Part 4 in this ongoing series focuses on practicing your instrument and making the most of your practice time. If you haven't had the chance to peruse the preceding articles, you can follow these links:

Habits of a Developing Guitarist
Habits of a Developing Guitarist Part 2: Openness and Willingness
Habits of a Developing Guitarist Part 3: Watching and Listening

It shouldn't come as any surprise that practically every guitarist worth mentioning has sunk a great deal of time into practicing their instrument. Practice is a way of saying that you care enough about what you're doing to put time into it. Many of my students don't really seem to understand how this works. They just show up and expect that they will get better because they take lessons. Some of them clearly aren't interested, but others don't seem to have the confidence they need to take it to the next level.

My job as a teacher, of course, is to empower my students. We all have our off days, and we can't always operate at our peak. Often times sitting in a small studio just isn't an inspiring environment for me and I realize more and more that growth can't really be measured in weekly intervals (as music schools tend to suggest). Some students make progress from week to week, others don't. That's just the nature of the game.

Again, it should come as no surprise that it is the students who practice regularly that show promise and progress. More often than not this is not something I can take credit for. It was the student that demonstrated the willingness to learn in the first place and I was merely the igniter. I'm just there to help correct bad habits and give them a better understanding of theory. My best students are the ones that are already doing the things I've been talking about in this series. It's not something they had to think about, they just do it naturally.

For the rest of us, we have to be a bit more conscious about our decisions. What are we saying to ourselves? Are we saying that we "have to play guitar" or are we saying that we "want to play guitar". The attitude you hold towards your instrument will determine your experience and your habits.

When I first started playing guitar I was absolutely determined to learn because I wanted to be able to play my favorite songs. I had a friend that played some of my favorite songs on guitar at summer camp so I was convinced that I wanted to pick it up too. In the months that followed I made rapid progress and in the subsequent years many people commented on the determination I had. It's not something I saw for myself until people commented on it, but it's true. My attitude had already dictated the outcome.

As you continue to learn to play music your initial infatuation may fizzle out. That was the case with me, and I think this is a natural part of your progression. When you begin to gain an understanding of how music works you may not have the same feelings towards the Pop songs you used to love so much. When/if you reach that point you have to rethink your motives entirely. If you just stick with it this is actually a really exciting time because you start to figure out your own approach to the guitar. The fact that you can play an open B string instead of playing that same B note higher up on the fretboard shouldn't faze you anymore. You'll stubbornly insist on playing a certain riff or certain lick in a particular way even if there's an easier way to play it. That's what your own style is all about.

Now for a few practical ideas regarding practice: not everyone has 3 – 12 hours in a day to dedicate to practice, so try to use your time efficiently. I have heard that switching tasks too frequently can affect your productivity. Focus on one task until you have completed it to your satisfaction, then move onto the next. For example, if you want to incorporate finger exercises into your daily regimen, collect all the exercises you want to work on and set them in front of you (print them out, or write all of them into a notebook). Don't stop or get distracted until you're done. Consciously decide what tasks you want to work on in your allotted time. Don't forget to practice slowly. If you don’t feel like you have complete control over what you're playing then you're probably not going slowly enough. If you like to watch TV, then practice while you're watching or play during the commercials. Just get your fingers moving. This article was written by David Andrew Wiebe, web designer, graphic designer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter, guitar instructor, and music expert. Interested in winning a free CD? Click here for more info! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Recommendations? Email me.

Published on January 11, 2008