Lesson series

Create a Practice Routine

Learn to create a practice routine that improves your rhythm and lead guitar playing in just minutes per day

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Online guitar course · Practice routine

Create a Practice Routine

Build a guitar practice routine that fits your level

Create a Practice Routine is a guitar practice course taught by GuitarZoom Master Instructor Steve Stine. It splits practice into four buckets: core skills, theory and fretboard, song study, and creativity and real-world playing. You then build a daily and weekly routine, pick a practice path for your level, and work through core exercises for picking, legato, scales and pentatonic licks. The course has 51 video lessons in four sections, nearly 4 hours in total, plus a 40-page PDF book. This course is included in GuitarZoom Premium.

51video lessons

3+ hoursof step-by-step teaching

4 modulesin a clear order

All levelslevel

40-page PDF bookincluded

In Premiumwith 15 more core courses

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $67

Included in GuitarZoom Premium · course 4 of 16 in the path (Stage 1: Foundations)

Free preview

What Create a Practice Routine is about

Steve breaks every skill into simple steps you can follow. In these videos, he introduces the course, explains how the practice system works, and shows a practice path for the CAGED system.

Course intro: Introduction · 0:38

Free preview lesson: Understanding the Information · 3:37

Free preview lesson: Path 3 - Advancing Chords - CAGED System · 3:21

Who it's for

Is Create a Practice Routine right for you?

Players who don't know what to practice. The practice paths lay out what to work on, from chord study to pentatonic scales and CAGED.
Busy players who need structure. Lessons walk through a routine for each day of the week.
Beginners and intermediate players. Path 1 starts with chords, rhythm and basic theory, and later paths add lead playing and the fretboard.
Players who want better technique. The core bucket section has legato, picking, synchronization and scale exercises.

What you'll be able to do

Skills you'll walk away with

Sort your practice into core, theory and fretboard, song study and creativity buckets
Plan a 7-day practice routine
Practice with a metronome
Choose a practice path that matches your level
Play fretting hand legato and picking hand exercises
Work on tremolo picking, synchronization and string skipping
Practice pentatonic patterns and licks
Practice diatonic scales in intervals, groups of 4 and diagonal motion

What's inside

The course, module by module

Every module and every lesson, in the order you learn them.

Module 1

Understanding the practice buckets

How to use the information, the four buckets (core, theory and fretboard, song study, and creativity and real world), and tips for success.

7 lessons · 21 min

See all 7 lessons

Introduction 0:38
Understanding the Information 3:37
Developing Buckets - Core Bucket 3:11
Developing Buckets - Theory/Fretboard Bucket 3:44
Developing Buckets - Song Study Bucket 1:28
Developing Buckets - Creativity/Realworld Bucket 2:26
Tips for Success 5:58

Module 2

Creating a daily and weekly practice routine

A routine for days 1 to 7, tips for an effective routine, and how to use a metronome.

7 lessons · 30 min

See all 7 lessons

Practice Routine - Day 1 3:49
Practice Routine - Day 2 1:40
Practice Routine - Day 3 2:02
Practice Routine - Day 4, 5 & 6 0:50
Practice Routine - Day 7 2:15
Tips for Creating an Effective Practice Routine 2:03
How to Use a Metronome 17:29

Module 3

Practice paths: what to practice at each level

Path 1 (chord study, rhythm, scratching to songs, basic theory, song study), Path 2 (chord and strumming advancement, single note picking), Path 3 (minor and major pentatonic, meandering, vocal techniques, CAGED, fretboard memorization, riffs), Paths 4 and 5, learning songs and the real world bucket.

21 lessons · 81 min

See all 21 lessons

Introduction 0:29
Path 1 - Chord Study 4:45
Path 1 - Rhythm Study 3:06
Path 1 - Scratching to Songs 1:54
Path 1 - Basic Theory 1:14
Path 1 - Basic Song Study & Play-Along 0:56
Path 2 - Chord Advancement 3:06
Path 2 - Strumming Advancement 6:17
Path 2 - Single Note Picking Basics 7:42
Path 2 - Song Study 1:17
Path 3 - The Minor Pentatonic 5:24
Path 3 - The Major Pentatonic Scale 1:09
Path 3 - Meandering 5:41
Path 3 - Fundamental "Vocal Techniques" 6:13
Path 3 - Advancing Chords - CAGED System 3:21
Path 3 - Basic Theory & Fretboard Memorization 1:59
Path 3 - Song Study - (Riffs to Favorite Songs) 1:06
Paths 4 & 5 2:17
Fretboard Memorization 5:24
Learning Songs 11:08
Real World Bucket 6:27

Module 4

Core bucket practice examples

Fretting hand legato, picking and legato across the fretboard, picking hand exercises, tremolo picking, synchronization, scales and positions, pentatonic patterns and licks, string skipping, diatonic scales, intervals, groups of 4, diagonal motion and pedal tone ideas.

16 lessons · 99 min

See all 16 lessons

Introduction 0:50
Fretting Hand Legato Exercise 16:03
Picking & Legato Techniques Across the Fretboard 7:21
Picking Hand Exercices 15:41
Tremolo Picking 3:52
Synchronization Exercise 9:43
Scales and Positions 8:20
Pentatonic Patterns 1:41
String Skipping 1:06
Pentatonic Licks 6:19
Diatonic Scales 13:14
Diatonic Intervals 3:54
Diatonic Groups of 4 3:41
Diatonic Diagonal Motion 3:05
Pedal Tone Ideas 1:44
Final Thoughts 2:29

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $67

How it works

Learn at your own pace

Clear video lessons

Every move is shown up close. Pause, rewind and repeat each lesson as often as you need.

Practice materials

Includes 40-page PDF book. Use them to practice what you learn in each lesson.

Part of a clear path

This is course 4 of 16 in the Premium path, so you always know what to learn next.

Your instructor

Steve Stine

GuitarZoom Master Instructor

Steve has taught guitar for more than 30 years and has helped millions of players in over 100 countries. He has a Music Education degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and taught guitar at North Dakota State University. He's known for breaking hard things into simple steps you can follow. Read Steve's full story

Student reviews

What students say about Steve's teaching

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

"I'm just overjoyed to come across learning material that I've yearned for."
Andy M.Australia

"Thank you for breaking down music theory and making it so easy to learn."
Travis B.United States

"I have definitely improved and I enjoy it immensely."
Melina K.United States

"Steve Stine is the teacher that I have been looking for a long time."
Jimmy H.United States

"I discovered your courses. I find them great. It's a complete guitar journey and I learned something every week."
Philip M.United States

"It made the fretboard much, much simpler and easier to understand than I have imagined it to be."
Geoffrey E.United Kingdom

Read 100+ more student reviews

FAQ

Create a Practice Routine questions

Is this course for beginners?

Yes. Path 1 covers chord study, rhythm and basic theory, and later paths add single note picking, pentatonic scales and CAGED.

What are the practice buckets?

They are four areas to practice: core skills, theory and fretboard, song study, and creativity and real-world playing. Each has its own lesson.

Does the course give me a ready-made routine?

It walks through a routine for each day of the week and gives tips so you can build your own.

Which exercises are included?

Fretting hand legato, picking hand, tremolo picking, synchronization, string skipping, pentatonic patterns and licks, diatonic scales and pedal tone ideas.

Do I need a metronome?

It helps. A full lesson shows how to use one in your practice.

How long is the course?

There are 51 video lessons in four sections, nearly 4 hours in total, plus a 40-page PDF book.

How do I get Create a Practice Routine?

Create a Practice Routine is one of the 16 core courses in GuitarZoom Premium. Premium costs $39 a month or $299 a year and starts with a 14-day free trial. You can also buy Create a Practice Routine on its own for a one-time $67.

What else is included in GuitarZoom Premium?

Premium gives you Steve Stine's 16 core courses in a clear, step-by-step path, from your first chords to improvising your own solos, plus a Jam Tracks library. You get every course from day one.

Can I cancel GuitarZoom Premium?

Yes. You can cancel any time. If you cancel before your 14-day trial ends, you won't be charged.

Can I watch on my phone or tablet?

Yes. You can watch on any computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection, as often as you like.

Next in the Premium path