  |
|
| Jazz Guitar | Classic Guitar | Featured Luthier Mastering the Guitar | Rock/Blues Guitar | Flatpicking Guitar | Fingerstyle Guitar Artist Interview | Letters to the Editor | Author Bios | Back Issues | Home |
|
|
Practice Tips  |
Practice Tips by Steve Kaufman Hi friends. Many of my beginning students ask me the standard question, "How long will it take to learn to play this guitar?" I never answer by telling them to practice an hour every day, or by saying that after six months they will be good enough to jam with someone. My answer is deeper than that. Everyone is different in ability, but I answer this way: There is a predetermined amount of time that it will take everyone to reach his or her own goal. Let's say it takes 2500 hours total practice time to get from the beginning stage to the advanced/professional level. If you practice half an hour a day, which is 3.5 hours a week, then it would take 5000 days or 13.69863 years to reach your goal. If you practice an average of 2 hours a day, or 14 hours weekly, then it would take 1250 days or 3.42 years. It is not likely that you could average 14 hours every week for over three years - you would have to be extremely dedicated to a schedule - but your personal practice habits can change these numbers. I want to give you a few tips on how to make the most efficient use of practice time. There are many factors that go into a quality practice session. Here are a few:
In the second half of your practice time, concentrate on totally or relatively NEW material. Focus on learning one new song. Remember that if you are ready to learn the level of song attempted, it should seem easy. Play the same song for 20 minutes, over and over, drilling it into your memory. Try humming the tune as you play it. Practice the chords while humming the melody. This will help plant it firmly in your memory. Next, try to play "G" and "C" songs (intermediate to advanced players) without using the first finger of your left hand for 5 minutes and, lastly - Play a "Burn-Out Speed Session." Take the songs from your song list that you've known the longest and try to play them at double speed. You know you won't make it through the song, but it doesn't matter. You are training your fingers to play faster (even at slower speeds). If they don't try they won't know. This is but one method of achieving speed. I also like Dan Crary's idea of turning your metronome up one click per day while working on the same song. Start at a moderate tempo and after one month you will have increased your speed by 28-30 BPM. This speed concept will ONLY apply if your right-hand technique is correct. Otherwise, you just won't make it through the tune and a crash is inevitable. The following section may apply to players at various levels: Life-Saving Devices for the Student I have never met an instrumentalist who didn't think he owned the best axe in the world- until he bought his next one. Spend some time in your practice room and discover which strings are the best for your sound, as well as which action makes you sound the best. When you sit-in with a group, use only your own equipment. This showcases "your sound" to the group at its best. Don't let unfamiliar equipment be the reason you don't get the job. If you can't tune your instrument accurately - buy an electronic tuner. They are cheap and will save you lots of time and aggravation. Try to go to an occasional pops orchestra concert even though you may not like the music. Observe the conductor closely. This could provide an extremely valuable lesson in musical feeling and interpretation. Don't put too much emphasis on getting paid "Big Bucks." Sometimes you won't get paid enough at the start. Don't complain, your day will come. Don't let a few dollars become an obstacle to the band leader calling you for future work. When taking a break from practicing, for example while relaxing watching TV - play your instrument softly. Work on technique. Your eyes and ears will be watching TV but your hands will be busy building technique in your off-time. I've never known a giant on any instrument that didn't eat, sleep and live his or her music. If this is not you, don't panic. You probably won't be in the Picker's Hall of Fame, but you will lead a comfortable life playing the instrument of your choice. Change strings when they go dead or tune poorly, not just when a week or a month is up. Take all kinds of jobs for experience such as jazz, Latin, head-banging-society, country, pop, theater shows, etc. It's amazing what you can learn about a certain style by working with a band in that style. When you take a playing job it should have one or more of these qualities:
If the job doesn't offer any of these elements, forget it and move on. Don't practice what comes easily- but rather what is challenging. Learn from other players. You can pick up valuable elements from anyone- even novices. Don't be jealous of other players. Share your experiences and licks and you will all progress. Sit-in with unorthodox groups whenever you have the chance. These settings provide more opportunities for getting future work. Do not put anyone down in the music business- even the non-musicians. Recording engineers, sound crews, music copyists, set-up men, etc. can all have a hand in helping or hurting your career. Meet the musicians/players. If you do, this is more than likely where your break will occur. Don't be overbearing or cocky. Let your playing be your selling point. If you are practicing reading and get tired, stop and rest. You gain nothing by practicing when you're tired. At times we all think our music is going nowhere. Look back over the past year. You will probably realize you've come a long way. If you still feel you haven't improved significantly, it's time to sharpen up your practicing and playing skills. To confirm that you are actually reading the notes on the page and not just memorizing a part, read the tune backwards. Many times when you are playing, panic may set in. You will feel your knees buckle and shake and your hands tremble. Don't be discouraged. It can happen to anyone. Experience will lessen the fear. When someone gives your career a boost, be sure to call to thank him or her. It's the least you can do to acknowledge their effort. Don't make fun of any style. Nobody wants to be criticized for what they do well, regardless of their style. Unless you can say something positive, keep your mouth shut about other players. As you move up the ladder, don't step all over the older players (or we'll get you)! Wishing you many hours of constructive practice, Steve Kaufman 800-FLATPIK flatpik@compuserve.com www.flatpik.com Come to the Millennium Camps: Banjo Camp - June 14-18, 2000 Mandolin Camp - June 14-18, 2000 Flatpicking Camp - June 18-25, 2000 Download this article. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader Return to the top Copyright © 2000 Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved Comments? Send feedback to email@melbay.com |
| Search the Main Mel Bay Web site | |
Visit our main web site by clicking here! |
|
Check out our contributor bio pages |
|
