I just did a video because typing on my phone takes forever 
Quick question about how do u utilize practice time efficiently
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Hi @Just_James I used to keep an electronic journal to monitor my progress/ remind myself what to practice. As you can imagine over the years it got filled up pretty quickly and I found I spent more time writing up my journal than I did practicing. I never really got down to dividing up my time although I did set myself a few goals. I don’t play mando but I think if you spent 10 - 15 mins on a warm-up playing scales. Followed by 30 mins on study/ new tune or project then finish up the remaining time with practicing a tune you know well. I am retired so I have a lot more free time than most but there are times when I feel I don’t practice enough. However when I started posting videos to the forum I began to see my progress improve and at the same time gained valuable feedback from @BanjoBen and other students.
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Thats great tips, I should post more videos for criticism for sure. It’s funny I play song perfectly all day and when I go to record myself the whole thing goes to pot, haha. I guess that’s the problem I run into. Practicing scales and chords, as I learn more, take longer to go through. And as songs become more difficult, practice takes longer on those songs to nail down certain parts. So thirty minutes on a new song doesn’t feel as productive as a whole hour on a new song, and the same goes for the scales and chords. If I don’t practice the old scales and chords I’ve learned, they get a little lost. It’s this weird thing where I feel like spending more time on one sets me back on the other. Two steps forward on a new song is one step back on a new scale. @BanjoBen had an interview on YouTube where talked about how he would practice scales on piano as a kid and had some time where he stopped and mentioned that when u stop practicing ur scales it can really hinder ur progress (paraphrasing that statement). So I guess I want to know what @BanjoBen process and others who play at that level, practice regimen might look like if u had an hour a day to really focus on playing. Or tips on realistic practice goals.
A friend once told me anything you learn on the banjo you’ll never forget it because it will reappear in another bluegrass tune down the line. I guess the same will apply on a mando. Learn all the foundational skills, everything else is just a variation on which to build new embellishment’s.
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hey @Just_James - I believe there is no set formula but I can share some of the guidelines that have worked for me so far . Before you structure your daily practice at all, my advise is to record yourself playing and have an honest assessment of what needs work the most. I believe most of the growth comes from working on your mistakes/weak spots.
As a general advise, always include these good habits in your routine:
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Play with a Metronome or along with records/tracks or drum machine. This is probably one of the most important foundations for any musician
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Try to lay off TABS as soon as possible. I use them all the time and they are great as a support tool but I think it is important to rely on your ear as much as you can. You can work on your ear but applying licks you learned on different songs and also sing notes/scales while you practice. I try to play licks/rolls on the fly, over chord progressions until I can travel comfortably from one chord to the other
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Experiment away, do not be too hard on yourself - Music is an endless lifetime project - do not turn it into a regimented army training. It has to be fun! (my opininion)
Other than that, I try to split my practice into main “categories” - Rolls / Technique / Theory / Ear Training / Songs. You kinda work all of that when you play a tune, but I notice significant results with focused exercises on any given category I decide need work at a time. For example, I will do 5mins pull-offs exercises a day for a week if I think my pull-offs do not sound right yet.
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I do not think I am actually qualified to answer the question but anyway
Seems to me that If you are getting in an hour a day that you are doing it right. There are lots of ways to go about it.
I always just play along with the Gibson Brothers or other music I like. I found a couple on you tube Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ObQ5sKVp7c
I like watching their videos because I can see where his hands are and see a good example of playing and singing at the same time (which I find to be very hard to do)
But I got tired of Fiddle tunes long ago and really just want to be able to play along on any song. So my goals may be very different than yours. I am also not really interested in technical aspects so I do not bother with modes or scales or what notes I am playing.
My only interest is -am I playing something appropriate and interesting and blending in well with others at any given time. Can I chop a long on a song and when the appropriate time comes add a nice little fill?
No amount of learning some version of some fiddle tune taught me how to do that and it is a very hard thing to do (for me at least) But for me what I enjoy is getting out with my bluegrass group and playing music for the public. And play like the musicians I see on YouTube. So I spend all my time trying to copy them.
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All the above posts are great. Chris hit on an important question, which is “what do you want to do with your playing?” If your goal is to work through the syllabus and learn new stuff, then I think you are on the right track. If you want to play with others, then play with other folks often (or short of that, with a metronome and/or recordings as others have suggested). My point is work toward whatever your goal is. If you want to start remembering things, devote time to playing from memory.
You mentioned a problem with recording. That is common. One thing to help get over it is to record even when you don’t want a recording. Delete the file, then record again. After a while, it should help ease the recording woes.
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Great post Mike!
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@Mike_R @frankb_be @Archie thanks for all the advice. I guess that is the million dollar question, what do I want from my playing. The odds of me playing with others are slim (although I plan on making it to cabin camp one year, they look like a freaking blast), so mostly my motivations are individual. I play for my kids and wife and to relax. If I had to narrow my goals down it simply be, I want to be able to create emotions with my instrument. I want to be able to take what’s inside and express it on the mandolin. Play a few chords, and throw in a solo, maybe sing a little, and done. As cheesy as that sounds, Im comfortable assuming you all know what I’m talking about. People like Larry Sparks and Russell More and 3rd Tyme out are great examples of what I mean. I love the old slow gospel tunes. I like all the fast stuff too, don’t get me wrong.
Anyway, I got side tracked… 
I guess maybe a better way to phrase my original question, with all your responses in mind, would be, when players at an elite level first started, what did they do? What did their practice regimen look like? What fundamentals did they nail down when they first started or wish they started sooner? And how did that change as they progressed. I’m realistic, I know I’m not going to sound like @BanjoBen or @Jake after 1 year of lessons on here, but I would love to hear from them about maybe what their practice focused on mostly when they were first starting out, or what fundamentals did they try to nail down in the beginning that really helped them progress, or what they wish they started sooner, and all that. After a year or so on here I have learned that all it is, is practice Practice Practice. So I guess I’m wanting to see how different people utilize that time and what’s important to them. Thanks again for everyone’s help. It’s helped out a lot.
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My goal for the banjo is a bit like driving my car. I just want to get in it and go where I please, trouble is there are too many road blocks and diversions and I have yet to map out all the main routes and short cuts to the destinations I want to visit. Just as I figure out one route another three road blocks or diversions appear to block my path. Awe well fun times ahead!
So @Just_James I think we are all searching for the same things. It’s just that we all have different pathways of reaching our goals. It would be interesting to hear from @BanjoBen @Jake and others how they managed their time when they were starting out, did they have a strict program or just wing it. I think we all can get a little obsessed with our progress at times. comparing ourselves to others and biting off more than we can chew. I tend to bite off more than I can chew and get a little frustrated that I can’t eat it all at one sitting.
Let’s wait and see what others think.
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Just being able to practice an hour a day puts you ahead of 90% of the average amature learning an instrument. It tells me you are practicing in a way that is enjoyable for you and that is important.
My own experience is I started playing the guitar and moved to the mando about 12 years ago -learned a few fiddle tunes, basic chords and could work up a simple break. -and then pretty much stayed like that and never really progressed much. I really struggle to play anything over 110bpm
It wasn’t until I started playing along with songs with learning to play all around the fret board that I really found what works for me. To me music is like speaking a language you have to develop an intuitive since of where it is going and playing all around the fretboard gives your sound a lot of nuance. A fill is like a reply to what the singer just said.
I am not knocking fiddle tunes though -just not my thing.
But any way you like to practice is great with any goal you want. Seems to me your sound is already pretty good. If you are more interested in my practice method I would be happy to show you on a zoom call or whatever.
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@C-Stewart, Hey a zoom call would be great! I’m in EDT , east Tennessee. What’s a good time? Also I’m new to zoom so bear with me., but I’m signed up and have the app.
Maybe we can find some time this weekend
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