When you have spare time, you should work on making the most of it. Laying around and watching Netflix all day can get pretty boring over time. If you want to learn a skill that is both enjoyable and thought-provoking, then playing the guitar is a great option.
Over the past two years, nearly 16 million Americans have learned to play guitar. As you start your journey as a guitar player, you need to make a list of priorities. One of the main priorities you should have is developing good technique. Players with good technique find it much easier to learn and perfect new forms of music.
Below are some things you can do to develop good technique when learning to play guitar.
1. Practice With a Metronome
The key to becoming a great guitar player is practicing regularly. If your goal is to play with other musicians eventually, proper technique is a must. When trying to learn to play in time and on tempo, you need to realize the importance of using a metronome.
Playing to a metronome will also prepare you for playing in a band. The metronome will act as your personal drummer helping to keep you on time. There are tons of free metronome apps on the market that you can download for free. Incorporating this tool into your practice sessions will help you develop great technique as you learn.
2. Don’t Develop a Left-Hand Death Grip
One of the hardest things for new guitar players to do is press down the strings. In the beginning, pressing down on the strings will hurt your fingers and might make your wrist ache. Hooking your thumb over the top of the fretboard to increase leverage is a good way to combat this.
The main thing you need to avoid when using this trick is pressing down on the strings with the pad of your finger instead of the tip. Ideally, you want your thumb to rest on the back of the neck. Placing your thumb in the middle portion of the neck will force you to use your fingers to press down the strings.
3. Focus on Precision Over Speed
Some newcomers to the world of guitar focus solely on playing fast. In reality, you need to focus more on accurate fingering when learning to play guitar. As you start to learn scales, you will need to hit the right note consistently. This is why you need to start learning scales slowly and then get faster as you improve accuracy.
4. Create a Silent Environment to Practice In
If you are serious about developing your skills as a guitar player, then taking time out of your busy schedule to practice is imperative. One of the main mistakes new guitar players make when practicing is leaving on their television or other distractions. You need to create a silent environment to practice to ensure you get the most out of these sessions.
If you are looking for guitar lessons, it is time to request more information from the team at Upland Music Academy.