By the end of the year, a lot of us hit a little practice slump. You have spent months grinding scales, learning songs, tightening timing, and now your routine is starting to feel the same every time you plug in. Totally normal. The trick is not to force inspiration, but to change the game you are playing.

So here is a fun holiday challenge. Ten bite sized guitar prompts to try before the year ends. No pressure to be perfect. The point is to stay curious, keep your hands moving, and remind yourself why you picked up the guitar in the first place.

Day 1: Record a loop and build a song on top

Looping sounds like wizard stuff the first time you see someone do it. Then you try it once and realize it is basically a cheat code for practice and songwriting. Lay down a simple chord progression and loop it. Add a lead part, a second rhythm idea, or a harmony. Need a looper (and maybe a new practice amp?) Check out Spark 2, the flagship smart guitar amp by Positive Grid that not only includes thousands of presets, but also a built-in looper.

Day 2: AI genre roulette, then a holiday remix

Every guitarist gets stuck in their comfort zone. Same tones, same style, same moves. Today you are kicking the door open. Pick a genre you never play and let Spark AI in the Spark app build a tone for it. Try something like tight modern metal rhythm, glassy funk clean, or dreamy lo fi indie lead. Play for a minute, then make a festive alternate version of that tone. Add shimmer, warm it up, darken it down, or throw in a short slap delay. Write one riff for the original and one riff for the remix. Two new ideas, one quick experiment.

Day 3: Create a jam partner in seconds

Finding bandmates who share your schedule, taste, and commitment is basically a side quest these days. The good news is you do not have to wait on a full lineup to feel the spark of a real jam. Open Smart Jam in the Spark app, play anything for thirty seconds, and let it generate a backing track that follows you. Treat it like a band that never flakes. Switch styles and tempos and see how your riff changes when the groove changes.

Day 4: The non guitar riff scavenger hunt

Some of your best riffs are hiding in places you would never think to look. A movie theme, a holiday jingle, a melody stuck in your head from the grocery store. Grab a tune that is not from a guitar song, hum it, then translate it to the fretboard. Change the rhythm, add bends or slides, and make it yours. This is a sneaky way to write something fresh without trying to be fresh.

Day 5: Learn the solo you always skip

We all have that one solo we swear we will learn someday. It is the part you sing along to, then quietly pretend you do not need to play. Today is someday. Pick the solo, slow it down, and learn it clean. Even ten minutes counts. You will feel the payoff immediately in your phrasing and confidence.

Day 6: Take your guitar somewhere new

Sometimes the room you are in decides the riff before you do. Same chair, same lighting, same vibe can lead to the same ideas. So change the scene. Write outside your usual spot. Couch, kitchen, balcony, park, anywhere. A Spark GO is perfect for that! Bring it and let the environment shape the mood. A new place can unlock a new part of your playing.

Watch on Instagram

Day 7: Practice your stage presence and guitar tricks

A riff can sound amazing in your room and still fall flat live if your body looks like it is waiting for the bus. Performance is a skill too. To really take your performance to the next level, try the Spark LINK wireless guitar system so you can actually move without worrying about a cable snagging your ankle. Stand in front of a mirror and practice your stance. Step forward for solos, lean into big chords, move with the groove. If you want to get brave, add a jump, a spin, or the classic guitar swing.

Feeling extra fearless? Try the dreaded guitar spin, but do it smart. Make sure your strap is secure, use strap locks if you have them, and practice over something soft so your headstock is not the first thing to meet the floor. Ok, on second thought, let’s not try the guitar spin.

Day 8: Practice silently, but play like it is loud

Quiet practice can feel small if you let it. But it does not have to. Plug into Spark NEO or any headphone setup and play at whisper volume, while performing like you are on a big stage. Full dynamics, full confidence, full intent. This is a killer way to build control without waking the neighbors.

Watch on Instagram

Day 9: Build a fresh tone from a totally blank slate

It is easy to fall in love with presets and never leave them. But building a tone from scratch teaches you what you actually like. Start from a clean preset or an empty chain and create something new. Use BIAS X tone creation software for Mac or PC to get you started, then steer it where you want. Try prompts like warm clean with a hint of grit, or tight rhythm tone with a wide stereo feel. You are not chasing perfection. You are learning your taste.

Day 10: Write a riff with one rule

Constraints sound annoying until you try them. Then they feel like a creative superpower. Pick one limitation and commit to it. Only two strings, only downstrokes, only three chords, only one scale shape. Rules force your hands to find new paths.

Wrap it up your way

That is ten days of fresh practice fuel. You do not have to do them in order. You do not even have to do all twelve. Just grab the ones that sound fun and let them pull you out of the rut.

If you end the year with a few new riffs, a couple new tones, and a reminder that practice can be playful, you win. Plug into a Spark series amp (holiday deals are still live!), try something new, and keep the creativity moving into the new year.