Guitar Article Written by “Friend Of Mike Walsh”
HOW TO GET BETTER AT GUITAR WITH 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME
By: Mark Turko
It is a common misconception that learning and getting better at playing the guitar requires a large commitment of your time. Nothing can be further from the truth. What is more important is the frequency and quality of your practice time, not the length of time that you practice . Short and frequent intervals of focused uninterrupted practice time will yield bigger results in your progress.
This way of practicing will benefit both new students and experienced players looking to develop new or refine existing skills. Your brain cannot handle long periods of time of intense concentration. Short periods of practice time ensures your concentration will be at a peak level. It is during this peak level that the most gains in progress can be achieved.
Finding 5 minutes of time can easily be achieved. We all probably waste five minutes here and there in our daily lives. Waiting for dinner to be ready, waiting to leave the house all dressed and ready to go to an appointment or waiting for a favorite TV show to start are all great opportunities to get some guitar practice time in. It is as simple as picking up your guitar instead of picking up your smart phone or the remote control for your television.
Five minutes of practicing everyday will accumulate the thirty hours of practice time a year!
Having your guitar out of the case and on a guitar stand in a convenient place will make it easier to grab your guitar and put a few minutes of practice time in. If you have small children or pets that can potentially damage your instrument this may not be a good idea. If you do have the option to leave your guitar out it will make it easier . If you try it, you will be surprised how much more often you will grab your guitar.
If you have more than 5 minutes of time to practice be sure to take frequents breaks. As I mentioned earlier, your brain can't handle extremely long lengths of focused practice time. You will get much more progress out of your practice time if you divide up your practice time into short intervals with breaks.
I use this technique in my own practicing to develop new skills or in trying to master skills I already have but want to improve upon. This way I am sure to be getting the most out of my time with the guitar. Life keeps us all busy but practicing doesn't need to take a lot of your time.
Mark Turko is a lifelong professional guitar player and a certified guitar lesson instructor. Contact Mark if you are interested in guitar lessons in North Haven.