Even the most talented guitar players hit a brick wall every now and again, so if you are experiencing musician’s block, don’t fret. You can get better at guitar right now by stepping outside of your comfort zone, challenging yourself, expand your musical knowledge, or by taking a few days’ rest.
Here are six tips you can try today that’ll help get better at guitar.
1. Listen to music
Chefs need to eat. Writers need to read. Guitarists need to listen to music. Make it a part of your everyday routine – pop on some tunes while you get ready for work or school or listen to music while you cook dinner. And don’t just stick to your tried-and-true favourites. Expand your mind by switching things up and exploring the many incredible, fascinating facets of music. You might just hear something that inspires you, that motivates you to pick up your guitar and push yourself to the next level.
2. Record yourself playing
Playing the guitar is like painting. You put so much effort into every minute detail that you often lose sight of the bigger picture. Sometimes you need to step back and just observe.
When playing music, this means recording yourself. Then, listen critically. You might be surprised by the little mistakes you’re making. Or maybe you’ll realise that you sound fantastic and you are, in fact, getting better already.
3. Practice a technique a day
Getting better at the guitar requires you to master almost countless playing and performance techniques – fingerpicking, economy picking, string bending, hammer-ons, the list goes on.
Would a gymnast cram all their skills into one practice session? Would a swimmer practice all of their strokes back-to-back? Probably not, and you shouldn’t either. Each time you sit down to play, select a technique, and stick to it.
4. Put an end to bad habits
For most beginners, playing the guitar doesn’t feel natural right off the bat. Holding the instrument correctly with proper posture and hand positioning feels awkward – and then there’s playing technique. Your body will be pushing you to take shortcuts, to make adjustments that feel easier at the time. Unfortunately, if you give in to these shortcuts, you’ll end up with a whole bunch of bad habits that could sabotage your efforts to become a better player.
Do what you can to end bad habits. Better yet, stop cheap and nasty shortcuts before they become ingrained into your playing technique.
5. Put your guitar down
While this might sound counter-intuitive, sometimes all you need to do is put your guitar down for a couple of days. When you pick it back up again, you’ll feel refreshed, inspired, and motivated.
6. Take on a new composition
Maybe you’re not getting any better because you’re playing the same warm-ups and same songs over and over again. You aren’t pushing yourself beyond what you know, so how can you expect to get better at guitar?
To help you take your skills to a whole new level, why not download Trinity College London tabs for free? I’ve made past Initial, First, Second, and Third Grade playlists available – there’s something for total newbies and those with a little experience. Download your free tab set now:
Get better at guitar with online guitar lessons
Playing the guitar isn’t always smooth sailing. But you can improve your chances of success by equipping yourself with the resources you need to master playing technique and reach your full potential. Find out more about my world-class online guitar lessons today.