10 Easy Tips to Help You Practice the Guitar More Effectively

You may be wondering what sets the really good guitarists from the mediocre ones. The answer is simple really: PRACTICE. But what sets a guitarist that practices apart from another?

Practicing, in and of itself, is an art. It's not just sitting down with your guitar and playing for a couple of hours. Anyone can do that. Practicing is a methodology, a skill that takes time to develop. There are many ways one can practice, some much more effective than others. This list is a philosophy I stick to when it comes to practicing because it has helped me improve my skills rapidly. These are time honored practicing techniques that many professional musicians utilize to enhance and gain new skills

1. Practice with a metronome. Start slow and gradually build the temp up.
2. Repeat tough passages many times. This helps you build "muscle memory"
3. Practice what you enjoy. Find songs that you like.
4. Create a daily practice schedule and stick to it.
5. Practice every day. Practice every day as opposed to one long practice one day a week.
6. Diversify the material in your practice. Practice songs, scales, chords, technique, etc
7. Practice in front of a mirror so you can see if your motions look efficient.
8. Practice efficiently. Don't let yourself get distracted by things like your computer, phone, etc.
9. Practice with others. You might learn something.
10. Practice material for other instruments. They'll help you look at the guitar in a different way.