Where Do You Practice?

Do you have a space set aside to practice in?

So, do you have a specific room or area where you practice? Please don't tell me it's in your unfinished, cold, damp basement! You do woodworking, you have a workshop, you do crafts, there's usually a room or area set aside, but you play guitar and you practice anywhere you can find room? If that describe you, it's time to reconsider your practice space. While it may not be practical to have a music room, it's certainly possible to set aside an area where you play your guitar.

Do you have a "musician's toolbox?"

I'm always amazed at how people will spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on other hobbies, but when it comes to music they want to spend as little as possible. They practice wherever they can, don't have simple basics like a music stand, metronome or electronic tuner, and then wonder why they don't make more progress. There are so many resources available that it's never been easier to access the tools necessary to learn guitar. You can find online lessons, metronomes, practice aids, and information concerning playing, practicing and improving.

It's time to set aside a dedicated space to work on your music.

Here are the essential tools plus a lot of others that can help you progress at a reasonable rate. I've had students that spend minimal amounts of time, effort or money and then can't understand why they're not learning guitar as fast as they think they should. So here's the checklist with a brief explanation of each item:

• A quiet place to practice. Self explanatory. You need a space where you can concentrate on building your skills. I cringe when I hear someone tell me that they practice while there's a TV, or worse yet, music playing in the background. How in the world are you going to concentrate with that going on around you?
• A computer connected to the internet. While it's not absolutely necessary, there is so much good information out there, I can't imagine not having a way to gather it. Just Google what you're interested in and it's out there somewhere.
• Electronic tuner, metronome and music stand. Even if you buy the orchestra style stand, a wooden metronome with a clock movement and a strobe tuner you're not looking at more than $150-200. Buy an electronic, compact tuner and metronome and a wire music stand, we're talking under $100. 
• Instruction books, CDs and DVDs. There are thousands of resources out there for every imaginable style. No matter what type of music you like, whether you play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, any combination, there's a wealth of material. If you have a guitar teacher he or she will be happy to incorporate these materials into your lessons.

• A way to record yourself. Almost any computer is capable of letting you record yourself playing. This is such a valuable tool I can't over emphasize it. Make a recording and be prepared to be shocked! Remember, the recording is exactly what you sound like, it doesn't lie. You'll hear string squeaks, timing errors, a slightly muffled note, a lot of things you don't notice while practicing.

So the next time you get ready to practice, think about setting up a practice room, even if it's only a small section of a bigger room. Give yourself the advantage of having a quiet, comfortable place to practice. You'll be glad you did!