January 8, 2017

About the Author: Stefan Joubert

Stefan Joubert manager of London Guitar Institute is passionate about adult education. He believes that absolutely anyone can learn to play the guitar and it is just a matter of getting good education and getting started.

Practice makes perfect… or shall we say permanent. Practising using the correct technique is essential! Discover why you need to make time to practice in order to grow as a guitarist!

Most guitarists could be far better off than they are now if they would only follow a proper practice routine!

Your guitar lessons in London don’t end when we finish our one to one session, you’ll be given lots of material to practice at home. (Such as right and left-hand workouts, scales, chords, note reading, sight-reading, guitar-specific techniques, theory and much more…)

The more you practice, the faster you will develop your skills and the quicker you will become the guitar player you want to be.

Here are some tips for practising guitar at home:

Make Time, or Don’t

The biggest obstacle many guitar lesson students face when trying to practice at home is time. Few of us have extra time on our hands and finding an extra hour a day can be difficult. The great thing about learning the guitar is you can pick it up anywhere. You can watch the TV and work

Few of us have extra time on our hands and finding an extra hour a day can be difficult. The great thing about learning the guitar is you can pick it up anywhere. You can watch the TV and work

The great thing about learning the guitar is you can pick it up anywhere. You can watch the TV and work through the Lydian mode or play some sequences while chatting to friends! (Of course, serious dedicated alone-practice time is also required, but if you struggle to find the time, doing something is better than nothing!)

There are many other ways you can weave practice into your daily life such as:

Perform a guitar solo for a friend

When you have a friend over, why not show him or her what you have achieved in your guitar lessons by playing a solo or song that you have learned.

The time that you spend performing the solo to your friend will be a very valuable feedback time for you to help you improve your guitar playing in your alone-time practice sessions!

It may at times be painful and even humiliating, but it will DEFINITELY help your progress!

Listen to Your Favourite Music

If you like to spend time watching music channels or listening to music, hold your guitar while you’re doing it. See what chords/melodies/patterns you recognise and play along, you will be amazed just how much you can learn when listening to Wes Montgomery and trying to copy some of his lines! (Or Kirk Hammett if you are into metal as an example!)

Of course, if you can carve out an hour or two a day to practice, you’ll advance at a fast pace. Try not to see it as a chore, as it is not. It’s time for you that is much needed.

Finally, get the best education money can buy and do not forget to practice with proper balance, posture and freedom of movement!

Remember that perfect practise along with excellent quality tuition will bring you the results that you are looking for!

If you practice without quality tuition, you may pick up bad habits along the way!

That is exactly why it is absolutely imperative that you select a top-notch guitar instructor who can help you learn properly!

Make sure you practice using proper posture and perhaps look for an Alexander Technique instructor to help you improve your balance, posture and freedom of movement.

I personally recommend Jackie as she is an expert at the art! – you can visit her website here: https://alexandertec.co.uk/

Finally, look after yourself whilst practising and you will be able to enjoy guitar playing for decades to come!

Tags: Guitar advice, Guitar discipline, Guitar questions answered, Guitar tips, Guitar wisdom

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Tags: Guitar advice, Guitar discipline, Guitar questions answered, Guitar tips, Guitar wisdom