Tips on how to become a better guitarist

1. Keep your guitar out of its case and on a guitar stand.

2. Have a music stand where you can keep your music, binders, handouts, metronome, etc.

3. Find a consistent time and place to practice; try to get into a routine.

4. Have your practice time be as distraction free as possible. Get in a room, shut the door and put your phone on airplane mode.

5. Set realistic long term goals. For example:

"I want to join my friends and be able to play songs around the campfire this summer."

"I want to build a repertoire of fingerpicking songs."

" I want to learn how to solo."

6. On a weekly basis set realistic short term goals. For example:

"I'm working on making this particular chord transition smooth."

"I'm working on memorizing these two songs."

"I'm working on being able to play this song faster."

7. Keep a practice journal or notebook and keep track of what it is you are working on. Make notes after your practice. For example:

"Blackbird sounds good but I still have to look at the music.  Tomorrow work on memorizing it."

8. Warm up for a few minutes with scales, chords, or a song to help loosen up and get your mind and body synced up for practicing.

9. When working on a new piece of music, isolate the first challenging section and work on it slowly.  Then practice getting in and out of the challenging section by starting a bar or two before it. Then start from the beginning of the piece and integrate the difficult section into the big picture.  Make it sound as clean, smooth, and consistent as everything else. Use this strategy for each difficult section. This method of breaking things down is by far the most important advice I give to my students.

10. Practice with a metronome, a drum machine, or recordings to help you cultivate a good steady rhythm. As one of my teachers was fond of saying: “Rhythm isn’t the most important thing. It’s the only thing.”

11. After a set period of practice (20-30 minutes, an hour?), take a short break for a few minutes. Get up, stretch, take a drink of water, feed the birds, then, sit back down and get back to work.

12. Record yourself and listen back so you can hear what you really sound like.  This can be a humbling experience.

13.  Find someone to practice with. Have goals like, “Let’s practice these three songs this week and have them ready for next week when we get together again.” These relationships can last a lifetime.

14. When practicing, don't forget to breathe. Breathing is more important than playing the guitar.

15. Remain inspired. Listen to the music that knocks you out. Watch footage of great musicians.  Go hear live music.  The excitement you feel will inspire you to become a better musician.