Osterloh Guitar Academy
ROUTINE
Welcome to your 30-day guitar practice journey! This routine provides a structured approach to improving your skills. Consistency is key – even short, focused sessions are more beneficial than infrequent long ones. Adjust timings and exercises to your needs.
Daily Practice Structure
(Adaptable Timings)
A. Warm-up & Finger Exercises (5-10 MIN)
- Chromatics (all four fingers, up and down the neck)
- Spider exercise (alternating finger patterns)
- Finger stretches (gentle, don't overdo it)
- Open string picking exercises
C. Musical Application (15-30 MIN)
- Song Practice: Break down and refine songs.
- Improvisation: Play over backing tracks.
- Ear Training: Identify intervals, chords, melodies.
- Rhythm Practice: Strumming patterns, riffs.
B. Core Technique Development (15-30 MIN)
- Scales: Major, Minor, Pentatonic
- Chords: Open, Barre, Seventh
- Arpeggios: Major and Minor Triad
- Legato: Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, Trills
D. Creative & Exploration (5-10 MIN)
- New Concepts: Explore new scales, voicings.
- Composition: Experiment with ideas.
- Free Play: Unstructured playing for enjoyment.
Your Daily Practice Plan
Day 1: Open Chords
Focus: G, C, D, Em, Am transitions.
Goal: 5 smooth, in-tempo transitions for each pair.
Day 2: Major Pentatonic
Focus: C Major Pentatonic Scale (position 1).
Goal: Play C Major Pentatonic cleanly at 60 BPM.
Day 3: Finger Independence
Focus: Chromatic & Spider Exercises.
Goal: Increase picking speed by 5 BPM with accuracy.
Day 4: G Major Scale
Focus: G Major Scale (open & movable).
Goal: Play both G Major scale positions cleanly.
Day 5: E-Shape Barre Chord
Focus: Mastering F Major (E-shape).
Goal: Play a clean F Major barre chord for 5 seconds.
Day 6: First Song
Focus: Applying chords to a simple song.
Goal: Play the first verse/chorus without stopping.
Day 7: Weekly Review & Rest
Focus: Consolidating Week 1 knowledge.
Goal: Solidify understanding of open chords.
Day 8: Minor Pentatonic
Focus: Am Minor Pentatonic (pos 1) & improv.
Goal: Improvise for 3 minutes over an Am blues track.
Day 9: A Major Scale
Focus: A Major Scale (open & movable).
Goal: Play both A Major scale positions fluently.
Day 10: A-Shape Barre Chord
Focus: Mastering Bm (A-shape).
Goal: Play a clean Bm barre chord for 5 seconds.
Day 11: Chord Progressions
Focus: Transitioning G-C-D-Em, Am-G-C-F.
Goal: Play two 4-chord progressions 5 times each.
Day 12: Basic Arpeggios
Focus: C Major & Am Triad Arpeggios.
Goal: Play C & Am arpeggios ascending/descending.
Day 13: Legato Technique
Focus: Hammer-ons & Pull-offs.
Goal: 10 clean hammer-on/pull-off pairs in a row.
Day 14: Ear Training
Focus: Learning a simple melody by ear.
Goal: Master a challenging section of a new song.
Day 15: Harmonic Minor
Focus: Am Harmonic Minor Scale.
Goal: Play the A Harmonic Minor scale up and down.
Day 16: Dominant 7th Chords
Focus: E7, A7, D7 (open) & G7 (movable).
Goal: Play three different 7th chords cleanly.
Day 17: Scale Modes Intro
Focus: C Lydian or C Mixolydian.
Goal: Identify the unique sound of your chosen mode.
Day 18: Advanced Picking
Focus: Economy or basic sweep picking.
Goal: Execute a basic 2-string sweep pattern.
Day 19: Section Mastery
Focus: Looping and perfecting a tricky part.
Goal: Play a difficult section perfectly 3 times.
Day 20: Fretboard Navigation
Focus: Connecting scale positions (e.g., G Major).
Goal: Play scale from open to 12th fret and back.
Day 21: Creative Spark
Focus: Experimentation & weak points.
Goal: Create a new 4-bar riff or find a new voicing.
Day 22: Melodic Minor Intro
Focus: Am Melodic Minor scale (ascending).
Goal: Play the ascending Am Melodic Minor scale.
Day 23: Chord Voicings
Focus: Playing one chord in many ways.
Goal: Play 3 distinct voicings for C major.
Day 24: Blues Scale & Soloing
Focus: Blues scale over 12-bar blues.
Goal: Improvise for 5 minutes over a blues track.
Day 25: Rhythm Precision
Focus: Developing precise rhythmic playing.
Goal: Play a new rhythmic pattern for one minute.
Day 26: Performance Practice
Focus: Playing complete songs confidently.
Goal: Play two songs completely through.
Day 27: New Technique Deep Dive
Focus: One technique (e.g., bending, vibrato).
Goal: Make noticeable progress on chosen technique.
Day 28: Composition Challenge
Focus: Creative expression and ideas.
Goal: Complete a short 8-16 bar musical idea.
Day 29: Refinement
Focus: Identifying and fixing weakest links.
Goal: Improve a weak area by at least 10%.
Day 30: Reflection & Goals
Focus: Celebrating progress & planning next.
Goal: Outline 3 new guitar goals for next month.
Tips for Success
- Track Your Progress: Keep a practice journal. Note what you practiced, for how long, and any breakthroughs.
- Set SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
- Record Yourself: Invaluable for identifying timing issues, sloppy playing, or tone improvements.
- Find Resources: Utilize online tutorials, guitar books, and backing tracks to supplement your practice.
- Be Patient: Learning guitar takes time and dedication. Don't get discouraged by slow progress. Celebrate small victories!