Metal guitar practice routine: 20, 40 and 60 minutes
The short version
Every session gets one problem to fix, one song fragment to loop, and a stopping point while your form is still good. Use the plans below instead of "play until I feel done". What matters is that you can name what went wrong, not what time of day you practice.
Rules for any length
- One problem per session: palm mute bouncing, outside string changes, downpicking stamina, or where your phrases land. Not five.
- Work the problem with the 1-bar metronome routine.
- Song time means looping the bar that breaks, not a full play-through.
- When your form changes, the block is over. Switch tasks or stop. See speed without tension.
20 minutes
- 2 minutes: even open-string 8ths. Are your hands showing up today?
- 12 minutes: your one problem, nothing else.
- 6 minutes: one riff fragment at your clean tempo.
Skip the warm-up songs. Twenty minutes can't afford them.
40 minutes
- 5 minutes: check-in, plus the test for your current beginner path stage.
- 15 minutes: your one problem.
- 12 minutes: song fragment.
- 8 minutes: one lead skill, like landing on a target note, a pinch harmonic or a three-note lick. Skip it if you're still on the muting or picking stages.
60 minutes
- The 40-minute plan, then a 2-minute break, then 15–20 minutes on a second fragment or second problem.
- Last 5 minutes: play the fragment once as music, with no stopping to fix things. If it falls apart, now you know where tomorrow starts. Don't start a third project.
Repeat yesterday's problem bar
This isn't a plan for learning a new lick every day. Going back to yesterday's broken bar is the session. And showing up most days beats one heroic Saturday. See massed vs distributed practice.