I want to share my thoughts on the difference between practicing and playing guitar because I believe there's a clear distinction. Some people might say they've practiced for eight hours, but was it really practice, or was it just playing? Both are important and valuable, but they're different in my eyes.
Practicing, to me, is when you're focused on specific drills with a goal in mind. It might involve working on scales, exercises, or even parts of a song that you find challenging. It's about focusing on a particular riff or lick and drilling it repeatedly, rather than playing the whole song from start to finish. This focused effort is what I consider practicing, aimed at improving a certain technique or element on the guitar.
Playing, on the other hand, is more about just letting loose—strumming some songs, playing through tunes, or even just noodling around.
This, to me, still counts as playing. I believe everyone needs a mix of both practice and play, but the balance varies from person to person.
It depends on your personality and where you are in your guitar journey at the moment.
I'm quite disciplined, so I tend to spend more time practicing than playing. I've found that focusing on practice and working on my techniques makes everything else I play easier. However, not everyone is like this. Some people are less structured and need more free-form play. And that's perfectly okay. However, I do think that some balance of both practice and play is essential for every guitarist.
Spending too much time on either can lead to drawbacks. Too much practice without play can make you a great technician but not necessarily a musician who can make music. Conversely, too much play without practice might leave you knowing a lot of songs but not playing them well due to a lack of technique.
The balance between practicing and playing is fluid and can change over time. You might find yourself practicing more at one point and playing more at another. The key is to find what works best for you, whether that's a 50/50 split, 80/20 in favor of one or the other, or some other ratio. Practicing and playing serve different purposes. Playing allows for discovery and seeing how things fit together, while practicing builds the skills necessary to express yourself musically.
I hope my insights help you find your balance between practice and play. And if you're interested in diving deeper into guitar playing, check out my website, thetaofguitar.com, where I offer in person and digital guitar lessons.
Let me know your thoughts on practicing versus playing and what works best for you.
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