How to practice guitar is a question that most beginners struggle with. Where do I begin? How do I know if my guitar practice is going well or not?
To become proficient in any area of life, one must have a well-developed plan. Guitar playing is no different.
This article will give you a step-by-step guide to help you structure your daily guitar practice routine properly. By doing so, you’ll find yourself on the path to guitar playing greatness.
Quick Links
1. Create Realistic Goals
The first thing to decide is how much time you are willing to practice. Successful people in any field quickly realize that this is one of the most significant factors determining their future success.
If your daily guitar practice session does not exceed 30 minutes, don’t expect yourself to become a professional guitar player anytime soon! Even the most talented musician cannot overcome such a tiny training time frame.
We recommend at least two hours per day for the novice guitarist. Yes, it sounds like a lot. But by doing so, you will gain about 1-2 months’ worth of progress each year!
2. Assess Your Skill Level
Proper practicing requires a thorough understanding of your present playing ability as well as your goals for a practice session or particular exercise.
The initial step in learning how to practice guitar like a professional is to know your skill level on the instrument.
Many newbies make the mistake of practicing beyond their actual skill level, which leads to frustration since they cannot keep up with whatever music they are trying to learn.
Here’s a simple method for knowing your current playing ability:
- Grab your favorite guitar and try playing a full song from beginning to end.
- The song should contain several notes that you have never played before or haven’t practiced in months.
- If you can’t finish a song in one sitting, then don’t practice it yet. On the other hand, if you play a complete song in one sitting without any mistakes, you’re ready to move on.
- The next step is to find a few more songs that contain notes that will challenge your current skill level and put them into playing order.
- Practice each song until you can play it perfectly three times in a row without taking breaks or making any mistakes at all. This may take some time, so be patient with yourself.
- Once you’ve completed this step, feel free to mix up the order of the songs and start over again from the beginning of the list if you like.
3. Challenge Yourself
Now that you know your skills, it’s time to pick songs that are just beyond your current ability level and work on them until you’ve mastered them.
The last step to practicing like a rock star is to pick songs that are just out of your ability range and work on them until you can play them perfectly.
These aren’t easy songs, but they aren’t impossible either. They are the ones that make practice enjoyable and exciting because every time you play through them, there will always be one or two notes which give you trouble.
Don’t forget to take breaks as needed and keep track of the progress you make, as it’s pretty rewarding as well as motivating!
4. Practice with a Metronome
This is one of the most important steps of all.
A metronome will help you keep the tempo and reinforce rhythm patterns. It can also help you spot awkward sections in your playing where you may be speeding up or slowing down without realizing it. Check below on how you can use a metronome to improve your guitar playing fast.
- Find a metronome that produces sounds at specific intervals so you can practice with it whenever you have some free time, even when you are away from home.
- Practice your scales, chord progressions, and song sections while keeping the beat with the metronome until they become second nature to your ears and flow nicely together without any conscious effort on your part being needed to keep them sounding correct.
- You’ll find that you can use the metronome without having to look at it and that you will be able to play along with any recording and keep perfect time. You’ll know that your timing is good when the band seems to follow you while not speeding up or slowing down.
5. Choose the Appropriate Guitar
There are many different types of guitar in the market today. Each of them has its own pros and cons. It is essential to understand the difference between them before you begin playing to choose one that meets your needs.
Guitars come in different shapes and sizes, with each design having its own unique sound qualities. The type of genre you will be playing should determine the kind of guitar you choose because different styles require specific sounds.
Whether it’s a string classical, steel-string folk or acoustic, an electric guitar, or a six-string bass, your choice of instrument should be matched with your musical style and ability.
Important Techniques That a Beginners Should Know
There are several methods and techniques that you must learn to produce a soothing sound and play in any style.
Hold Your Guitar Correctly
You should hold the guitar comfortably that will enable you to sit in one place for long periods. Remember, playing the guitar is not an activity that requires formality or strictness, so find a position that’s most comfortable for your back and shoulders.
Proper Way To Hold a Pick
The correct way of holding the pick is by taking it between your thumb and index finger. You can use either of these fingers to strum the strings when necessary. Place the rest of your fingers against adjacent strings, so they are always ready to play any chord or note you wish.
Best Time To Play
The best time to begin practicing is when you are feeling fresh and ready to go. Always make sure there is plenty of room around you and no obstacles on your side before sitting down to practice.
Actual Learning Method
Now, it’s time for the actual learning process. It is recommended to start with simple strumming patterns to ensure you get the hang of playing guitar.
Always start slow and work your way up in speed once things are going smoothly. Be sure that you know how each chord is formed because this will allow you to switch between them quickly when necessary.
Key Pointers
Once you’re ready to delve deeper into what music theory has to offer, be sure to check out some popular theory lessons online if there’s something specific you wish to learn or improve upon in your own playing style.
There are also several guitar books available on the market which can help build a strong foundation in both rhythm and lead guitar skills so you can grow into a complete player.
Some Final Words
All in all, practicing guitar will take a lot of time before you can play freely and fluidly because this is an art that takes a long time to perfect. However, by following the steps mentioned above, you will surely come closer to mastering this beautiful passion.
Ever heard of ‘practice makes perfect’? Well then, motivation and focus are what you need.
Believe in yourself and put your best foot forward; you can do it!
