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10 Tips on How to Make Yourself Play Guitar Everyday

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10 tips how to play guitar everydayMost of us would like to play guitar everyday, but the reality is there are so many other things on our todo list we sometimes forget to practice at all.

So I tried a little experiment a few weeks ago. I took a piece of a paper and wrote down the most important scales, songs and exercises I needed to work on.

I placed the notes on the fridge, the toilet and living room walls. It now keeps reminding me of what I need to be practicing even when I’m too busy and get lost in other things.

The fact that I’m constantly reminded, triggers me to pick up my guitar several times a day and just play. That’s what I need.

Along with this effective trick I use some other strategies to make sure there’s nothing in my way. Read and apply them.

Here are 10 tips to get you playing everyday:

And remember The more you practice, the better you get, the more fun it will be!

1 – Unescapable reminders
Place reminders everywhere. Put reminders in your cell phone and your computer calender. Place reminders on the kitchen fridge and the toilet wall. Wherever you spend most of your time you want to put up a reminder that makes you start practicing. Continue Reading

Guitar Playing and The Power of Failure

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guitar and the power of failureWe all recognize those awkward moments of embarrassment, when it feels like everything you’ve worked so hard for suddenly falls and shatters to pieces.

In an instant you’re desperately seeking for that nearest whole in the floor to jump in and disappear quickly or better yet just vanish into thin air.

Reality sucks sometimes. But these are the crucial moments when the tables are about to turn.

The times in my life where I made dramatic improvement in guitar playing, performing, teaching, blogging and other areas, is when I failed. Failed and painfully confronted.

Yes it hurts, but you will get over it and if you have an open mind and listen to what just happened you can learn and benefit from it tremendously.

I still remember the time when I was asked for a pop rock cover band with musicians ten years older than me. I thought I could play pretty decent guitar (Satriani, Metallica and SRV songs were on my repertoire). Then during one of the first rehearsals the drummer of the band told me my rhythm playing s#cked and that I’d better head back to my room to practice.Continue Reading

10 Vital Tips to Get Your Chords Sound Clean and Clear

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good sounding chordsThe biggest challenge for the beginner and sometimes even the intermediate guitar player is to make chords sound clean and clear.

I still remember the frustration struggling with the C and F major chord. Like it would never gonna work.

I kept practicing every day and then all of a sudden there it was. The chord sounded perfectly clear. It felt like it happened out of the blue, but I knew it was the result of lots of practice. It was my first guitar victory.

To get a good sounding chord there are several things you need to pay attention to, observe, apply and check repeatedly.

Good sounding chords is not an overnight thing. It’s also not the hardest thing in the world but it takes time, regular practice and perseverance.

If you implement these 10 tips during practice you will definitely get there. Practicing will be a lot more effective and results are just around the corner.

Here are they keys:

1 – Bend your knuckles
Make sure to bend all your knuckles (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th). Avoid any straight fingers, they can cause your chords to sound muffled. The only time you can straighten your finger is when you need to bar a chord. (barre chords)

2 – As close to the fret as possible.
Place your fingers as close to the fret as possible. Don’t place your fingers on the fret (metal fret wire), it causes buzzing. Not every chord allows all fingers to be placed right behind the fret (for example: A major chord), but try to place them as close as possible.Continue Reading

The Most Effective Way to Accomplish Your Guitar Goals

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Setting goals and writing them down in a notebook is a fun activity that gives your guitar life a meaningful direction. It’s one of my favorite hobbies.

For me that’s the easy part. The second part is a little trickier: Accomplishing those goals.

I can’t say I’ve been lousy at accomplishing my guitar goals, but in the past there were always some goals that I somehow couldn’t get off the ground.

Maybe one reason is that I had too many goals (blame it on my enthusiasm). Well, we all have excuses.

I eventually tackled this hurdle by creating accountability. When you feel accountable you are assured of achieving your goals. The steps you have to take become a priority!

For me, playing in a band is the perfect way to learn and become skilled at a new style of music (pop, rock, blues, folk, metal, jazz). I really get on top of it. I make sure I do everything in my power to be ready for the next band rehearsal. I respect the people I’m playing with and I don’t want to let them down.

Another example is that I often create a challenge for my guitar students to study a song or solo within a couple of weeks and then have them perform it in front of their co-students. It works.

Accountability gives you the boost you need to get things done!

Here are the keys to accomplish your guitar goals:Continue Reading