines of these musicians are critical to their performance, much like the training regime of athletes. In this article, we explore the similarities between guitarists, fighters, and athletes, and discuss the importance of practice for professional musicians.

Professional Guitarists and Daily Practice

Professional guitarists often maintain their skills through a combination of daily practice and regular performance. According to my experience, it’s very similar to the training routine of a professional fighter. We spend most of our lives in a maintenance workout program to stay loose and in reasonable physical shape. When we have a tour or an important gig coming up, we incrementally ramp up our practice and hope to peak during the performances.

Relevance to Professional Musicians and Athletes

There’s another comparison between professional musicians and other professionals. For instance, when a professional golfer changes his swing, he needs to practice it over 25,000 times to perfect it. Similarly, professional musicians who learn a new song with a difficult section may need up to a month to perfect their presentation. It’s a process that requires dedication and practice.

Examples of Long-term Practice

Forty years ago, I learned the lead on Dan Fogelberg’s song “Part of the Plan,” performed by Joe Walsh using slide guitar. I didn’t play slide and didn’t tune the guitar to DADGAD. I learned it using normal tuning and fingered all the notes. Because I played with a different technique, the fingering was unnatural. It took me 2 to 4 weeks of daily practice to be performance-ready. The incredible thing is that, even now, I can pick up a guitar and play the lead almost flawlessly. Muscle memory is a mysterious and powerful thing!

The Importance of Practice in Early and Professional Career

I made my living playing the classical guitar in restaurants for five or six years. I know firsthand that practice is crucial. When I was playing four nights a week, I would practice an hour a day on the days I played and three hours a day on the days I did not play. This routine was enough for me to maintain my skills.

Practice vs. Performance

Distinguishing between playing and practicing is key. At a certain level, every musician has likely spent a lot of time practicing their instrument, and many of them do it for hours each day. However, it’s not necessary for them to continue this intense practice routine for the rest of their lives. Professional musicians who make a living by playing their instruments will likely play their instruments every day. This doesn’t mean they won’t practice; they just find the balance between playing and practicing.

Variations in Practice and Performance

The level of daily practice can vary significantly depending on the type of music, the experience of the musician, and the requirements of the band. Some bands struggle to find new material, so they need to practice more. Other bands have a set repertoire that remains essentially the same, thus requiring less practice. However, even in the latter case, the musicians still play a lot of music.

Conclusion

Whether you are practicing for the sake of practice or playing for the sake of performance, the commitment to maintain your skills is essential for professional guitarists. It’s a process that requires discipline, dedication, and a deep understanding of your instrument. Just as a professional athlete trains to maintain physical fitness, a professional musician must practice to maintain their musical prowess.