Today I'd like to show you my personal progress over the last 4 years! In the previous progress video, we compared young me from 2007 to current me - but I actually think it's much more important to focus on these last couple of years :)
The biggest changes came as soon as I started working with a structured practice routine. It feels crazy to look back at 2017 and to see all the mistakes I made back then! Here is the link to the left-hand exercises I talked about in the video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/128-top-10-best-43563180Also, here's the current routine I am working on since this month:
1.) 25 minutes of alternate picking control/speed/precision exercises - speed bursts from 80BPM to 210BPM with focus on string transitioning and hand synchronization. We can check these out in detail in case you vote for this lesson topic on the wishlist this month!
2.) 25 minutes of arpeggio picking, switching back and forth between alternate picking and sweep picking. In the last 5 minutes, I only sweep and push the tempo hard while focusing on staying relaxed and making all notes audible - this is the exercise concept I base this block on: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143-this-is-why-459151783.) 25 Minutes of legato licks with a focus on timing and connecting phrases - I play to a click and switch between 16th notes and 16th note triplets to improve my timing. I try to play very long lines without disruptions so that I can use this for improvisation (ornamenting with chromatic notes, odd starting points/note groupings,...)
4.) 15 minutes of theory drills like triads, arpeggio/scale connections, chord theory - this changes frequently so that I also get some music theory out of my routine
5.) 20 minutes of improvisation to keep things musical and practical