Mind Set
Learning to play an instrument at a high level is rewarding as is equally challenging. The reward is freedom of expression, communication and a connection with humans beyond words. The challenge isn’t necessarily the work you need to put in to reach a high level. It’s more about keeping or correcting your state of mind throughout the process.
Learning is a Process
Maybe you are a beginner taking private lessons hacking away at the G, D, Em, C chords. Maybe you are in a jazz combo at university and you are struggling with “outlining the changes” in your solo. Maybe you are in a metal band and are trying to learn how to sweep…
Whatever the case may be, these skills will not happen overnight. Even players with natural talent will plateau in their progression and may realize that certain things do not come as naturally or rapidly as they did in the beginning. Becoming fluent on a concept, technique, or genre takes time. Students that enjoy the process of learning will have more fun and improve quicker.
- Get a practice journal and start writing down what you practice in your routine. This allows you to keep track of exactly how much time you spend learning a particular thing.
- Be patient and kind to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to other players. You are in this for the long haul — there is no rush.
Set Goals that Won’t Fret You Out
Realistic, achievable goals will increase your confidence. It’s a good idea to keep track of these goals in your practice journal to help you reflect on your progress with the instrument over time. The key with goals is that they are not too easy and not too difficult.
Long Term Goals
Long term goals are great, but these usually fall into the “too difficult at the moment” category. Long term goals are things you check back into every few months. Maybe the reason you are playing guitar is because you recently heard Van Halen’s Eruption. Learning how to play Eruption would be a great long term goal. Long term goals inspire us and get us excited about the music. They definitely have their place in the learning process and mind set. However, it is the journey to these long term goals that really evolve our playing and musicianship.
Short Term Goals
Short term goals are the real crux of the learning process. These goals are not glamorous, they usually don’t attract a lot of attention, and they involve a lot of consistent, quality alone time with your instrument. This is where students build specific blocks for the pyramid that is your long term goal. Let’s stick with the long term goal of learning Eruption. To learn this, a student needs know how to alternate pick, bend, slide, pull on/off, and tap. They also should know various scales like major, minor and pentatonic. They need to know these techniques and scales at a high level. Learning these are all short term goals and should be part of your daily practice routine.
Patience is a Virtue
We’ve all heard the sayings like this about patience. Another famous one related to achieving something great is “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Modern pop culture tends to leave out an important adage to this phrase. The entire quote is: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, yet a brick was laid every hour.” Greatness is not achievable through patience alone. But patience needs to be part of the equation to accomplish the bigger picture. Remember, short term goals are the bricks that we lay every day to accomplish our long term goals. Adopt the mindset that your relationship and progress with the guitar is a lifelong endeavor.
Are you struggling with your short term goals and motivation? This is when connecting with other guitar players really helps. If you are taking lessons, this is a great conversation to have with your teacher. If you are teaching yourself, then check out local jam sessions and try to connect with other guitar players. You can also reach out to me by (insert opt in form for email)
Time is still the best critic, and patience the best teacher.
Frédéric Chopin