All things that are worth doing in life, do take effort and time. Learning how to play any musical instrument is an endless process. Since there are no shortcuts, all you would need is to keep practicing. Although that is true, the question would arise, would the practice alone be enough? The answer is that it would, although, the way you practice might not. Meaning, it is better to play an instrument in a way you will get the most out of a practice session. Here are some tips on how to achieve that.
Tune In
There is nothing worse than to hear someone bang away out of tune on the guitar. Firstly, you would need to master how to tune it properly before you decide to learn how to play it. This step would not be up for debate. Blane Morgan from https://www.musicalhow.com would say that guitar strings come in different standards and make just like everything else would. Thus, you would need to know how to handle them properly. Your ears would need to recognize the pitch so you could start the learning adventure. If you do not tune your guitar from the first day, you will miss out on a chance to sharpen your ear training skills for the future as well.
There are a lot of variables that can affect the guitar tuning, from how hard you strum, to the temperature of the room your instrument is in, to the tuning peg quality. Even if you might need some time to get used to it, you will get quicker and better at tuning as time goes by.
Warm-Up
It would be counterproductive to go straight into a hard practice session without warming up first. That can cause a sprain or a strain that will prevent you from playing for weeks. It would be similar to playing sports.
You need to spend the first few minutes warming up before you begin your practice. For instance, stretch your arms gently and play a few simple scales. Your muscles will be limber as a result.
How Should Guitar be Properly Held?
It is normal at first to feel awkward while holding your guitar comfortably. The first posture you would need to learn about is to sit on a stool or a chair rather than a sofa while practicing. This posture will help you to avoid slouching. The next would be to raise your leading leg a bit while sitting down, and rest your guitar on it while playing.
Those who are right-handed players should use their right leg while left-handed players should place the guitar on their left leg. Although that is true, some classical guitar players choose in general to place their guitar and rest it on the opposite leg. Many beginners fall into a trap of typing the neck of their guitars down which is a bad habit and should be avoided.
The neck of the guitar should always be at a neutral angle. Otherwise, it should be ever so slightly raised upwards.
Resist Laziness
It is easy to say that you are going to practice for 30 minutes every day, although, it is not as easy to actually do so. Since everyone is busy, it would be tempting to give in to excuses and put off the practice session.
No matter if it would only take ten minutes, it would be wise to make sure to reserve some time to play the instrument and resist laziness.
To make the whole experience even more productive, it is advisable to choose a time of the day when you feel most vigorous and energetic. Since effective scheduling is important, make use of it because it will assist you to stay focused during the session and keep you thinking clearly.
Push Your Limits
The best learning experience is gained by making mistakes. That applies to almost anyone. In case you find yourself in a situation where you play every single tune perfectly, this would be a clue that most likely, your practice session is not working. To elaborate, certain pieces of music are no longer challenging for you and as a result, you are probably wasting your time. Of course, it is an accomplishment that you have mastered something.
Although, after giving yourself credit and a pat on the back, the advice would be to move on and continue the practice session with a piece that is unfamiliar to you. By focusing on what you can not do, you will be able to see the mistakes you are making and thus mend them. New notes mean new opportunities that will help you improve.
The practice should be a part of your life and in order to improve your skills and enlarge your knowledge you should consider taking online guitar lessons, which nowadays is surely the most convenient option. You will have an opportunity to improve your guitar playing skills without waiting around for the right time.
Take it Slow
Your prime goal while practicing the guitar should never be speed. While practicing, it would be wise to create a habit of slowing down no matter if you are doing a chord change, scale, or riff.
Great guitarists would focus on accuracy, even from the early stages of their learning journeys. Good technique and perfect timing are also important. It is advisable not to make the mistake of being concentrated purely on how fast you can play something. in case you do, the way you play will be inconsistent and messy.
The faster speed will eventually come as a natural by-product once you have nailed the good technique. In order to develop a good feeling of speed and timing, it would be vital to use a metronome while practicing. Increase your speed gradually as you slowly practice and when you start to sound good.
There are a few types of metronomes to choose from, digital, mechanical, or even a metronome app.
Often many guitar players do struggle to find the time or simply feel like they are not inspired enough in order to practice their beloved instrument. Sure that now and then, you might encounter the day when it is hard to pick up your guitar and enjoy it. Tension will only hinder your progress.
All you would leave to do is relax your muscles and open your mind, and the inspiration will come, just be persistent. Combine that with these tips, and you will see the advancement, and over time, you will not want to let go and keep on practicing.