What to practice on guitar as an intermediate?
By now, you probably have the basics down and are ready to explore the practices that will expand and refine your skills and take your playing to a new level.
And if you’re wondering what to practice on guitar as an intermediate, here are five tips that will guide you on what to focus on and why it matters so you can build a practice routine that keeps you improving and motivated.
1. Scale Fluency and Improvisation
Dedicate time to mastering scales, especially major, minor, and pentatonic scales.
If you already have them under your sleeve, proceed forward to blues scales and modes.
The best easy-to-follow book I recommend, with a construction formula for each scale and mode to help you quickly remember them, is the “Guitar Scale Bible”. (Amazon Link).
Practice the new scales you wish to master up and down across the fretboard to build your scale vocabulary and work them out by improvising over backing tracks. (This is the best advice I learned from Joe Satriani when he talks about practicing scales on the guitar).
Learning scales in different positions and using them for improvising will benefit your musical creativity, and give you confidence and freedom to improvise up to the level you develop your unique style.
2. Chord Extensions and Variations
Moving beyond basic chords by practicing extensions (like major 7ths, minor 9ths, and dominant 7ths) and experimenting with inversions will bring richness to your sound, adding depth and sophistication.
They’re essential if you’re interested in genres like jazz, funk, or soul and can be applied to create new chord voicings in your favorite songs.
Please read my review of Mickey Baker’s Jazz Guitar for bridging intermediate to advanced chords.
It’ll provide a structured practicing system for mastering Minor 6ths, Major 6ths, altered chords, and substitutions on the entire fingerboard so you can add a sophisticated flavor to any tune you play.
3. Speed and Precision with Alternate Picking
Focus on alternate picking exercises and gradually increase speed with a metronome.
Practice on scales or single-string exercises.
Alternate picking improves both speed and accuracy, which is essential for intermediate and advanced solos.
It’s a foundational technique for rock, metal, and even blues players who want to develop quicker, more precise playing.
As you can see in the following video, Chris Brooks can help you improve your speed with the alternate Picking technique.
4. Riffs, Licks, and Songs You Love
Pick challenging riffs, classic licks, or songs you enjoy that push your current skill level. Spend time breaking them down and perfecting them.
Learning real music keeps you engaged and gives you a sense of accomplishment. It’s also a practical way to apply the techniques you’re practicing, making your progress feel tangible.
5. Ear Training and Theory
If you haven’t done so by now, I highly recommend that you spend a few minutes in each practice session on ear training exercises and basic music theory, like chord progressions and harmonization.
Theory and ear training develop your musical intuition, making it easier to learn songs by ear and improvise confidently.
Understanding theory can also deepen your appreciation of music and help you connect the dots between techniques.
If you need assistance figuring out which guitar theory book you need to improve your level of playing, also read my article about the 7 best music theory books for guitar players.
Final Thoughts to Help You Understand What to practice on guitar as an intermediate
One final tip, If you’re not already using an intermediate guitar practice routine PDF, I highly recommend you do so once you choose the areas you wish to focus on and improve.
As you proceed to more complicated stuff, it becomes extensive and needs to be broken down into defined and documented action steps that are systematically rehearsed, or it won’t stick into your playing.
Knowing what to practice and for how long can help you continue progressing and refining your skills.
This post highlights key areas to focus on, including mastering scales for improvisation, exploring chord extensions for richer sounds, building speed and precision with alternate picking, and learning challenging riffs to keep practice enjoyable.
Incorporating ear training and basic music theory also deepens musical understanding and improves your ability to play by ear.
So, go on with practicing these new playing areas, and over time, you’ll develop a well-rounded skill set and make your practice sessions both effective and engaging.
Thanks for reading this,
Ben Fields
