Playing the acoustic guitar is an art form that requires copious practice and dedication to master. Once you have grasped the basics, you may find yourself wishing to fine tune your skills and to grow beyond the fundamentals of acoustic guitar playing. Here are four tips that will help you “level up” to reach your musical ambitions.
Learn Proper Technique
Having proper technique is essential to becoming a better acoustic guitar player. In the beginning of your guitar playing, you should be taught the basics of good posture and hand position. It is important to keep paying attention to this as you advance in your playing skills. Be sure your back is straight and your feet are flat on the ground. Keep your fretting hand close to the fretboard so you can easily reach all of the notes. Your strumming arm should be relaxed and comfortable in order for you to move freely across the strings.
Keep practicing your basic chords and scales, even if just as your “warm up” for practice. These are vital for you to be able to form melodies and progressions. Practicing arpeggios using different fingerings can also help strengthen your dexterity and accuracy. Developing a consistent rhythm by playing along with a metronome will enable you to develop your own internal metronome. This will help you stay on time when playing with other musicians. Even though you are advancing, leveling up in your guitar playing requires maintaining good technique.
Practice Regularly
Practicing regularly is essential in your musical journey in order to consistently grow and develop, laying a solid musical foundation. Now that you have learned the basics, it is important to never get out of the routine of consistent practice, preferably every day. This will help you focus on honing your skills and improving your ability. While it is tempting to take days off or slack off during practice sessions, this will not help you progress as quickly as practicing consistently will.
For effective practice sessions, set goals and establish what it is that you want to work on each session. This could include specific techniques like fingerpicking or strumming patterns or playing particular songs or pieces. During each session, challenge yourself by attempting something new that may have been difficult the first time you tried it. This will help you build and maintain skill levels as well as give you a sense of accomplishment when completing these tasks.
To keep your practicing fresh while also continuing to grow musically, try different styles of music, incorporate theory into your practice, listen to other players’ recordings to learn from them, and focus on key areas such as scale exercises or chords progressions. All these things can be utilized in practice to continue developing as a musician and to keep practice “fresh” and interesting. This creates an enjoyable experience while at the same time allowing you to significantly improve your acoustic guitar playing skills.
Develop an Ear for Music
Developing an ear for music is a key component to becoming an better guitar player. First, you must have a good understanding of the basics of music theory. Knowing what notes go together and how chords are constructed is vital in recognizing musical patterns and in developing your musical ear. This allows ease when learning new songs, allowing you to play without having to look up the chords every time.
You may find it beneficial to practice with other musicians from time to time. This can help build your skills as a musician by forcing you out of your comfort zone and encouraging improvisation during performances. It may also spawn new ideas for ways to approach your music, either in solo pieces or while playing with others, letting you create unique interpretations of familiar works.
Explore Different Genres
Exploring different genres as an acoustic guitar player can be a great way to expand your repertoire and skills. While each genre has its own techniques and nuances to learn and master, start by listening to recordings of different genres. This will help you get familiar with the various styles so you know what to look for when you start playing them yourself. As you listen, take note of the chords and progressions used in each song. This will give you an idea of how a song is structured and how it should sound when played on the acoustic guitar.
Once you are familiar with the different genres, it is time to start practicing them on your instrument. Use your newfound knowledge from listening to recordings and begin implementing those elements into your own playing style. It may take some time before you really feel comfortable with a certain genre or technique, but soon, it will come naturally. Be sure to keep at it until you have mastered all aspects of the genre that interests you most.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, becoming a better acoustic guitar player requires commitment and dedication, but with the right practices in place, you can reach your musical aspirations. Continue implementing all those fundamentals into your practice time to keep your foundation solid. Be sure to add in new skills and techniques that push yourself to grow beyond your musical prowess. When you put all these tips into practice, you will find yourself well on your way to becoming the acoustic guitar player you always wanted to be!
A native of Florida, Cindy grew up with a rich family history of music. Starting with piano at age 9, she added flute and other instruments to her repertoire in junior high. She made all-county band and played piano for her school’s jazz band and show choirs. Throughout her teen years, she also had opportunities to perform in her local community in churches, assisted living facilities, plays, and productions. While pursuing her college degree in education, she traveled as the pianist for a college-sponsored singing group in 48 states over five summers. She has now been teaching music, including instruments and voice, since 1995. She has instructed students of all ages and skill levels, and many of her students from decades past now are teaching their own music students.
