Guitar Practice - Make It Your Priority!

Every student realizes that guitar practice is important if they wish to become a better musician. Even so, many have trouble establishing a regular practice routine. Other responsibilities have a way of squeezing them into a work-a-holic lifestyle, leaving little room left for personal pursuits. Even teens and children are over-stretched these days with school and other extra-curricular activities. So, what's the secret to creating an effective guitar practicing schedule? The answer: MAKE IT YOUR PRIORITY!

That may sound simple to some and impossible to others, but it is absolutely imperative to becoming a good guitarist. Giving something priority simply means to put it before everything else in order of time and importance. Now, it's always easier to set priorities when there is a desire to accomplish, or reach a specific end result. So, having a goal in mind when practicing the guitar, will help you to maintain your focus and provide a sense of purpose too.

According to the Scribner-Bantam English Dictionary, the word "Practice" means:

- to work or pursue as a profession
- to perform often in order to learn
- to teach by frequent repetition; drill

In order to make your guitar practice a priority, try thinking of it as you would your job or school work. By this, I don't mean it should be a drudgery, but an important necessity.

Schedule a time each day to practice your guitar, and stick to it. Be firm in your decision. Mark it in your appointment book, or on your calandar. You will begin to notice an improvement in your overall ability when you practice the guitar on a regular basis. There will be times when you seem to leap forward, and other times when you don't seem to be getting anywhere. But understand that the guitar is one of the most difficult instruments to become really proficient on, so you will need to guard against discouragement. I have a friend who plays piano, cello and violin. She decided to take up classical guitar and confessed that it was the most difficult instrument she had ever tried to learn. So, you may want to keep notes on your progress for personal encouragement as well as an incentive to persevere.

Commitment and determination are two of the most important keys to success in any pursuit. Talent and natural ability are a definite plus, but many talented guitar students lack discipline. In order to succeed, you must learn to cultivate and nurture your natural abilities through regular guitar practice. Skill is developed by continually honing, experimenting and perfecting your gift. Don't just take it for granted, be willing to work hard. All great guitarists have this one thing in common- they made guitar pracitice a priority! So, get yourself started in the same direction by keeping these things in mind...

1. Make your guitar practice a priority
2. Establish a specific time of day to practice
3. Make a commitment to practicing regularly
4. Set short term and long term goals (make a note when reached)
5. Persevere through difficulty
6. Be determined to succeed

Above all else, enjoy playing the guitar and learning new things- have fun! Think of your guitar practice as an adventure. With so many different guitar styles and techniques, there will always be something else to discover. Life is short, so make some time to do what you love and be happy!

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on buying a guitar, songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: http://www.abclearnguitar.com

---

How to Construct Chords and Improvise

How To Construct Basic Chords on the PianoThe easiest way... Read More

Born to sing, Britney Spears is as big as ever today

Britney Spears was born December 2 1981 as Britney Jean... Read More

How To Play Piano Using Chord Symbols

Chord symbols (for example, Fm7, Cmaj7 or G6) are a... Read More

Launch Pad Introduces Subliminal

Who would have ever thought that a call out for... Read More

Music Downloads: Free & Low Cost Ways For Musicians To Get Their Music Known All Over The World

Music downloads are highly compressed audio files transferred onto a... Read More

Hip Hop History

Rap music originated as a cross-cultural product. Most of its... Read More

Piano Lessons Can be Fun!

There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note... Read More

Jealous Again - Jealousy Among Musicians

Jealousy ? do you feel it? Do you sense it... Read More

The Strange Days (mostly nights) of Guns N? Roses

Kenny "Axil" Rose (Lead vocals), D.J. "Slash (Lead guitar), Joshua... Read More

Piano Playing Your Way: How To Have More Fun Playing The Piano Than You Ever Have Before

Piano playing doesn't have to be boring. There's no law... Read More

The Life and Music of Beatle George Harrison

Propelled into fame as one of the Beatles, along with... Read More

Acclaimed Songwriter and Performer Michael Alan Releases New CD: Searching for the Heartland:

New York born singer songwriter Michael Alan, who records with... Read More

Would Chopin Have Passed A Music Quiz?

Q. My children are very interested in playing music. Is... Read More

Piano Chords and New Age Music

There are basically two ways you can compose a piece... Read More

An Interview with Angus Young of ACDC - Why He Plays a Gibson SG

Steven: Maybe more than any other guitarist ever, you're inextricably... Read More

Silent Discos!

The press have reported this week that silent disco's are... Read More

A Quick and Easy Composition Method

Here's the method I use every time I want to... Read More

Interested in Improving the Sound of Your Stereo? Consider Records

Introduced in 1982, the compact disc was intended to provide... Read More

Learning To Play The Piano With Chords

Learning piano chords can help you in all your piano... Read More

The Case Against Traditional Piano Lessons

How would you like to spend 4 years in a... Read More

The Music Industry and Its Lack of Talent

So it has come to this... what we see overrides... Read More

A Guitar Lesson to Help You Develop Your Vision

Have you ever done any of the following?1. Made excuses... Read More

If Seals Can Sing, Why Cant You?

It sounds like a side show, doesn't it? It does... Read More

Defining The True Artist - Do You Have What It Takes?

"The real communicating artists seek unique expression. They are not... Read More

Green Day: Punk Rock Masters Taming Mainstream Radio Their Way

Before they got together as Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong,... Read More

If Setting The Gain Correctly is So Important, Why Dont Mic Preamplifiers Have Meters?

When you first learn how to use a mixing console,... Read More

Living Life Loud

Change is good. Just ask the millions of unsigned artists... Read More

Music, the Spiritual Connection

All through the age's music and spirituality as served hand... Read More

How to Create an Original Melody

Here's a method I use that works. First, sit down... Read More

New Age Music - How Its Made

Different styles of music have different "sounds." We can all... Read More

Play Piano in the New Age Style

It's not what you play, it's how you play it.... Read More

Piano on the Right-Side of the Brain

Some of you may remember a book titled "Drawing on... Read More

How To Change Your Guitar Strings

Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte... Read More