Are you looking to get better at playing the guitar? If that is the case, you’re definitely not alone. Guitar playing is a hugely popular activity, and with good reason – it can be a lot of fun! But if you want to get the most out of your guitar playing, it’s important that you practice in the right way. In this blog post, we’ll provide 11 tips for making your guitar practice more enjoyable and productive. Let’s get started!
1. Get some motivation
believe it or not, being motivated is one of the most important conditions in order for you to work effectively in improving your guitar practice habits. After all, why would you bother to show up to your guitar practice sessions if you didn’t want to get better? Finding ways to stay motivated is key, and there are a few things that can help.
- Try setting some goals for yourself. What do you hope to achieve with your guitar playing? Once you have some specific goals in mind you can
- Start thinking about how to work toward them. Your goal could be a specific piece, a particular guitar technique, or more seriously you would like to bring your guitar playing to the next level.
- look for videos of guitar players that may inspire you. Not necessarily to be videos of famous guitarists. Any video that will make you willing to practice your guitar.
- try to make friends with people alike and share your achievements and dreams with them.
If you’re looking for more tips on how to improve your motivation and enthusiasm to practice guitar, be sure to check out my Course “Motivate yourself to practice guitar”
2. Do not stick to the same things
Another way to make guitar practice more enjoyable is by mixing things up. If you’ve been playing the same pieces or exercises over and over again, you’re bound to get bored eventually. Try learning a new piece or working on a challenging one that you haven’t tackled before. You can also try changing your practice routine altogether. For example, if you are playing evening after a long day, try doing that in the mornings when you are fresh and well-rested. Try to change the room or if there is no chance at least change your location or position in the room. Try to listen to different performers. That will give you more ideas and understanding about the music you are working on.
3. Warm-up before your practice guitar
Don’t forget to warm up your fingers and wrists before you start playing. A good warm-up will help you avoid injuries and get the most out of your practice session. You can watch this interview with one of the greatest guitar players of our time – David Russel.
4. Create a practice routine and stick to it
Developing a practice routine is key to improving your guitar skills. A good routine should be tailored to your own needs and abilities and should include exercises that focus on the areas you need to work on most. You can find some great tips for creating a practice routine here.
5. Set realistic practice session goals
If you make overly ambitious objectives, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. It is important to be realistic about what you can achieve in a practice session and make sure that your goals are achievable. This will help you to stay motivated and improve your guitar playing. Don’t try to achieve too much in one practice session. Set small goals that you can achieve in the time that you have available. If you only have 30 minutes you may decide to work only a few bars of a new piece or to practice a particular guitar technique that you are struggling with.
6. Take breaks
Schedule regular breaks into your practice session. This will help you to avoid burnout and will allow you to come back to your playing refreshed and ready to focus.
7. Get feedback for your guitar practice
One of the best ways to improve your playing is to get feedback from a guitar teacher or another experienced musician. They will be able to help you identify areas that need improvement and give you useful feedback on your playing. If you don’t have a guitar teacher, you may consider having a free trial guitar lesson with one of our teachers.
8. Focus on quality over quantity
In order to make real progress, it’s more important that you focus on quality practice than just practicing for hours on end. Make sure that you are working on things that will help you improve your playing.
9. Use a metronome to practice guitar
A metronome is a useful tool for developing your timing and rhythm. It may help you practice playing in time while allowing your mind to focus on other things. Such as tone colors, accuracy, and dynamics.
10. Slow things down
If you are struggling with a particular section of a piece of music, it can be helpful to slow down the tempo. This will help you to focus on each individual note and make sure that you are playing accurately.
11. End your guitar practice on a positive note
Ending your practice session on a positive note will make it more enjoyable and leave you feeling good about your playing. Make sure to end with a piece or an exercise that you feel confident about. Subsequently, This will boost your motivation and make you more likely to practice again.
By following these tips, you will be able not only to make the most out of your practice sessions. Moreover, you will benefit and get satisfaction also from your guitar lessons and you will definitely improve your playing. Guitar practice doesn’t have to be boring or frustrating, it can be enjoyable and productive if you know how to approach it correctly. Keep these tips in mind the next time you practice and see how your playing improves!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to improve your motivation and enthusiasm to practice guitar, be sure to check out my Course “Motivate yourself to practice guitar”