More Finger Stretchers and Warm-ups

How to warm up before playing songs

It's always a good idea to do some finger stretching and strengthening exercises before you start to play. I give my students a series of exercises to start with, and when I ask if they've been using them, the reply most of the time is a sheepish "I know I should do them more." So here's a sample of how you could get ready to practice by warming up.

• Spend at least the first 5 minutes doing finger exercises. You can do finger stretchers, play some chords, a few scales, or a combination of those things. To stretch out and warm up the fingers, put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the 1st string. Without removing that finger, play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 4th fret, 4th finger, (yes, the pinky), then 2nd fret, 2nd finger. Do as many strings as you can do comfortably, remembering to always leave the 1st finger down. Use different combinations of fingers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, etc.
• Play some chords. Work on changing chords, getting crisp, clear notes and strumming evenly. Put your fingers on the chord, then play the strings one at a time to make sure they're all sounding. Buzzing or vibrations are caused by not holding the string down tight enough, playing too far away from the fret, or letting the pressure off. Muffled or deadened strings are almost always the result of something being in the way. Another finger, a sleeve, or fingernails that are too long are the prime suspects. They will also be muffled if you actually have your finger on the fret.
• Slowly and deliberately play through some songs. Again, work on playing slow and getting the notes clear.
• Don't forget the right hand. If you play with your fingers, try some arpeggio patterns, if you use a pick, try playing scales while you use up and down picking.

Try these tips and you'll hear your playing improve, guaranteed.

What's one thing you can do TODAY to improve your guitar playing?

Focusing on one thing at a time.

Sometimes learning to play guitar is really overwhelming. There are chords, notes, scales, arpeggios, theory, the circle of fifths, and the list goes on. A common beginner problem is trying to do too many different things and once and becoming overloaded with information. I've got students who surf the internet for info, then wonder how they're going to learn all that stuff. Playing guitar is a time art, it's not something that you learn in a short period of time. Finding a guitar teacher to help you sort things out is a good first step.

Finding the one thing to focus on.

Be honest with yourself, and assess your skills so far. There's no need to learn barre chords if you can't play simple open position chords, there's no sense in learning theory until you have a basic understanding of music, you get the idea. Deciding what type of music you want to play will be the easiest indicator of what you should focus on first. If you want to play the guitar and sing, practice chords. Don't buy a chord book and try to memorize 100 different chords, get a song with 3 or 4 chords and learn to play it at the correct speed, with no time lost between chord changes. Too many times a beginning guitar student will proclaim a song finished when it still needs lots of work. Do you want to play lead guitar? Start out with one basic scale pattern and explore it. Play a simple pentatonic scale and try out different note combinations. Once you know where the notes are, try to play something that sounds musical.

The main thing is to be advancing your playing and moving forward.

New Year, New Goals

Will you be a better musician than you were last year?

Now is the perfect time to assess your skills, give some serious thought to what you'd like to accomplish and decide how you're going to get there. Beginning guitar, like any other skill, needs goals that you can not only attain, but perhaps even pass. Be realistic but not over cautious. I've had guitar students who are more than happy to be a little better when they could make much more progress.

What are you working on?

Pick a song, style or skill, and work on it. What is the one thing holding you back and how do you fix it? Consult with your guitar teacher and have him or her help you zero in on what you need to work on.

Finding a good teacher.

There are lots of good guitar teaching websites, but there's nothing like taking guitar lessons one on one, in person. Your teacher will get to know you, help you through trouble spots and keep you motivated. Most people need to have someone to give them feedback, encouragement, and wisdom. Your guitar teacher can catch a developing bad habit and show you something that may take you a lot longer with no one to demonstrate what it looks and sounds like.

Setting aside the time to practice.

The biggest obstacle adult guitar students face is finding the time to practice. Make it clear to other members of the household that you're not to be disturbed, get yourself an inexpensive kitchen timer, set it for 30 to 45 minutes and start practicing. The difference between success and failure when learning guitar is 20% talent and 80% desire. Do you really want to learn to play guitar? Set aside the practice time every day. I know you're busy, I know you have other obligations, but if you want to achieve your goals you need to put in the time.