| Why is it important to understand how to practice | | | | is better to take half an hour of concentrated |
| on your guitar? What does practicing guitar mean | | | | practice than use the whole day only messing |
| to you? Is it just playing on your guitar or does it | | | | around with your guitar, at least in the initial |
| include more things? | | | | stages of your development. |
| It is a very common mistake to make the | | | | As you learn new things you have to play them |
| assumption that playing guitar is practicing. Well, | | | | slowly thus creating new pathways in your mind. |
| when you practice you usually play guitar but not | | | | Do not play faster than your skills will allow you |
| always. Let us first take a look at playing guitar. | | | | to. It is important to play without mistakes as |
| Playing guitar is when you play things you already | | | | they will pollute your new pathways and slow |
| know and feel comfortable with. It is the reward | | | | down your progress. |
| for your hard work towards your goals. Maybe | | | | One way to help you play slowly and keep a |
| you think that your skills do not match your | | | | steady tempo is to use a metronome.This will |
| desired level of accomplishment and you lack real | | | | help you play as slowly as you need to play with |
| satisfaction. Here is where actual guitar practice | | | | accuracy and without unnecessary tension. The |
| comes in. | | | | skill to keep a tempo will help you as you play |
| A practice routine founded on your goals helps | | | | with others. |
| you overcome obstacles that you would not | | | | One healthy thing to practice is scales in a slow |
| master by only playing and polishing pieces of | | | | tempo. You can start out with scales in the style |
| music you already know. This can also be an | | | | you are playing and later broaden your repertoire. |
| enjoyable activity as you observe that you | | | | It is important not to increase the speed as you |
| develop and are on the right road leading towards | | | | play your scales until you can play them relaxed |
| becoming a better guitarist. | | | | and right. Then it is time to increase the tempo of |
| What is most important, the time you practice or | | | | your metronome just slightly. |
| the concentration as you practice? Maybe the | | | | There are many things you could include in a |
| truth is somewhere in the middle! | | | | practice routine but the most important thing is |
| If you do not concentrate as you practice you | | | | how you practice. If you practice correctly you |
| might learn bad habits that will lead you away | | | | will play and perform correctly. If you practice in a |
| from your goal to become a great guitarist. | | | | sloppy manner learning bad habits it will be the |
| These bad habits can be: | | | | way you will play in front of people. |
| 1. Using too much muscle tension as you play. | | | | It is really an enjoyable activity to practice guitar |
| 2. Making mistakes that hinder your progression | | | | with a concentrated effort. The act of practicing |
| and start to become habits. | | | | this way has its own satisfaction but you will also |
| 3. Playing sloppily without making music that other | | | | discover that your abilities as a guitarist will grow |
| people and you can enjoy. | | | | and that you will enjoy playing more. You will also |
| Lack of concentration slows down your progress | | | | experience an increased self-respect as a guitarist |
| and can stop your progression altogether. I think it | | | | knowing that you have practiced correctly. |