The Guitarist's Practice Backlog: What to Learn Now, Later, or Never

One of the easiest ways to derail a guitar practice session is to discover something new you want to learn.

Maybe you hear a killer riff. Maybe a video introduces you to a technique you've never tried. Or perhaps you remember a tune you've wanted to learn for years.

Before you know it, that freaking right side of the brain has completely subdued the left side, and you've forgotten what you even sat down to do.

I've done this more times than I can count.

I'll start learning something, make a little progress, and eventually reach a difficult section. Then another idea comes along—something easier, more interesting, or simply more rewarding in the moment.

Before long, I'm working on something completely different. It happens all too often.

The original project hasn't necessarily been abandoned. It's just sitting somewhere in the background. And as those unfinished projects accumulate, they can become surprisingly discouraging.

That's why I think guitarists could benefit from keeping a practice backlog.

Not a list of everything you owe yourself. Just a place to keep your musical ideas without allowing all of them to compete for your attention at once.

Why Guitar Projects Pile Up

Guitar offers seemingly endless possibilities. Add multiple genres, techniques, and favorite artists to the mix, and it's easy to develop more interests than you could reasonably pursue.

I've noticed that the temptation to switch projects often becomes strongest when the current one gets difficult.

For example, I've spent time learning the introduction to Silent Lucidity by Queensrÿche. It's a beautiful guitar part, and the opening is enjoyable to play.

But learning the rest of the tune presents a larger challenge.

That's when something else starts looking like low-hanging fruit. A new riff offers the satisfaction of quick progress, while the unfinished tune requires more deliberate effort.

There's nothing wrong with exploring new ideas. But when this becomes a pattern, you can end up with a collection of partially learned material and very little sense of completion.

Give Every Idea a Place to Go

The simplest solution is to separate wanting to learn something from committing to learning it right now.

Those are two different decisions.

When you encounter an interesting tune, lick, or technique, you don't have to drop everything and start practicing it.

Write it down. Add a short note about why it interested you. Then get back to what you were doing.

A notebook, spreadsheet, or an application like Thrive Guitar can serve as your backlog.

The important distinction is this: saving an idea doesn't mean promising to complete it.

You're preserving an option, not creating an obligation.

What to Learn Now

I don't believe guitarists need a rigid system for deciding what to practice.

Personally, I tend to follow whatever interests me most at a particular time. I've had stretches where I was primarily interested in learning reggae tunes, for example.

When it's summer and I'm at the pool or the beach, it's all reggae for me. When winter rolls around, it's Christmas tunes and chord melody.

When that enthusiasm is there, I want to take advantage of it.

I also like having several active projects rather than forcing every practice session to revolve around one thing. For me, six to ten projects can provide a useful variety, although your ideal number might be much smaller.

The important thing is that your active list contains material you're genuinely interested in making progress on.

And when you stop practicing something, leave yourself a note about where to pick up next time.

Something as simple as:

Intro is comfortable. Next session: work slowly through the first verse.

That small habit can save you from having to figure out where you left off weeks later.

What to Learn Later

Your backlog is where future possibilities live.

A tune might stay there for weeks, months, or years. You might return to it when your interests change, your technique improves, or you simply hear it again and feel inspired.

Some ideas may never become active projects, and that's perfectly fine!

The real benefit of a backlog is that you don't have to keep every unfinished project in the back of your mind.

If something catches your attention during practice, capture it. You can always explore it later without abandoning what you're currently working on.

What to Learn Never

Here's something guitarists don't always like to admit:

You don't have to learn everything you've ever wanted to learn.

Your interests change. A tune that seemed essential five years ago might not interest you today. A technique you once planned to master might no longer fit your musical goals.

You don't need to carry those projects around out of obligation.

Archive them, remove them from your plans, or simply let them go.

And if your entire backlog starts feeling overwhelming, there's nothing wrong with starting over.

Clear the active list. Give yourself a blank slate. Decide what you're interested in today.

Sometimes you just need to give yourself permission to start over! You can always revisit older ideas once you've cleared your head.

Keep Your Priorities Flexible

I think it's worth reviewing your practice priorities occasionally.

Guitar playing isn't Marine boot camp. Discipline is important with learning music, but not at the expense of killing your motivation for playing.

Are you still interested in your active projects? Are you making progress, or repeatedly starting something new? Is there material you've learned that deserves occasional maintenance?

These aren't questions you need to answer every day. They're simply a way to make sure your practice reflects your current musical interests.

One of the things I've wanted from Thrive Guitar is a way to sit down with my instrument and quickly see where I left off.

What was I working on? Which projects have I neglected? What did I intend to practice next?

I don't want an application deciding what I should play. I want it to help me remember what I decided was important.

That's ultimately what a good practice backlog should do.

Your Backlog Is a Collection of Possibilities

If you have a long list of unfinished guitar projects, it may simply mean you're a curious musician with more interests than available time.

That's not a bad thing.

Keep a few projects active. Save the rest for later. Maintain the material you want to remember. And don't be afraid to let go of ideas that no longer interest you.

Your guitar practice backlog isn't a list of everything you owe yourself. It's a collection of musical possibilities you can return to whenever the time is right.

If you'd like a place to keep track of your musical ideas, organize your active projects, and remember where you left off, that's exactly why I built Thrive Guitar. It's free to get started.