Most people out there would love to play an instrument, most specifically the guitar. Most people aren't willing to do the work. You don't get good at guitar over night, and for those of you out there who have tried and have given up, chances are you didn't try hard enough. I'm here to shed some light on effective guitar habits. If you're an advanced guitar player, chances are you've applied most, if not all of these habits.
1. Practice makes perfect - I've seen a lot of people that play. I've heard people that are amazing, and people who are not so great Most people associate excellent playing with "Natural Talent" which I disagree with. I've heard people who have a natural talent, that don't play very well. So, my first tip is: Practice at least once a day, for a MINIMUM of a half hour. This doesn't mean once a week, or once a month. This is every single day. I can attribute my success with guitar to countless hours of practice. I would play for 10+ hours on some days. But the bare minimum for me, was 1 hour every day. I became very good, very fast. Better than everyone I knew in 1/10th of the time. Why? Because I put in the hours. I know some of my friends that are alright, but usually would practice once a week. They would get jealous because I was better than them, and played far many years less than them. It was all because I put in a consistent amount of effort in, on a day-to-day basis. So, for starts, practice every day, and you will get far better. The more practice you put in, the more results you'll get out.
2. Practice efficiently - This goes hand in hand with the above rule. If you practice every day, make sure you're practicing correctly. If you practice playing sloppy, than you will get better at playing sloppy. You might sound better than before, but you will hit a spot to where you just don't get much better. This means try and play with the least amount of force and effort possible. Don't push so hard, (literally) and when you practice your chords or scales, make sure you start slowly and work your way up in speed. If you practice something you don't understand or have down yet fast, then you're just practicing sounding like crap. I start very slow at first until I can clearly see what I am doing, than I gradually increase speed. Make sure you are practicing and doing the motions correctly before you progress in speed or complexity. A great habit to get into (or out of) is pushing very hard down on the frets. If your action is too high, get it lowered, and it will work wonders. You shouldn't be pushing as hard as you can. If you ever watch the legends play, they seem to be floating across the fretboard, ever wonder why? Countless hours of efficient practicing habits.
3. Speed will come - START SLOW. Most people ignore this rule, they want to sound good fast. Sorry, it don't happen this way. USE A METRONOME. You will benefit GREATLY if you utilize this and practice for at least 1/2 of the time you practice using the metronome. You don't need to use it all the time, but get in the habit early on and your playing will eventually be naturally on time. I use it almost every time I practice. You can hear when a drummer uses a metronome, and you can hear when they don't. They sound choppy and off beat. The good ones ALL use a metronome. Pros use it, so should you.
4. Figure out what you're trying to accomplish - If you just want to learn cover songs, than go out and learn how to play covers. If you want to play originals, start practicing making up riffs. This is as easy as it sounds. At first, they might sound like garbage, but after a while, you won't need to think to make up a tasty lick. Practice makes perfect. AND REMEMBER TO NOT FORCE.
5. Get over the hump - This is only for beginners. I always tell everyone who's brand new, that most likely they're going to sound like crap for the first 3 months. Once you get over this hump, you will start to get better at a faster rate (Especially if you follow these steps). Most people give up if they don't learn a song in a week. They fail to realize that their fingers and mind are tied together, they need to separate their hands from their minds to effectively learn any music at all. Keep with it, and I promise you will get better.
6. Talent does exist - there are those out there who just are amazing at guitar no matter what they do. Don't get stuck in it, you can get good too if you follow these steps. Talent does exist, but talent is only 1/5 of skill. The other 4 are practice and good practice habits. Trust me on this. I've seen people who suck at first with no talent at all become very good guitar players, because they stuck with it, and kept practicing. Like I said previously, if you're a beginner, just plan on not wooing the ladies off the bat. Eventually, your time will come my friend..
7. Play along with your favorite songs - Just start fiddling around. This is as simple as it gets. Play along and listen to see if the notes you play sound good with the song. If they don't, chances are they aren't the right notes. Simple as that. Find the key of a song, and then go online and find a scale in that key. Play around until you get comfortable learning where the notes are. You will constantly see the fretboard differently as you progress..
8. Listen to those who are great - I'm not talking the guitar gods (even though they do have video lessons), I'm talking about your friend who plays and rocks. Ask him what to do at first. Even if they aren't the greatest teachers, some of the advice they offer will be good advice. Listen, and learn.
9. YOUTUBE - YouTube is the greatest guitar resource I've found so far. It simply has so much material that's free that you really can't have an excuse as to why you aren't learning anything (aside from not having a computer). Check out a bunch of videos, find the ones that are watched a bunch, and learn from them. Sometimes the information you get might not make sense, so start out with beginner lessons. Eventually those lessons will start to make sense.
10. IF ALL ELSE FAILS - Or if you just want to improve. HIRE A GUITAR TEACHER. This is the most ignored deal of all time. It's only 15-35 a week for a lesson. That one lesson will shoot you light years a head of your time. Guitar instruction (from good teachers) is simply put, one of the greatest ways to get good fast. They will point out bad habits, and correct them. They'll offer soundless advice that will improve you dramatically. Try it out, and find the right teacher for you.
Follow these, and you will become a far better guitar player. If you're a beginner, you're even better off than someone who can play. It's hard to break bad habits, so it's better to start out with good habits, and you'll be on a great roll. Rock on everyone.
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