“Anyone can learn to play the guitar well who sincerely desires to do so.” – Aaron Shearer, Classical Guitarist and Educator.
My students often ask me how to “get good”. The answer is easy, place your hands on the guitar and practice thoughtfully and consistently every day. After over 43 years of studying the many aspects of music on the guitar I have discovered many things about progressing on the guitar.
Here are thoughts I share with my students:
- Try to practice at least five to six times a week allowing one day for rest. It is better to practice a little bit every day than trying to do a marathon session once a week. Before I made my living as a musician and teacher, I had to hold a serious day job. In order to progress on the guitar, I used to get up at 5:00 A.M. each morning to practice before I went to work. This worked best for me since I my mind was rested and I could absorb new material more easily. I was too tired after a hard days work at night to focus. This routine went on for many, many a year. May be you are not a morning person but try to find some time every day to devote to thoughtful practice. Beginners should focus on a minimum of ½ hour and slowly build this up to longer sessions.
- Find a quiet space where you can practice with out interruption. Try to free your mind of any anxieties before you start. I practiced mediation for several years to help calm my mind and gradually interwove the disciplined mind into my daily practices. Your space should be comfortable with the proper chair, lighting and a solid music stand. Keep a tuner and metronome in your practice area.
- Focus on small bits of material at each practice session. Play as slow as it takes to play any passage correctly. Isolate problem measures and practice them separately. Practice with a metronome to develop accurate time. At first working with a metronome may seem difficult but you will get it after a few tries. Be consistent and keep going back to the same material each practice session until the material is mastered effortlessly at the proper tempo. This will take focus, discipline and especially patience but it will get easier after time and you will eventually quicken your pace of learning as each build block of technique is absorbed.
- Have the right mindset. The material is not difficult, just unfamiliar. Believe that every note you play is beautiful and you will find the practice sessions very enjoyable instead of a “grueling march”. Be patient and kind to yourself!
- Have specific goal to achieve (e.g. learning a particular song or exercise, learning all chord inversions on the same set of strings etc.) Keep track of what you practice at each session. I am in the habit of placing little pencil marks alongside each exercise to make sure I stay on point. I also keep a data base of what was covered in each practice session and look at reports to make sure I am using my time properly. As your practice session time increases, segment the time period to focus on different areas such as reading, scales, performance preparation etc.
I could go on but these are some of the main points. Remember, learning to play the guitar is a wonderful journey with all kinds of rewards. It will take time and keep in mind that it will never be completed totally so enjoy the scenery and the things and people you meet along the way!
Ed Acquesta