Time: 1 1/2 hours

Comments: Today was not exactly a practice session, per se. My friend Barry is working on a solo CD called “The Anabasis.” He’s asked a bunch of his musician friends – myself included – to contribute performances. My specific task is to record guitar solos for one of his epic songs, “Egypt.”

Today I started recording the solos that I’ve been working on, but since I had not been completely happy with my solos up to this point, I’ve had to do some practicing to get my phrasing the way I wanted it. I have also identified some sloppiness in my alternate picking of ascending fast runs. I’ve never been a good alternate picker (I prefer economy picking) but I don’t want to use that as an excuse to not get better at alternate picking. As a result, I will be adding picking exercises to my new practice routine.

My fretting hand is very tired now, having recorded pretty much straight through the 1 1/2 hour session. I still have more to record before I can finish the song, but I need at least a day of hand rest to recover having also spent last night in my martial arts class punching, grabbing, and being thrown by wrist locks. Good times…