strap on the guitar, get my pick, and go to town like its the last solo. i play rhythms. no progression in mind, i just play chords and jam jam jam myself stupid. i don't plug in for this. when i can hit any chord or note as fast as my mind decides on them, and my mind decides fast enough to keep the beat going, then i'm ready, and i keep it at that pace and run around with it, until its show time. then i plug in and rip.