Years ago I had a friend who was studying in a music conservatory to become a classical concert pianist. Pretty serious stuff I can tell you. They literally live, breath, eat and sleep it.
What I learned from him however is that the professors would teach and encourage them to do ‘mental practice’ where you spend time practicing your instrument in your mind.
When you think about it, it actually makes a ton of sense because in order to play well on any instrument your mind must have a very clear understanding of what to do.
This technique can apply just as well to guitar as any other and I’d encourage you to give it a try for a week to see what happens.
Here’s What To Do
Let’s suppose that you were learning a full G major scale. Sitting down calmly and in a time where there are no distractions (If you can find such a time that is! It’s getting harder and harder these days) you would visualize your fingers playing the scale on the fretboard.
At first you’ll find your mind will have a tendency to wander but each time is does catch it and bring it back.
Visualize playing the scale, solo, strum, chord change, melody… slowly a few times then go to another exercise and repeat the process.
You should find that this kind of practice will yield impressive results. It basically means that you’ll make improvement on guitar even while not physically playing it.
The biggest advantage of all however is that you should find you’ll make far fewer mistakes when you play, simply because of this extra layer of programming you’ve taken the time to lay down.
Continue Reading > Why Learning Songs Is The WORST WAY TO PRACTICE GUITAR!
Contents:
00. Introduction
01. Stage 1 Guitar Practice – Mental Programming
02. Stage 2 Guitar Practice – Metronome & Pressure Points
03. Practicing Chords And Strumming
04. How To Structure A Practice Session
05. Frequently Asked Questions About Practicing
- How Long Should You Practice Guitar Each Day?
- Is It Better To Practice Guitar Daily Or To Take One Day Off Each Week?
- How Long Does It Take To See Results From Guitar Practice?
- What If I Simply Can’t Make Progress No Matter How Much Practice I Do?
06. How To Construct A Practice Schedule – You Have To Be Realistic!
07. A Secret The Pro’s Would Rather You Didn’t Know – The Art Of “Mental Practice”
08. Why Learning Songs Is The WORST WAY TO PRACTICE GUITAR!
09. What To Do When You Get Bored Or Frustrated With Practicing