I often have people tell me that they have practiced their guitar playing on a daily basis and they never get better. They don't understand why they are stuck in the same level of playing while other players seem to excel after only playing a short time.
To quote my good friend and San Diego musician Tom Baird "Practice Makes Permanent"
If you practice being a bad player- you will become excellent at being a bad player.
If you don't want to suck - here are a few pointers...
1. When you practice don't repeat your songs over and over like a robot.
By practicing like a drone- you play like one. Don't just go through the motions- put some heart into it!
2. Focus on what you are doing
Pay attention. Are you making string noises and fret buzzes? Are your hands in the proper position to get the best tone and technique?
3. Set a Practice Goal and Stick to it.
Make the time. Remember 10 minutes of focused practice is worth a whole day of bad practice.
4. Practice with a metronome
Learn to groove with the metronome. Other musicians will enjoy playing with you and your audience will tap their toes and bob their heads.
5. Record yourself and listen to it.
Don't play it for your family and friends- use the recording to hear how you sound. When you play you are focused on the mechanics of playing and other distractions in the room. You will be suprised at how much you can learn from some honest self- critique.
6. Break it down
A little goes a long way. You might isolate a problem spot in a song and focus on that section until you play it perfectly. You will be amazed at how much you will learn by mastering only a few bars of a song.
7. Learn something challenging and something easy and fun.
Avoid practice burn-out. It should be fun. Choose a song that you WISH you could play- something that really challenges you. Break it down and tackle it bit by bit. Remember- they are only notes!
When your fingers hurt or when practice is getting to repetitive balance it outwith a fun and easy song thats just your speed. Switch it up. KEV
Thanks Kev. Three decades after "quitting" things go a bit slowly. The tips are encouraging. Not the least bit condescending, but baasic enough for an old dog.
Posted by: Tim H | October 01, 2006 at 10:42 PM