How to Practice Guitar Effectively

By Robert Renman

An Effective Guitar Practice Schedule
Feel free to practice these things in any order, but always do #1 first, the warm up. You also don’t have to do them all in one sitting either. You can do a few at one practice session, and next time you sit down to practice, you do the other items in the list you didn’t do the first time, etc. Also, feel free to change the number of minutes for each to suit your own needs. Maybe you want to practice for 2 hours; maybe just 30 minutes – it is completely up to you. You can view this schedule as a general blueprint, which you can modify as you like.

1. Warm-up – 5 minutes. First of all – tune your guitar! Then, play anything you like, but don’t do anything that is really hard on the muscles in your hands. Let them get warmed up first.
2. Scales – 10 minutes . Work on scales you don’t yet know well. You probably have scales tabbed out and printed. Take your time and play these slowly with the metronome. Play the notes of the scale in question in any order, random, sequential, etc. As you do this, try to visualize in your head the patterns this scale creates on the fretboard. Over time, you will be able to “see” the scale on the fretboard without thinking much about it.
3. Arpeggios – 10 minutes. Do the same as with the scales mentioned above. An arpeggio is a group of notes which are played one after the other, either going up or going down, where the notes belong to one chord. Again, visualize and try to remember the patterns you play.
4. Chords – 10 minutes. Learn new voicings of chords. Learn new chords. Practice chord progressions with some of the new chords you are learning.
5. Theory – 5 minutes. Get a good book about music theory. There are many out there.
   Alfred Essentials of Music Theory: Complete Self-Study Course (Book/2-CD)
6. Technique – 10 minutes. Work on things that need improvement or that may be new to you, for example – hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, strumming, alternate picking, sweep technique, tapping, etc.
7. Fretboard training – 10 minutes. Set the metronome at a low BPM. Start with any note you want. Find and play that note for every click of the metronome on every string, but start with 2 strings at a time. Once you have that down, move to 2 more strings, then practice finding that note on those 4 strings. Continue with the last 2 strings and finally do all 6 strings. Play the notes in any order and direction. The purpose here is to find the note in question as quickly as you can. It will become “transparent” with enough training – you will be able to find any note anywhere on the fretboard without having to think
8. Work on a song – 10 minutes. Work on a song which has something challenging in it, something that gives you an opportunity to practice something new.
9. Reading music – 10 minutes. Work on reading TAB and music notation. Practice reading rhythms, notes and sight reading.
10. Transcribe something – ANY minutes. This is the best way to teach yourself, and it’s fantastic ear training. Listen to a few seconds of a song, over and over. Imitate best you can, try to figure out one note at a time. This means replaying the same sequence many times. After a while, you will be able to do this quicker, as well as picking out more than one note at a time.
11. Play anything – ANY minutes. Noodle around and play whatever you want – playing should first and foremost be FUN!

Important things to remember

• Always tap your foot with the metronome and the rhythm you are playing. That way, you will lock your body into the meter, and you will become good at playing tight. Good timing is soooo important! I cannot stress this enough.
• Use that metronome/drum machine! Any time you are working on something with a beat to it, get that metronome/drum machine going. You get two benefits at one time – you may be working on scales, chords, etc, but at the same time, you will also improve your timing when you practice this to the metronome.
• Visualize the notes you are about to play. Practicing enough will get you to the point where, for example, you can see the note “A” on the B string before you actually play it.
• Record yourself regularly, and then listen back to it with critical ears. What problems do you notice? Timing issues? Are notes played cleanly and accurately? Determine what the weaknesses are, and focus on correcting them.
• Sing the notes – as you are playing through, for example, a scale or an arpeggio, sing the notes as you are playing them. This will train your ear and will also help you learn where the notes are on the fretboard.
• Play with others – jam with friends, your teacher, anyone. Play something for your friends and family. Get a little gig somewhere – it will help you stay motivated. Playing with people with improve your ear and you will develop your musicianship further and quicker.

Hope you find these tips useful. Remember, a focused practice routine will lead to improvements faster.

Lastly, don’t forget the most important part – TO HAVE FUN!

——-

Robert Renman is a guitar player and guitar teacher in Canada. His website http://www.dolphinstreet.com has a large selection of free video lessons, as well as articles and videos about guitar equipment, and much more.

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Hire a Guitar Teacher or Learn on your Own

So you are looking to further your learning as an acoustic guitarist but not sure what to do next? There is a vast array of options available to you and things can get rather confusing. You basically have two options when learning how to play acoustic guitar: Hire a guitar teacher or Learn on your own. This topic is open for debate. Honestly, I feel it really depends on you and your particular needs as an individual. We will explore both options in this article, so that you will be able to make a better decision.

Learning on your Own

Learning on your own can be broken down into two simple categories: You can either learn for free or you can invest in a home study course.

Learn For Free

Learning for free is definitely a possibility. With the Internet at your fingertips, anything is possible these days. There are a handful of excellent free guitar websites that offer lessons and other great resources for those of us on a tight budget. However, some of these free sites and resources may be difficult to locate and not all of them are created by professionals. So you may find, after some time, that the free route may not be enough or may prove to be too frustrating.

One huge advantage to the free learning, besides being cost effective, is that it gives you the option to test the waters before you invest any money into private lessons or home study courses. Guitar playing is not for everyone. You may find after playing for a short while that your heart isn’t into it. In order to become a good guitar player you must be passionate about playing, have patience and dedication. Without those qualities, I am afraid you won’t get very far.

Our Picks For Free Learning Resources Online:

Learn-Acoustic-Gutiar.Com -  Of course we are going to recommend this site!  You will find a wide variety of free acoustic guitar lessons here on this website.  Use the navigation bar up top to look around or search for specific lessons using the search bar at the top of this page.

YouTube -  YouTube is loaded with free acoustic guitar lessons.  You will find an endless amount of free videos there.  Head over today and browse around.  There are two specific users to search for on YouTube that we find offer excellent instruction.  Search for the keywords: “next level guitar”  and “justinsandercoe”.

AcousticGuitar.Com – Great selection of lessons from beginner to advanced.

TheoryLessons.Com -  One of our favorite websites for learning guitar.  It is packed with lots of free lesson on guitar theory.  This is essential learning for beginner and advanced guitarists.

Home Study Courses

With the right home study course, learning how to play guitar is very possible, assuming you are dedicated to working hard and practicing. With the right home study course, you will not only save money (when compared to hiring a private instructor), but you will also be able to learn at your own pace. You also have the option to access the same information whenever you want and for as many times as you want. That is probably the biggest advantage to this option. We learn best by repetition. Sometimes we have to hear or watch something over and over again before it sinks in. With a home study course, you simply pop a cd or dvd in and watch or listen whenever you feel the need. With an instructor you don’t have that option.

There are several excellent home study courses available that can be just as effective or better than hiring a private instructor. Courses can cost anywhere from $30 to as much as a few hundred dollars, depending on the quality and content of the home study course.

Here are our picks for the best Home Study Courses For Guitar:

Learn & Master Guitar – Our #1 Pick!

Jamorama Acoustic Guitar

Next Level Guitar

Hiring a Private Instructor

First and foremost, this option is expensive. Private guitar lessons,on average, can cost about $15 – $30 for a half hour lesson, and $20 to as much as $75 for an hour lesson, depending on the teachers experience and reputation.

One big advantage to a private instructor is the direct feedback they can provide . One of the most common problems a beginner faces is developing bad habits. A good instructor will help you recognize your bad playing habits and help you correct them on the spot.

Finding a “good” teacher can be a difficult task and you should choose one carefully if you decide to go that route. Even the most talented guitarists, that have been playing for decades, can make terrible instructors, so your criteria for choosing a teacher should not be based on experience alone. You need to find a person that actually “enjoys” teaching and isn’t just doing it for a paycheck.

The first thing I would do is to come up with a list of possible instructors in your area.

You can do this by:

Asking Your Friends and Family

A great place to start when searching for a guitar teacher is to simply ask your friends, family or co-workers. You may have a close personal friend, relative or co-worker that has already taken lessons and will be able to recommend a good instructor.

The Internet

The Internet is a great resource for finding possible instructors. You can simply do a search on Google for guitar teachers in your local area. You could also visit guitar discussion groups online and ask around there.

Yellow Pages or other Publications

Grab a yellow pages, newspaper or other publication and search for local guitar instructors that way.

Once you compile your list, you need to make certain you are getting the best possible instruction for your money, so be prepared to ask your instructor a few questions. Ask him or her how long they have been teaching, the teaching qualifications he or she has, the number of students he or she currently teaches and ask for the phone number or contact information of a few of his or her students. From the answers you receive, you should be able to determine which instructor is right for you.

So the choice is now yours. Only you can determine which option is right for you. Some of us simply cannot afford to hire a teacher, so the choice is rather simple. Others are simply unable to learn on their own and need the guidance and encouragement that a teacher can provide.

I wish you luck!

Easy Guitar Lead Lessons

By Ricky Sharples

To be a lead guitar player, you will need a knowledge of scales, arpeggios, riffs and licks. This short article is for the beginner guitar student who maybe knows some basic chords but wants to branch out to lead playing. Of course it is not always necessary for the lead guitar player to play solos. The lead and rhythm guitarists can work together to complement the singer’s vocals. For instance the lead guitarist could play the same chords as the rhythm guitar only in a different position on the fretboard.

The most obvious and also the most freely available guitar teaching resource on the internet is guitar tablature. You can start reading guitar tab in a matter of minutes, and the more esoteric symbols used in tabs can be learnt over time as your guitar technique improves. The guitar student who aspires to being a lead guitarist should augment their tab collection with some time spent trying to work on learning material by ear. If you find picking up lead guitar solos by ear heavy going, then work on whatever you can pick up from tabs but keep plugging away at learning lead guitar by ear.

One thing you should search for in tab archives is guitar scale patterns. You can usually start with a scale in one position and work out where to play in other positions for yourself. Again, supplement your tab learning with developing your ear. Arpeggio patterns can also be found in tab form. The most important scales to learn for a beginning lead guitar player are the five shapes of the pentatonic scales. The pentatonic scales are easy to learn and guitarists find that audiences love listening to improvisations on the pentatonic scales. The favorite pentatonic scale shape is the minor pentatonic at the fifth fret on the guitar’s neck:

Pattern One:

E—————————————5–8—-

B——————————–5–8———–

G————————-5–7——————

D——————-5–7————————

A————5–7——————————-

E——-5-8————————————-

Not quite so easy to play is this one:

Pattern Two:

E————————————-8—10—-

B——————————8—10———–

G————————-7–9——————

D——————-7–10———————–

A————-7–10—————————–

E——-8–10———————————–

But what you gain with this shape is the facility to move up the fretboard in a sneaky and guitaristic way.

The next three pentatonic shapes are a bit more challenging, but if you find yourself balking at the extra hard work remember how cool it looks playing way up the top of the neck.

Pattern Three:

E————————————-10–12—-

B——————————10–13———–

G————————-9–12—————–

D——————-10–12———————-

A————-10–12—————————-

E——-10–12———————————-

Pattern Four:

E————————————-12–15—-

B——————————13–15———–

G————————12–14—————–

D——————-12–14———————-

A————-12–15—————————-

E——-12–15———————————-

Pattern Five:

E————————————-15–17—-

B——————————15–17———–

G————————14–17—————–

D——————-14–17———————-

A————-15–17—————————-

E——-15–17———————————-

Some people find practicing lead guitar alone difficult because the presence of the other band members helps to get the creative juices flowing. Playing along with CDs is a great way to practice improvisation. You need to know when to put the metronome and scales away and do some good old bedroom grandstanding. You could also play along to drum machines. Or you could play along to some music that is not familiar to you. Take a moment to find what key you are playing in and start jamming. Practicing like this will help you stay out of the rut of playing the same material all the time.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

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Accelerate Your Guitar Playing

By Mike Hayes

First, define your objectives and determine your approach. These objectives may change as you progress, but a goal is important before starting to play the guitar.

Begin by forming good study habits. Part of your study will be physical performance and part will be mentally engaged in the study of theory, listening to recordings, tapes and the radio, watching television, Internet and watching live performances. You will be talking to other guitarists, students and professionals, studying in classes and with private teachers and of course via online guitar courses, guitar training software etc. You will also be improvising. All of these activities will give you valuable information and experience, increase your skill, broaden your scope and develop your insights. Keep an open mind and learn something from everyone you meet …even if it is not what to do!

The following suggestions should help you in your study and practice:

Never practice or study when you are tired or worried. Relax a bit before you begin. If possible study in a quiet place where you can be undisturbed. Have a music stand adjusted to your eye level when you practice, and make sure that you always have good light. Form the habit of studying in a regular place and at a regular time.

Several short study practice periods on successive days are usually better than one lengthy period of study. A little study every day is better than spasmodic, inconsistent study. Use various ways of making yourself think about what you are studying. If you are looking at a printed page of notes, try to imagine them on a guitar finger board and vice versa.

Form the habit of mentally reviewing every page of music you study before going on to the next one. See how much of it you can recall and try to remember it. When you have learned something make use of it as soon as you can. The sooner and more often, the better. If you have learned fingerings for a few new chords so that you can play them even slowly, make up an exercise or song that involves these chords and has you shifting from one chord to another often. It is not enough to learn about something. Unless you utilize this information it does not become a part of you.

When you have completed a reasonable amount of material, take time to summarize what you have covered. You may want to write your summary. Keep a good music dictionary handy, and use it frequently. When you have discovered the meaning of a new word or term, use it yourself.

Self Study

To correct poor study conditions, consider thoughtfully each of the questions below and write specific answers to each one. Then decide what you can do to correct each of the things wrong with your study conditions. Make notes of these and correct them.

1. What can you see on your desk, music stand, or through your window that distracts you?

2. What music, talking or other noises are disturbing your practice and study?

3. What is wrong with your position or posture when you practice or study?

4. Are you sure your lighting is adequate? What is wrong with it?

5. Is your work space large enough and arranged well?

6. What materials do you lack for effect study?

7. What time of day is most difficult to practice or study? Why?

8. What worries or special interests divert you from studying?

Effective methods of practicing or studying, of themselves, will not suffice. Careful planning also is essential. Lay out your work systematically before you begin. Each individual’s time, facilities and desires are personal matters. Just be sure to adopt some plan and stick to it as conscientiously as possible.

Mike Hayes is a guitar teacher, author, performing musician and session guitarist with over 30 years of professional experience. Find out more about how to learn guitar fast with his popular free ecourse, available at:
=> http://www.GuitarCoaching.com

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Learn Guitar Online – Practice Traps & How to Escape Them

By Mike P Hayes

Over practicing for your next performance can be a trap because it can lead to information overload, physical burnout and decreased performance. Practice makes perfect right? We’ve all heard that phrase before from music teachers, parents etc., with so many people telling us it’s got to be correct.

Actually, that popular phrase is only half true. To achieve our performance goals we need to make an important distinction. Instead of that phrase.

Here is what we need to know …

“Perfect practice makes perfect.”

You see, that’s an important distinction, simply practicing for the sake of practicing won’t cut it! You need to make practice time a time where you eliminate errors and fine tune your skills.

Remember, your fingers are not the thinking part of your body, they are the doing part … and they will keep on “doing it” the way they always have done (even it’s incorrect) until you make a conscious effort to correct the error.

Have you ever practiced relentlessly fifteen hours a day, day after day, driving yourself and your neighbors silly, only to totally botch things up on the day of the performance?

Well, you are not on your own, 85% of guitarists find themselves in the same situation! And, we all know how that feels, our confidence shot to pieces, all you want to do at the end of the night is crawl inside your guitar case and hope nobody notices you.

And so you begin a never ending cycle, poor performance means back to the practice room for more relentless practice, more “over practicing” to compensate for last performance disastrous results, burnout, and the inevitable … another poor performance and further loss of motivation and enthusiasm.

Here’s your escape plan:

Correctly diagnose the problem.

(a) Firstly determine in general terms if it is a motor skill issue or data memory problem?

(b) Then, dig deeper into the problem to find out specifically how we can overcome this glitch.

Let’s say, when you really get down to it, you find that it’s not a case of having fat, dumb, slow or old fingers (physical motor skills), it’s simply that you can’t seem to remember the chords for the songs (data memory issue).

Now, we are starting to get somewhere and you can probably begin to see why it’s essential to continually review the quality of your practice and the results you are achieving.

To give you an analogy, let’s image for a moment you were driving down the highway without a map and suppose you had to turn right to reach your intended destination, simply turning left and going as fast won’t get you there.

You need to focus on your prime objective and constantly design practice sessions that will achieve your goals.

Now, back to our problem of forgetting the chords for our songs, simply practicing writing the chords down on a data memory card.

Write the chords four bars to a line as follows:

C /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

There’s two reasons for this (a) firstly, it gives you clarity and it allows you to remember small amounts of information, (b) with only four bars per line many repetitious phrases become obvious where you can immediately recognize and associate current material with information you have already learnt.

For example let’s say the following 16 bars where from a new composition by your bass player, your problem is you have to learn the chord sequence for a performance tomorrow.

C /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |F /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

F /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |C /// | C /// | G /// | C /// ||

At first glance this looks tricky, when you split the project down into four bar units it becomes clear the there are sections that are repeated.

line 1:

C /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

Line 2:

F /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

Line 3: (same as line 2)

F /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

Line 4: (same as line 1)

F /// | C /// | G /// | C /// |

I know this looks simple, and it is, but you would be surprised to know just how many practice hours can be saved by breaking things down to very do-able pieces of information.

Never get caught again …

In a nutshell, it’s the quality of your practice sessions not the sheer quantity of practice time. Remember before you sit down for your next practice session, decide whether the problem is motor

skill problem or data memory problem.

Mike Hayes is a teacher, author, speaker and consultant. Get his tips and tested strategies proven to boost your guitar playing his membership site at http://www.guitarcoaching.com today.

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