The Ultimate Beginner's Practice Routine

A Simple 3-Step Method for Real Progress

Starting guitar can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you have just five minutes a day or a full hour to practice, this routine gives you a clear, repeatable structure to follow. I call it:

Tune It Up. Build It Up. Tear It Up.

This routine helps you make the most of your practice time by giving you a format you can return to every day. The specific exercises in this post are just examples—what really matters is the structure. You can swap in different chords, scales, or songs as you grow.

Let’s walk through each part of the routine and how to make it work for you—starting today.

Step 1: Tune It Up

Warm-Up for Success

This part is all about getting your hands and brain synced up. The examples below are just one way to do it—you can use any warm-up that builds coordination, picking accuracy, and clean chord transitions.

Technique Exercises

Start with simple down-up picking and finger coordination:

Start on the low E string
Use fingers 1-2-3-4 across the frets
Move string by string
Switch to a metronome (start at 72 bpm with 8th notes)

Picking Hand Accuracy

Use open strings to work on picking consistency:

Try long bursts of downstrokes, then upstrokes
Move across strings and try string skipping
Focus on clean contact and even tone

Chord Transitions

Work on moving between two simple chords (like G to C):

Start with 4 strums each
Then 2 strums
Then 1 strum
Focus on landing the full chord shape at once—not finger-by-finger

Step 2: Build It Up

Develop Your Core Guitar Skills

This section is where you strengthen your foundation. Again, the exercises listed are suggestions—feel free to plug in whatever chords, rhythms, or scales you’re currently learning. The key is consistency and variety.

Learn One New Chord a Day

Example: B7 chord

D string, 1st fret
A and G strings, 2nd fret
High E string, 2nd fret
Leave B string open
Don’t play the low E

Practice One New Strumming Pattern

Use 8th notes and play only on upbeats (“and" beats).
Try it with G and C chords and add embellishments as you go.

Today’s suggestion: G Major Scale

Start at 3rd fret (G note)
Follow the pattern: Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Play with a metronome or loop a G chord as a backing track

Step 3: Tear It Up

Make Real Music

Now it’s time to apply what you’ve worked on. Whether you’re playing a two-chord song or trying out your first improv over a loop, this is where practice becomes music. Don’t worry about getting it perfect—this is your creative zone.

Refresh an Old Song

Pick a simple 2–3 chord song you already know.
Then:

Add offbeat strumming
Try new rhythms
Throw in fills or partial scales between chords

Take something you already know and give it new life.

Try Improvising

Use the G major scale you just learned:

Play short phrases over a looped G chord
Use “up three, back one” phrasing
Try ending on the root note (G) or delaying it for tension

Improvise with Rhythm

Take a chord progression and experiment:

Eighth notes (all downstrokes)
Quarter notes
Whole notes
Mix and match to feel different grooves

Wrap-Up: Practice with Confidence

The “Tune It Up, Build It Up, Tear It Up” format gives you a reliable roadmap for any practice session. The examples in this post are just that—examples. As you learn new things, plug them into this framework and keep progressing.

Pair this routine with my free guide for the full beginner foundation:
And remember, you don’t need to rush. It’s about showing up, staying consistent, and making music every time you pick up your guitar.

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