Guide to Maximizing Guitar Playing Sessions

Everybody knows that when it comes to music, practice is very important. And yet, you would be shocked at how often people practice with the wrong mentality or simply go about it incorrectly. I'll give you a few tips so you can make the most out of your practice sessions.

Tip #1: You play like you practice and you practice like you play. The idea is simple but you would be surprised at how many people just don't realize it. You play like you practice. That is, if you play a song with mistakes and errors when you practice... you will play a song with mistakes and errors when you perform. Putting yourself in front of an audience will not suddenly make your muscle memory remember something it could never do correctly in the first place. If you're playing a song, strive for perfection every time you play it even if you're just practicing.

Tip #2: If you can't play something at the correct tempo, play it slower and gradually get to the desired tempo. There's no point in playing it at the correct tempo if you're still going to play it incorrectly. Speed is easily controllable as long as you can perform a song well. You will be surprised at how easy a song can be to play fast as long as you can play it slow.

Tip #3: Play something new every time. You will not grow as a musician playing the things you already know how to play. And yet, this is something many musicians will do. You don't necessarily need to learn a new song, simply look at your instrument and make your hands do something they're not used to. You will most likely find a use for whatever you practice in the future.

Tip #4: Many musicians will skip this tip, but it's absolutely the most important one. Understanding music is much more important than being able to play it. Learn theory, and break down everything you play. Knowing the internal components of every piece of music you can play will give you extreme amounts of knowledge in short amounts of time. If you truly love music, then you will want to know everything about it. Many musicians will find every excuse they can not to learn theory because they're lazy. Don't be one of them.

The practice session is where you hone your skills, not just in body but more importantly in mind. Drilling songs and exercises into your muscle memory is important, but not nearly as important as understanding why something sounds good and being able to replicate such a sound later at the drop of a hat in any situation. Music is emotional, physical, and spiritual. But it's also mental, and that aspect of it is the most ignored. Knowledge is never a bad thing. Good luck!