Frequently Asked Questions
This section addresses some common guitar related
questions that we have received. Q: How hard should I
pick?
A: Aim to be able to pick through the entire dynamic range from soft to
loud at any tempo. A common mistake is to pick so softly when playing
fast, that the notes loose definition, and can eventually not even be
heard. Q: What are some of the best ways to strengthen
one's hands
A: There are many devices, such as the Grip-Master, and various gyro
ball machines that can accomplish quite a lot. You can have a lot more
fun actually playing the guitar though. Consider putting the electric
guitar aside a while, and playing an acoustic. They are usually slightly
more difficult to play. Try to match your electric playing on the
acoustic. Q: How long should I
practice?
A: Focus on quality instead of quantity firstly. Once the quality aspect is
handled, increased quantity should immediately show more value. Learn to
concentrate, learn to focus intently on every note you practice, every movement
your hands make, and all your ears hear. Concentrated attention is one of the
keys to success here. Make sure that you set goals before you
practice, and use your practice sessions to get closer to your goals - You need
to know where you are going! Your goals could be anything from
learning a piece of music in a certain amount of time, to being able to play a
certain passage fluently on a different set of strings than you are used to etc
etc.
Goal setting 101: Goals should be S.M.A.R.T. SIMPLE MEASURABLE ACHIEVABLE REALISTIC TIME
BASED
Think of some SMART practice goals of your own, keep a practice
journal to monitor your progress. This is very valuable when you want to see
how far you have come. It can serve to motivate and inspire if used correctly.
Having goals will help you make best use of available time. Remember
as well, everyone is different in terms of concentration spans, lifestyle
situations and such. Try not to force yourself to practice, make practicing the
guitar something you LOVE. One last point to ponder. With
everything you play, think constant, consistent improvement! Q:
I'm bored with the guitar, what should I do?
A: Most guitarists ask themselves this at one stage or another. Some
suggestions to break the boredom:
-
Learn a different style: e.g. If you play metal, learn jazz,
If you play rock, learn country
-
Experiment with different tones
-
Change your practice regimen
-
Jam with others
-
Take a lesson or two
-
Add a Wah Pedal or a Delay!!
-
Play acoustic for a month
-
Learn a really difficult song
-
Throw out all your old exercises and create some new ones
that practice the same concepts.
-
Go see a good band
E-Mail us: talk@trueguitar.com
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