okay, so as some might know i am in South Korea for a year. It took a few weeks but i made my way to Seoul and got a pretty nice guitar. now i ask... since i am pretty much a stranger in a strange land (to quote Iron Maiden) what should i be doing each night. I spend a lot of time practicing the Penatonic scales, walking up and down the neck 5 times each string and i hope to learn a chord a week. if you were locked away for a year what would you do to help grow your skill?
i know this is a strange and random thread but when i get back i hope to get in a band and eventually play on stage. i have some decent gear and i have played for a while but never with other musicians and never out of my house. I love guitar and i hope to use this year away to really hone my skill.

do as your doing, learning basic music theory, and get you a nice metronome and work on your timing. both of these should cover you some serious grounds while your gone.
when you get back you should be well ahead of your game.
most importantly, be safe and have fun while your gone.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

While you're running scales up and down the neck,learn the name of every note,sounds boring but it will help you in the future with chords.
I never did this and now wish I had.

when learning cords there's a method called the "CAGED" method. its basically
C major, A major, G major, E major, and D major. these are considered the easiest because they are not "Bar chords" like the F major and B Major.
Okay so it tokk me a while to figure this out:
When researching chords on the internet. if you see for example, "Cm" this actually means C minor. I though it meant C major and I was screwing my self up.

So Go online and get chord charts and dont just learn the cords practice changing chords. there is a thread here where some one asked about easy songs for beginners. check it out and learn some.

What really helped me learn alot of different chords and chord changes is learning some old beatles songs this might be at the end of your year though. Believe it or not once you get to that point you will appreciate how dynamic the beatles music writing really was!

And The best advise any onw will give you is "DONT QUIT" "STICK WITH IT"!

here is a good study guide
http://www.guitarfriendly.net/images/fretboard-note-chart.png

If I were locked away for a year, what would I do to help grow my skill? I would break out and find people to jam with. Sure, I practice scales, chords, modes, reading and composing sheet music, etc... But the thing that helps me improve the most is playing with other people. Even though I'm not good enough to have a paying gig, just jamming it out gives priceless experience. Kinda like boxing: If you would lock yourself in a room and punch a bag and workout for a year, it would definitely make you a better boxer. However, not as good as the boxer who sparred for a year and knows how to face and read an opponent (Unless you are considerably bigger and stronger, but I'm assuming same weight class >_>).

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

perfect set of circumstances, I agree, you will use this time to hone you guitar skills. you could work on vocals too.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

+1

All of the threds are truly good advice, and try a mixolodian mode, it really does the things you want and can cuase a great deal of progression in your playing ability, the forum can tell you amaseing ways to hone your skills, these people know and can direct you in the path that you wish to achive.

When you get good enough play around with some alternate tunnings also, Go beyond Drop D. A little advanced. but since your going to have some time on your hands.

thanks everyone! great ideas... actually i have started playing once and a while with some of the kids at the school i teach at. It has not been anything regular but i hope it starts to be an every week thing. i have never really jammed with anyone so i completely agree with the boxer analogy. Basically i have been the guy hitting the punching bag for a long time.

Solid Body Love Songs touched on vocals, probably the easiest way to work on rythm and chord changes at the same time is accompanyng a singer.

Or better yet, Leon Russell...

How man days has it been since I was born, how many days 'til I die?
Do I know any ways that I can make you laugh, or can I only make you cry...
He's a stranger in a strange land - just a stranger in a strange land... tell me why.
He's a stranger in a strange land - just a stranger in a strange land.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963