Frequency rather than duration is the way to practice. Several short and frequent sessions gives you better results than trying to pracfice for a few long sessions. You are developing muscular and coordination skills which require repetition.The quality of the practice is more important than the quantity.
Don't allow practice time to be that time when you have finished everything else. Give it some priority and schedule it when you can be productive. Have a place where you can practice.
The "stop and start" approach just doesn't work. You need to force yourself to practice in real time; that is, practice with some sense of a beat. As you attempt to solve problems, you should practice very slowly - but try to keep a beat. Music is sound in motion and you are trying to develop the ability to move your right and left hands according to a pulse or beat.
Focus on the problem areas, analyze the playing problems and develop a solution. Work on very small sections of music at a time. Eventually, play the entire musical phrase, slowly in real time. Slow repetition is often necessary in order to develop the skills needed to perform on the guitar. Gradually work things up to the desired tempo.
Practice could include chord development, accompaniment skills, sight
reading, rhythm exercises, scales, improvisation, the development of repertoire.
You should supplement your practice with the study of music theory and harmony.
The more you learn about music, the better you will be able to perform it.
Practice every day even if for only 5 or 10 minutes. A day when you don`t play is a lost day. If your fingers start hurting then pat yourself on the back, you have been playing well. If they don`t hurt after a practice session then you are not trying hard enough.
Play music that is challenging but don`t play stuff that is beyond your ability, it will only frustrates you and you will end up feeling like a useless twonk.
Scales are boring and dull but if you ever want to play your own solos and improvise then you need to know them. Think of them as a template for which notes you are allowed to play during certain chords.
Don`t spend all day adjusting your amplifier, you want to learn how to play guitar not know every possible sound that your amp can make. The most important thing in getting the sound you want is your fingers so use them.
When learning music by reading the Tab / Music let your own style come through, you don't have to play it in exactly the same way that it is tabbed. Often this rule helps if you are playing a difficult piece, if you find a chord difficult to play use a different one that sounds the same.
The Guitar Page is a service of the Bay Section of the California Music Educators Association.