How Much Should I Be Practicing?

To make steady progress everyone needs to commit to practicing. The single most important thing is to DO SOMETHING EVERY DAY! If you can only practice for 10 minutes, do it. We recommend no less than 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, but we also realize that sometimes that’s just not possible.  The more days you miss the easier it becomes to not practice. Pretty soon you’ve convinced yourself that you just don’t have the time to put into learning to play. Try to set a specific time to practice each day, and if you’re on a tight schedule practice what will benefit you the most. Each practice session should consist of warmup exercises, picking techniques, working on songs and making practice enjoyable. See if you can play that difficult part 5 times in a row without a mistake, the whole song twice without a mistake, you get the idea. Remember to practice slowly so that you’re not practicing mistakes. Play through the whole song or exercise, then go to the trouble spots and work on those. Not sure what you should practice? Ask your instructor.

What's It Worth To You To Learn Guitar?

How much is learning to play the guitar worth to you?

Beginning guitar students need to consider how much they're willing to spend to get started. There are decisions to made concerning what type of guitar to buy, accessories, music, and lessons. Here are some choices in the order of their importance.

Choosing an instrument. Do you like acoustic or electric guitar better? It used to be that everyone recommended that you start on an acoustic simply because it was lot cheaper. The price gap isn't there any more, so if you or your son or daughter prefer electric guitar there's really no good reason to start on an acoustic first. The electric guitar has thinner strings so in most cases it's a little easier to play. Acoustic guitars also offer nylon or steel strings. The nylon strings are not as hard to push down, the down side being that they're harder to keep in tune since they stretch more than steel strings. Most full sized nylon string guitars also have a wider neck since they're meant to be played with your fingers instead of a pick.

How much money are we talking about? You can expect to spend around $150 and up for a decent, playable instrument. Almost all manufacturers offer a package with everything you'll need including the guitar, a case or gig bag and if it's an electric guitar, an amplifier. Some also have picks, extra strings and an electronic tuner. While you can find cheaper guitars at a big box store, if you don't know anything about guitars you're best off spending a little more and getting one from a music store.

Cases. The choices are a gig bag, which is a soft, zippered case, a chipboard case, a fancy name for cardboard, and a hardshell case, the strongest and most protective of the 3. A beginner grade guitar probably doesn't need the most expensive case, but should you choose an upgraded model, don't skimp on the case.

Instruction. There is an abundance of material to choose from. Private lessons, books, CDs, DVDs, internet courses, You Tube videos and the list goes on. Your choice should depend on how you learn, your budget, and self discipline. Our teaching studio gets lots of calls from frustrated individuals who discover that it's not as easy to teach yourself as it seems. I like to point out to them that the problem is mainly that you can't ask a video a question, nor can the video correct bad habits that you may be developing. One more thing, YOU WON'T LEARN TO PLAY IN 7 DAYS, ONE WEEKEND, OR 30 DAYS! Muscle memory simply can't be developed in a short time. Yes, more practice will mean more progress, but be realistic about how long it's going to take.

Music stands, guitar stands, electronic tuners, etc. It never fails to amaze me when I have a student tell me they practice sitting on the bed, with the book alongside them, in the living room with the book on the floor, or my favorite, with music playing in the background! Buy yourself a music stand, get a chair with no arms, and set up a practice room where there will be a minimum of distractions. A guitar stand is nice since the guitar will be calling out to you "play me, play me." Get in the habit of tuning your guitar each time you practice. While it's nice to be able to tune by ear, electronic tuners have gotten so cheap that there's really no reason to not buy one. Pitch pipes, tuning forks and tuning by ear all work, but they each depend on your ability to match sounds. That's a skill that most beginning guitar students need to develop.

Set a budget, consider the priorities, and then get busy. How you get started isn't as important as getting started. Do some research, figure out how much you're willing to spend, and then dive in. Playing guitar is a skill you can enjoy for a lifetime.

Why Do You Hate to Practice?

Finding out why you can't get yourself to practice more.

Let's say this right up front, there are times when everyone feels that way. Read that again! It can be anything from a bad mood, a discouraging session the last time, to just not feeling motivated. The first thing to do is stop and think about why you're feeling like you do. Is it the songs? Does it just seem too hard? Are you too busy?

The choice of songs can certainly make you not want to practice.

I'll have students who will work on a song for a few weeks before finally telling me they just don't like the song. If you don't tell me, I don't know. Most guitar teachers choose a particular song to teach you a technique or skill, but there are definitely more songs like that one. A beginning guitar student sometimes just bites the bullet and doesn't say anything. So, tell your teacher you don't like the song and in most cases you can learn a different one that teaches you the same skills or techniques.

Knowing that a song is too hard.

Not seeing any progress when you're putting in the time may mean that the song is just too hard for you right now. Again, tell your teacher how you feel and see if there's an alternative. He or she may suggest an easier piece or may be able to break it down into smaller parts. There are also times when you'll think a song is too hard but there's really some other reason.

Got too many things you need to get done?

We here it over and over again how a student didn't have time to practice. Yes, there are times when it's not possible, but more often it's because they didn't make time. Scheduling practice at a specific time each day will help you stay on track. Missing a practice day once in a while is fine, but just like doing exercise, the more often you miss the easier it becomes to make an excuse. We usually recommend that our students practice at least 5 days out of 7. Scheduling a day off can be as important as scheduling the days and times you practice.

Master One Thing at a Time

Multi-tasking is overrated, I repeat, Multi-tasking is overrated.

Beginning guitar players are understandably excited about learning the instrument, but that can also get in the way of progress. There are so many concepts, techniques, and skills you need to learn, it can be very hard to know what to work on first.

Mastering one thing at a time.

• There are lots of ways to get started on playing guitar, and what you learn first is at least partially decided by what you want to do with the guitar. For example, you may want to play and sing, which means you'll work on chords, then strumming techniques and then ways to spice up your playing.
• Jazz or classical guitar? You should start out by reading music, being able to play single notes, and then adding chords.

• Rock or country guitar? Chords, scales and lead guitar techniques. Every style of music has its own sound, but before you can learn that you need to build a good foundation.

Pick one aspect of playing whether it's notes, chords, scales or songs, and then concentrate on that until you're able to play and move around easily. Only after you master one thing should you think about learning something else.

If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you. For more tips about getting the most out of lessons be sure to visit my webpage: www.blguitars.net

Finding a Guitar Teacher

How to find the right guitar teacher for you.

Are you tired of struggling with online lessons? Not having much luck teaching yourself? Is your friend or relative losing patience with you? Sounds like it's time to find a guitar teacher. Beginning guitar students have lots of choices these days, but that's not necessarily a good thing! There are resources all around, some of them great, some good and some pretty bad.

Don't believe the hype!

Regardless of what you read, you WILL NOT learn guitar in a week, a weekend, 21 days, or whatever they promise. Yes, you can improve, play a few simple songs, or learn a some technique, but the time frame is just not going to happen. I've played and taught guitar for over 40 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty it ain't gonna happen. Guitar mastery is about muscle memory, repetition and good old "paying your dues."


Logical progression.

One of the things I've found with DVDs, CDs, tab books and online lessons is the lack of clarity. Yes, you need to learn a basic set of skills, but not necessarily in the order that a particular book, method or teacher is introducing them. I have students that want to know when they're going to learn chords, or when they'll be a able to play a favorite song, and the answer is usually something along the line of when you're ready. Music is made of melody, harmony and rhythm, and it's very difficult to try to learn all of those elements at once. So, what should you learn first? Decide what you like, whether or not you're going to sing, and take into consideration any prior experience you've had on guitar or other instruments. No experience? Probably at least a basic understanding of note reading, rhythm and eventually, chords. Want to play and sing? Chords first. Remember that everyone's different and there isn't a "one size fits all" way to learn guitar. This is where finding a teacher is helpful.


So, how do you find a good teacher?

• Ask around. Have any friends, relatives or business associates that play guitar? Sometimes a referral is the best way.
• Call local music stores. Most music stores offer lessons and have a variety of teachers who teach many different styles. The guitar is a very versatile instrument, so if you can find someone that plays and likes the music that you like, that will be helpful.
• Bulletin boards, Craig's List, local newspapers. Our town has a local newspaper that has classifieds and there are usually ads for music instruction. The internet can also be a good place to find someone, especially if they have a website with lots of information.

Next post I'll go into what questions are frequently asked and what questions you should ask. Some teachers and music stores offer a free introductory lesson or a short term commitment, so that's worth checking out to be sure you and the guitar teacher get along.

Your Fretting Hand Has 4 Fingers and a Thumb, Use Them!

Actually, your pinky will work if you start using it.

I hear it and see it all the time, beginning guitar students doing everything they can to avoid using the pinky. They find lots of creative fingerings to get around it instead of exercising it, working with it and training it to function. Yes, it's hard at first, yes, it seems easier to use one of the other fingers, no, it's not the best way to play the guitar. With a little time and effort your pinky can work as well as the others.

 Exercises to strengthen the pinky.


Most guitar students spend way too little time warming up. You need to stretch and strengthen your fingers and loosen up before you start to actually play songs and scales. Here are a couple of basic exercises to get you started. The important thing to remember is that YOU HOLD THE 1ST (INDEX/POINTER) FINGER DOWN THROUGHOUT THESE EXERCISES.

Exercise 1:

• Play the 1st string, (the skinny one), with your 1st finger at the 1st fret.
• Play the 2nd fret, 2nd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.

So you should have played the 1st fret, 2nd fret, 3rd fret and 4th fret using one finger for each fret. Now go backwards, 4th fret, 3rd fret, 2nd fret, 1st fret. Practice this exercise twice on each string, playing as many strings as you can play comfortably. Remember, it's like any other exercise program, start out slowly and don't play it to the point of being in pain. Most beginning guitar students will be able to play the first two or three strings. As your fingers get stronger you'll be able to play the exercises more easily and on more strings.

Exercise 2:

• Again, start at the 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• Now play the 1st string, 3rd fret with your 3rd finger. Don't forget to leave the 1st finger on the 1st fret.
• 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.
• 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.

Again, do this exercise twice on each string, as many strings as you can do comfortably.

Exercise 3:

• 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.
• 1st string, 4th fret, 4th finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.

You know the drill, twice on each string, as many as you can do comfortably.

Start out each practice or playing session with these exercises and soon your pinky will work as well as your other fingers.

Thumbs up.

There's always a question as to whether or not you should use the thumb to fret notes. Most classical guitar players and teachers frown on that, but most players in other styles of music find it useful. Jimi Hendrix, Chet Atkins, and many others have used the thumb, so if it's convenient, use it. I use my thumb to fret the 1st fret of the 6th string when I play the F chord, and at other frets as well. Some people have hands that are too small for that to work, but you should feel free to experiment. I sound like one of those drug commercials on TV....."ask your teacher if using the thumb is right for you!"

Are You Spending Too Much Time in Your Comfort Zone?

Practicing what doesn't need practicing.

First of all, yes, reviewing old material is good. What many beginning guitar students do is practice what they already know, not what they're supposed to be learning. I hear the "that's too hard" excuse many times in the course of a week. Usually it means, "it's easier to play what I already know". The way to improve your guitar playing is to be trying new songs, picking techniques, working on rhythm and all the other things your teacher is showing you.

Getting distracted.

Where do you practice and how many times during practice is there an interruption? Cell phones, the internet, texting, television, way too many distractions. I even had a student tell me one time that he had the radio on in the background while he practiced!  Upon further questioning, he assured me that it was at a very low volume and not at all interfering with what he was doing. Wow.

Goals during practice.

Is it possible to have set goals and still have fun playing the guitar? Absolutely. There are times when you do need to be completely serious, but there are also times when you can let go. I encourage my guitar students to make a game out of practice. See if you can play the song or exercise a certain number of times without a mistake. See how slow or how fast you can play. Make up words to the songs, you get the idea.

Get out of the comfort zone.

Everyone needs to push once in a while to keep improving. Problem areas include never being able to memorize a song, going back and playing songs that are way too easy at this point, and never totally finishing a song. If there are still trouble spots, FIX THEM. Don't practice mistakes, and don't avoid the harder passages. Almost every song has at least one, so work it out.