5 Quick Tips to Get Better Faster

In this article, I will give five quick tips to improve your guitar playing. Some of these tips require absolutely zero learning.

Tip#1

Understand the difference between practicing and playing guitar. There is a huge difference between the two. Practicing is working on things you cannot do well yet. Playing the guitar is when you do something you already know how to do well. Typically, most people prefer playing because they can do it well. You want to practice at least as much as you play. That's the only way that you're going to improve. When people say they practice for two hours, most likely they're not practicing for two hours; they're practicing for a little bit and then just playing the rest of the time. There is nothing wrong with enjoying just playing, but that won't make you better.

Tip#2

Keep your guitar out of the case! Putting it on a  stand will give you easy access to pick it up. You're more likely to pick it up if it's sitting on a stand rather than going to your case, open it up, take it out, tune it up, and then play your guitar. You want to make playing as easy as possible so you get more time with your guitar. However, if you have small children or animals that will damage your guitar, it is not a good idea to leave it out. Also, if you have an expensive acoustic guitar and live in an arid climate, don't always leave your guitar out. This can lead to cracks and splits in the wood. If you have the type of instrument that can be left out year-round and will not get damaged, keeping it on the stand is beneficial to your progress. 

Tip#3

 Instead of picking up your phone, pick up your guitar. The more time that you spend with your guitar, the better. You don't have to have long practice sessions to consider it practice. They can be literally two or three minutes at a time. Just make sure you practice instead of playing things you already know. That is how you're going to move the needle and get better. 

Tip#4

Keep fresh strings on your guitar. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you change your strings regularly,  your guitar will sound better and feel better. You're more likely to play your guitar for more extended periods, leading to more practice time and better results.

Tip#5

 Remember always to have fun. At the end of a practice session, spend a few minutes doing something that you can do well. It will make you feel good about playing, regardless of your practice time struggles. If you only have five minutes, spend four minutes practicing and doing things to improve, then spend the last minute playing something fun. That way, you can put the guitar down and feel positive. Practice your hard skills first, then have fun right at the end. Walk away feeling good about your instrument and yourself!

Remember to always have fun with your guitar and I’ll see you next time…

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About Mark Turko: Mark Turko is a professional guitar player and instructor with over 30 years of experience and teaches guitar lessons online.