How Should I Practice Guitar

How Should I Practice Guitar Jill Cole Whether youre just learning how to play guitar chords or youre on your way to being a virtuoso, every guitar player needs to practice. Take these tips from guitar teacher Dee F. to create your perfect practice plan Now that you have decided to learn how to play guitar, you wonder…how can I get the most out  of my lessons? The answer is…practice, practice, practice! Practice What You Are Assigned If your teacher asks you to practice a certain warm-up exercise three times at each practice session, do  exactly that. If you are supposed to complete a written assignment on theory, don’t wait until the last  minute to do itâ€"try to do it right after the lesson when the concepts are fresh in your mind. Always ask  questions if you do not understand what to practice. Check your assignment book so that you always  follow your lesson plan, and come to the next lesson prepared to play what was assigned. Highlight or  mark any notes in a song that are difficult for you. Mark repeat signs, dynamic signs, etc. that you need  to remember to observe when practicing your assigned music. Practice In The Best Environment Choose a quiet, undisturbed area in which to practice (you don’t want to practice in the living room with  people watching television!) Make sure you have your lesson books at eye level when practicing (it is  best to place music on a music stand, but a table will work as well); and a straight back chair to support  your back. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, back straight. Choose a time during the day when you can  best concentrate. For many students who need a regular routine, a set practice time during the day  works best. For some students this may be before school; busy adult students may split their practice  day into 20 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the evening, for example. Many students use a timer  or a watch to keep track of their practice time. Record Your Practice Time My students are given a monthly practice chart for their own use; they place a check on each day when  they meet their daily practice amount, or write in the amount of time they practice on the monthly  calendar. I write in their goals for practice minutes. Yes, I do give out rewards for younger students for  monthly practice goals that are met! This motivates students, and is fun! The goal is to practice every  day. In our busy world, for many students this is not possible. My expectation is to practice at least 4  times a week; for students age 5 to 7, 10-15 minutes a day, depending on aptitude; for older beginning  students, 20-30 minutes a day; for intermediate to advanced students, 30 to 50 minutes a day. Adults  should practice 50 to 60 minutes a day for optimum results. A performance recital, special performance  for friends and relatives, and perfecting or memorizing a challenging piece of music helps motivate  young adults and adults to practice. Younger students, in addition to preparing pieces for recitals, may  ask their school music teacher to play a song that they perfected for their school class in General Music.  When I taught General Music for a school district, a monthly “Mini-Concert” was held for classes Grades  1-5 for students who wanted to play or sing a special songâ€"students anticipated the last 20 minutes of  class once a month for this opportunity to shine! High school students have informal, and formal,  opportunities to perform as well. These goals help students prepare and maximize practice for a  concert or recital. Practice The More Challenging Parts Always save the tempo for lastâ€"correct notes, rhythms, fingering, dynamics, and expression come first.  Practice a challenging part in a song first, and repeat it very slowly and correctly, counting to yourself,  until the notes and rhythm are perfect. When you get it perfect, leave it aloneâ€"or try to practice until  at least some aspect is correct! Isolate the problem area, and work on it the most. Write notes to  yourself in pencil on the musicâ€"mark repeats, dynamics, etc. with a highlighter to remember to be  consistent in observing all the markings in the music. Always study the musicâ€"the key signature, time  signature, dynamic markings, tempo, notes, and rhythms before starting to practice. Count to yourself  before starting to establish a steady beat and tempo before starting the song. Remember, it is okay to make mistakesâ€"this is how people learn! Even the most accomplished concert musician makes  mistakes. Always try your best, and be patient with yourself. You are learning a life-long skill! Dee F. teaches  accompaniment, acoustic guitar, arrangement and composition, bass guitar,  classical guitar and vocal training  in Scottsdale, AZ.  She received her Bachelor of Music Education from  Montana State University, as well as many other certifications and awards.  Dee was a public school music educator for over twenty years and has taught students since 1983.  Learn more about Dee F. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  Will Foster