In today's lesson, we are going to learn about deadly practice mistakes to avoid when playing the guitar. By learning about these and avoiding them, you will be able to progress faster and become a much better guitar player.
Practice mistakes
The number one thing that keeps guitar players (especially in the beginning) from progressing and sounding as they should is because of practice mistakes. If you pay attention to what you're doing and you avoid these, you will sound better and progress faster. Let's take a look.
#1: Holding the guitar incorrectly
Knowing how to hold the guitar is crucial for playing chords and melodies. As well as strumming and arpeggiated picking. If you don't take care of this at the beginning of your journey, it will come back to haunt you. Make sure that the guitar is comfortably in your hands and you can reach every inch of the fretboard. Make sure your picking hand can reach all six strings and you're able to strum and pick them individually with ease. You should be relaxed and able to play without tensing up.
#2: Bad finger development
A big mistake that I see many players make is bad finger development. You must take time to watch for this and avoid it. Proper finger development can go a long way when it comes to playing the guitar. You must have proper finger placement when playing chords, or else they won't ring out as they should. Proper placement of the picking hand is crucial as well for strumming across the strings and picking them individually. If this is not developed properly, when you go to execute these moves, they will sound lackluster.
#3: Skipping warm-up exercises
Many guitar players jump ahead to playing songs without doing warm-up exercises. This can be a bad thing when it comes to playing more complex musical pieces. Just like an athlete, you want to warm up your hands and fingers. A runner doesn't just go out and run; they stretch their muscles first and make sure they are ready to take on the physical challenge. You must do the same.
Think about the muscles needed to play the guitar. Even the simplest of movements can be stressful on the hands if they are not properly taken care of. Make sure to do warm-up exercises before playing complex musical pieces. This will keep your fingers limber, build finger independence, and help strengthen your fingers so fatfuge doesn't set in.
#4: Not working on developing timing
Timing is one of the most crucial things in music to develop. Music is all about timing. Especially if you're going to play with other musicians, like your friends or family. I see many guitarists who skip this in their development.
They work on all the fun stuff, chords, strumming, etc, but they don't work on their timing. Then, when you try to play with them, you can't. Timing is best developed through playing with a metronome, or with a drum track, or with the songs that you are working on.
#5: Inconsistent practice
This is the kicker right here. Inconsistent practice! If there is anything that will hold you back more than anything, it's inconsistent practice. You must practice consistently. And I don't mean practicing with the TV on. I mean, hunkering down and studying the instrument. Just you and your guitar.
Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, in reality, it can be very hard for most. It takes a certain type of mentality to sit for hours getting to know an instrument. You, my friend, could be one of them. Just make sure to do all that is taught in this lesson, and you will get there.
Private instruction is also available
If more help is needed with any of the things that I have taught here in this lesson, be sure to let me know. I also offer private guitar instruction. These are lessons that are custom-tailored to your interest and skill level. All students are welcome.
With private lessons, you can reach your desired results quicker, develop a better understanding of musical concepts and techniques, as well as receive an enjoyable learning experience. If you feel this might work for you, just contact me at my website, and we will set up a time to talk and meet. Either in person or online.
Thank you for your time, and keep practicing.
Until our next lesson, take care.
Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins
