| If you really want to learn to play guitar well you must | | | | 6. Tune the guitar before each practice. |
| do one simple thing before anything else. You must | | | | 7. Determine your optimum practice speeds. |
| learn how learning takes place between your muscles | | | | For each part of a scale, exercise or song find the |
| and brain. If you understand the process that your | | | | fastest metronome speed that you can play without |
| brain must go through to train your muscles your | | | | making mistakes. Practice it for a day at 25% to 30% |
| practice sessions will produce predictably effective | | | | of that maximum tempo. Follow this with a day at 50% |
| results. | | | | of maximum then another day at 75%. On day four |
| You have probably heard the term muscle memory. | | | | practice at your old maximum speed. You may be |
| This is the process of your brain learning and storing a | | | | pleasantly surprised to find that you have a new, |
| set of precise instructions for each group of muscles | | | | faster maximum speed. Be forewarned, however, that |
| needed for every small task you want your fingers to | | | | this routine might seem ridiculously slow but, hang in |
| perform on the guitar. When muscle memory is solidly | | | | there because it really will pay off. |
| established it becomes a naturally effortless and an | | | | 8. Do not try to learn too many different things at each |
| almost unconscious act to play the guitar well. | | | | practice session. |
| These tasks need to be practiced at speeds that are | | | | Practice only small sections of an exercise or song at |
| slow enough so that you can consistently perform | | | | a time. Working on an entire new song, all in one |
| them perfectly. If you practice the guitar at a tempo | | | | setting, makes it more difficult for your brain to cement |
| that produces lots of mistakes you end up teaching | | | | solid muscle memories. Just like a newborn baby can't |
| your muscles how to play the exercise with the | | | | handle an entire meal of solid food we need to |
| mistakes included. Unfortunately muscles cannot | | | | practice only a few, small musical spoonfuls at a time. |
| distinguish between playing with mistakes and playing | | | | 9. Work on the problem parts not just what you |
| without them. | | | | already know. |
| Here are 12 tips for having practice sessions that will | | | | This may sound extremely obvious but there is a |
| support the development of good muscle memory: | | | | tendency for new guitarists to play the easy parts |
| 1. Prepare your whole body for the practice session. | | | | over and over while continuing to stumble over the |
| Practice while relaxed. Just like an airplane pilot checks | | | | problem spots. |
| over the plane prior to take off you should check your | | | | 10. Spend the first ten minutes warming up, then split |
| body for any tension, stiffness, tightness, pain or any | | | | the remaining time equally between new exercises |
| discomfort. Tight muscles can become tighter during | | | | and new songs. |
| practice which can seriously limit the full range of | | | | 11. Set aside some time to just goof around with the |
| motion needed to master the guitar. Even tension in | | | | guitar. Make sure to inject a healthy dose of fun in |
| the shoulders can travel to the arms and then | | | | each practice session. If you have been working on |
| eventually to the fingers. Stretch and warm your entire | | | | blues scales then why not put on some jam tracks or |
| body before playing in order to stay loose. Begin | | | | even your favorite blues CD and try to improvise a |
| practicing with slow, easy exercises to prepare your | | | | solo. Select a favorite song to work on at the end of |
| hands for more demanding new material. | | | | each practice session. |
| 2. Practice in a quiet, comfortable place where you are | | | | 12. If you plan to perform in front of people perfect |
| unlikely to be disturbed. | | | | your songs in private then practice playing in front of |
| 3. Commit to a specific time each day for practice. | | | | sympathetic friends and family members. Create a |
| Begin each day with a firm commitment to a practice | | | | practice environment that is as close to the conditions |
| plan that includes the specific details of when, where | | | | of your upcoming performance as possible. If you will |
| and what to play. | | | | perform standing up then practice that way. Tell your |
| 4. Keep your practice sessions short, frequent and | | | | friendly practice audiences to feel free to talk and |
| very specific. | | | | laugh it up during your practice. This will help you learn |
| It is more effective to practice 20 minutes everyday | | | | to become comfortable in a distracting concert |
| than to practice two or three hours once a week. | | | | environment. Consider recording your practice sessions |
| 5. Always practice with a metronome. | | | | with a simple home video camera on a tripod. |
| Let me repeat that. Always practice with a | | | | Opening night jitters can throw off your game no |
| metronome. It is surprising how often even good | | | | matter how well you know the material. If you have |
| guitarists break this rule. Training yourself to play at a | | | | repeatedly practiced playing in simulated concert |
| consistent tempo will make your music sound | | | | environments then the real deal can be a breeze. |
| professional. This is valuable whether you plan to play | | | | The bottom line: to play the guitar well it is essential to |
| just for friends at a party or in a stadium full of | | | | design practice sessions that support the natural |
| screaming fans. | | | | development of solid muscle memories. |