In today’s lesson, we are going to learn how to become a better guitar player today. Becoming a better guitar player is something that we all should be striving for daily. By developing the habits of patience, persistence, and commitment to the instrument. We will be able to see significant results.
We all strive to be the best guitar players we can be no matter what style we play, no matter if we play rhythm, lead, or both. We want to be the best guitar player we can become to enjoy what we are doing. But sometimes it can be hard. If the right qualities are not developed.
It’s these qualities that will make all the difference in your playing. It’s these qualities that will determine if you stick with it long enough to get good quickly, or if you’ll hinder your progress by being unfocused and jumping around from topic to topic.
My journey to becoming a better guitar player.
I remember when I was young I didn’t have the power of the internet so I had to learn the hard way. I learned from other guitarists showing me a thing or two here and there (which I would forget half the time when I got home) or I would have to learn from books as I didn’t have the funds to take lessons.
Without being able to afford good equipment like Gibson guitars & Marshall amplifiers which seemed to be the norm back in those days, I didn’t think I would do well. Because all I had was a used knock-off guitar (series 10 I think it was) and a used beat-up crate amplifier. Not the greatest tone in the world but I made it work.
Eventually, I was able to upgrade to better equipment but what I did have was the desire to learn. The drive and willpower to move ahead and get better no matter what. So in this lesson, we’ll look at the top 10 qualities needed to become a better guitar player today.
Top 5 Qualities needed to become a better guitar player today!
1.) You must have a Goal
Having a goal is important. Without it, you are going nowhere. Why, because you have no destination. It would be like getting into your car and not knowing where to drive. Sure you can do that, but you’ll waste a lot of time figuring out where to go as you drive around. So make sure you have a goal or destination where you want to go and what you want to accomplish with your guitar playing.
2.) Be determined to give it all you got
You must be determined to become a better guitar player. When I was starting I didn’t have great equipment but I had great determination! I knew where I wanted to go and I was determined to give it all I got to get there. I wanted to be the best guitar player I could be and with the willpower to do so, I did. You must also possess this skill to get to where you are going and become the best guitar player you can be.
3.) You must develop discipline
Discipline is one of the hardest things to develop. Especially now in the digital age, we live in. We are constantly being bombarded with everyone trying to get our attention. Whether it be the latest social media post, YouTube video, or ad coming from Google, we are in constant distraction mode.
Developing discipline can be extremely difficult. But as stated above, this is a must if you are to become a better guitar player. It is this discipline that will make all the difference in your progress. Without discipline, you will not become the best guitar player you can be. You’ll just become average.
4.) Let time take its course
Whenever we learn something new we must go through what’s called a learning curve. The time it takes to develop new skill sets. Learning the guitar is no different. At the beginning of my journey, I went through a serious learning curve. I had to practice for hours on the fundamentals and develop patience knowing that I would get there eventually.
Give it time. This is another hard step to accomplish in today’s society because we live in a world of instant gratification. Which can make it hard to learn and stay focused on our objectives. Only by being patient and giving it time to develop will you get over this hurdle.
5.) Practice Consistently
You must apply yourself consistently to whatever you choose to do. You must get a practice routine developed, you must provide a place for you to practice and you must be there practicing daily to see any progress at all. If you pick up the guitar here and there, you won’t accomplish much. And when you do make progress when you practice it will start to diminish when you are not engaged in the activity.
This is just the way it is. This is not my opinion, this is a fact!! That is why these 5 qualities need to be developed for you to become the best guitar player that you can be. So be sure to look inside yourself and see how badly you want it and what it is you’re willing to do to get it.
In Conclusion
It all comes down to you! What you want, how bad you want it, and how hard you’re willing to work to get it! That is why developing these habits over time will make all the difference in your guitar-playing progress. You must learn discipline. Stay focused. Have a goal or destination. Plan a course of action to get you there. And above all, you must have the faith and courage to head down the rocky road to get there.
No accomplishment in anything we do in life comes easy. If it did we’d all be successful. But in reality, only a very small percentage of people ever reach their destination. Will you reach yours? You will if you develop these top 5 qualities needed to become a better guitar player today.
And if you need additional help with your guitar playing, be sure to reach out. Contact me at Dwayne's Guitar Lessons. We can set up a free consultation to get you moving forward quickly. Thank you for your time reading and take care.
Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins
