The secret to becoming a great guitarist
Is there really a secret to becoming a great guitarist? If there is one, I would say it is this:
Continuously playing the guitar over long periods of time, measured in years. Not necessarily for a long time each day, but consistently playing several times a week for many years.
EVERY student I have had who has made great progress on the guitar and has gotten to an advanced level of guitar playing, has done so slowly, steadily, but surely, over a long period of time.
I once had a student who was unhappy with the amount of progress she made in the first year, and was thinking of quitting. She had actually made good progress, at least average or slightly above, for the amount of playing she was doing (1 to 2 hours per week). This mindset of thinking “I should be further along than where I am now”, is completely self-defeating! There is absolutely no point in thinking like this. You are where you are, as a result of the work you have done. I told this student that if she doesn’t change ANYTHING about her practice routine or amount of playing each week, and just continues doing the same as she is doing, she will definitely keep improving year after year until she can play everything she wants to play, consistently and well. However, if she quit, she would definitely stop progressing right at that moment. If she increases the amount she is playing each week, she will reach her goals in even less time.
She knew, and agreed with me, that the problem was not with her playing, but with her way of thinking about it. She didn’t want to quit, and I am happy to say she is still with me and progressing well.
There is still lots to work on, of course. Musically there will always be something to get better at. But there is an often-overlooked area of guitar playing, where you can work for improvements that will vastly affect your experience of playing music: your mindset. Your thinking affects how much time you play for, what you play, how effective your practice is, and due to all of this, how much progress you actually make. If you are successful in keeping yourself motivated to pick up your instrument and play, learning and progressing, slowly but surely… then year after year you will keep on improving. Soon you will think positive thoughts such as:
“Last year I wouldn’t have been able to play this song at all!”
“I forgot how to play this song, but when I tried it a few times it came back to me really quickly. I couldn’t relearn a song as quickly a year ago… I am improving!”
“I learned this brand-new song quite quickly this time. Before it would have taken me a lot longer! I must be getting better!”
When you think thoughts like this, you make sure that there is a positive (or virtuous) cycle going on:
This cycle leads to more and more guitar playing!
Don’t fall into the opposite, vicious cycle, of:
Not Playing Guitar -> Thinking Negative Thoughts About Your Guitar Playing -> Playing Less And Less Guitar -> QUITTING!
If you don’t get out of the vicious cycle, you end up quitting.
If you are in a vicious cycle at this moment though, don’t worry! EVERY guitar player goes through this at least once in a while. The trick is to get yourself out of it as quickly as possible and maintain the very small, but regular, improvements that will keep you on track.
If you are based in Dublin, Ireland, and are looking for the best guitar teacher in Dublin, check out our website today. We can help you get through the slumps and come out the other side a rapidly advancing guitar player.