The best way to become a better guitar player is by practicing on a regular basis. The average professional guitar player practices for up to eight hours a day. While you might not have this much time to devote to guitar playing, you need to carve out an hour or more a week to hone your skills.
If you want to see definite improvements in your guitar playing, structuring your practice sessions is imperative. Having no defined goals or a list of things you need to work on can lead to a lot of practice time being wasted. If you want to make the most out of your guitar practice sessions, consider the great tips below.
Record Your Practice Sessions
Whether you are trying to learn a melodic solo or master barre chords, practice definitely makes perfect. If you want to pinpoint where your areas of improvement are, then recording your practice sessions is wise. After you start listening back to your recorded practice sessions, you can chart a course for where you want to go as a guitar player.
You need to realize that you don’t need high-priced recording equipment to make this happen. Most smartphones feature voice recorders that can be used to make a recording of a guitar practice session. Saving your recordings will help you look back and see how much progress you have made in a few months or so.
Invest in a Drum Machine
When you start playing guitar, it is important to set a few goals. If you aren’t happy playing for just friends and family members, then joining a band should be one of your main goals. During your practice sessions, you need to get a feel for what playing with a live band will be like. One of the best ways to do this is by investing in a drum machine.
Modern drum machines can be a variety of different beats. This means you will be able to practice a variety of musical genres in a single practice session. Getting a feel for how to play off of live drums will help you when you decide to join a band with other musicians.
Slow Things Down
One of the main things you need to become a good guitar player is patience. When trying to learn solos played by experienced guitarists, you may find yourself getting frustrated. This frustration usually arises when you try to take on too much too soon. Instead of allowing frustration to rob you of your joy, slow the learning process down a bit.
Learning small chunks of the piece you want to master can make this process less overwhelming. Once you master all of these smaller chunks, you can put them together and play like your favorite guitarist. Being patient and learning at your own pace is crucial when trying to stick with the guitar.
By using these great tips, you can get more from your guitar practicing sessions.