Imagine yourself with a guitar, a pick, and the following instructions: you go to a public library and pick some books that look interesting, you get the first couple of pages, and through trial and error you work out the order of the tunes. If your lucky you might get through all the Introduction and foreword without having to put your fingers in holes. But what about intermediate techniques and theory?
How many people do you know who can play a song on the guitar, but can’t play aiddle specially? I’m talking about tinkle bells and blind pigs here, but you know the truth. Guitar lessons should be approached as a progressive concept that teaches the student a step-by-step progression from beginner to more advanced techniques. Sounds easy and it is. But progress is slow to occur, due to the paucity of guitar teachers available.
It’s easy to approach guitar lessons as a quick fix for personal problems. They’re also the wrong way to go. You should view your practice schedule as a way to regulate your progress, to avoid rapid advancement in one area, and slow down progression in other areas. The world is full of successful guitar players who practiced every day. Did they do it to where they are today? Maybe they didn’t have the great guitar teachers, who should have taken them to the top. However, the real fact is, they PRACTICED every day, using the techniques that brought them to their current level.
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Knowing this, how would you explain away someone who appears to be intently practicing every second of the day, but is completely uncooperative and non- responsive to you? Five years ago this story would be true, but this is the 21st century and most importantly; everyone acts like a well-ciplined puppy.
Most importantly, you must discipline yourself to PRACTICE every day. But how? Let’s compile a short list of questions to answer at the start.
- Do you have a good work/life balance? If you are lacking in this area, your practice routine won’t be as effective as it could be.
- What type of/who are you working with: What is your level of technical ability: What is your playing like in general?
- Give yourself sometime away from your instrument for a week or two: When you are working on difficult techniques or scales, you are too thrown out of your comfort zone.
- But you need to practice daily: You need daily focused practice time set aside for your specific instrument (this is where I recommend a time builder tool).
- Is your practice stimulating your creativity?: Your art is best kept “hanging” in the balance, between boredom and frustration.
- Do you actually understand what you are doing?: You are only practicing what you think you can remember so that you can play it over and over to yourself. You need to understand fingerings, tempo, texts, pieces and anything else.
- Can you find time for daily practice?: It’s not going to happen. You need to have a day everybody wants to skip. Even if they’re not, when someone else can pick up the guitar and play a couple of simple songs, they’ll be bored, you’ll be interested and they’ll better than skipping the practice.
- Do you really understand the technical application?: This is a general one that applies to all levels of playing but if your understanding is “piece flew to town” in the complexity of the task, remember this; anything that is more complicated allows a better understanding and/or appreciation for the simpler.
- Do you understand your instrument?: You need to understand the complications and features to properly educate yourself on how to accurately and efficiently make good music.
- Do you have some additional responsibilities? (friends, family, etc…)? If you’re worried about this, honest with yourself. It’s possible to balance the “fun” in practice by holding down a job or paying the laptop costs.
- Are you thick skinned?: Listen, you’re out there competing with the masters. You may or may not accomplish that level of mastery eventually but it’s definitely worth the while to give it your all.