I hope to hear from others as well on this important topic for us beginners:

From experience, STAY FOCUSED!  In another words, do the subject/assignment at hand and ONLY that.  I have found myself time and time again wanting to move on to something else because of whatever reason( frustration, bored, anxious, etc).

Also, if you happen to be like me and watch tv while practicing,..........IT DOES NOT WORK.  Period! the TV must be off.
This includes computers/laptops.  I open up soo many windows in the computer ( including Chordbook), bottom line? nothing gets retained.

Please, please please be patient with yourself, I am preaching with you not at you.  Allow yourself mistakes, thats why it is called practice.

I think youve guessed i just finished practicing.....................?           LOL!!

lol you've taught me =P

i do think however if you are trying to build up speed/strength in your fingers you can watch TV.
repeating a simple exercise gets reallllly boring and watching tv while doing it means you can just keep repeating the excercise while watching something interesting.

I keep a few things in the front of my mind while practicing that i do all the time...I try not to press the strings harder than necessary, i try to focus on not looking at the neck during chord changes, some scales and i try keep it fun and i practice what i like and know, then i try to learn something new...for example, each session i try to learn another note or two on the fretboard. Mistakes, well i make them all the time so good to know i'm allowed....i guess if i stop making mistakes i'll have moved up a level...

Cheers,

GuitarZen

I remember when i posted the vids up for everyone to see my "skills"..
nearly everyone noticed my elbow was going into my stomach, and not out..
keep that in mind...its wrong..and will make life difficult..
also, focus on what you want to learn, on not just drift off to something else and leave it half done..
i think thats all i gotta say.
Cya
TMR3

...wow you should have posted this when summer started cause i could have really used these tips to my advantage.

That's why it pays to ask questions Keiko....and being specific helps even more...for example, if you ask, how do i keep from muting strings when i play chords, you'll get some direct and definitive answers.

GuitarZen

All good point, thank you all for your comments ... the are certainly helpful to me.  What about muted notes and chords?  There are a few songs I'm trying to learn, during the "learning" portion of my practice, that seem to have a lot of muted chords.  I see it a lot with electric and I get that, but I'm not sure it's the same on an acoustic.  Any thuoghts?

Hello Reese...thanks for your recent comments in this and another thread.
I wonder if in acoustic chords are they showing something like X X 0 2 3 2 (open D chord),
because if so the X's mean that you don't play the 6th and 5th strings at all.

When you see a chord like 1 X 2 2 1 X (Fmaj7 chord) you would mute the 5th and 1st strings.
If you're seeing something other than the above two examples and if you could notate
them as I've done, I or someone will let you know what is meant.

GuitarZen

...a translation table might be helpful:

O = Open string at nut that is played or plucked
X = String NOT played, typing muted by adjacent finger(s) or not plucked/struck.
1 = either: (a) first or index finger, or (b) fret 1
2 = either: (a) second or middle finger, or (b) fret 2
3 = either: (a) third or ring finger, or (b) fret 3
4 = either: (a) fourth or little finger, or (b) fret 4, etc.

...sometimes the ROOT notes' position will be emphasized by either brackets ("[" and "]") or some other differentiated mark.

Good add OTM, that will be helpful for sure !

Cheers,

GuitarZen

...my suggestion: ALWAYS practice with a tempo -- notice I didn't say metronome! -- either a record or something (backing tracks are excellent!) that helps KEEP you aligned with the songs timing.

...yes, a metronome is useful, but it's VERY boring.  Remember, you're practicing a song, not a rote tempo/timing (usually).

I tap my foot and that seems to keep me aligned. If i slip off tempo, i notice it right away. Even if i'm kicked back on the couch with my feet up, I automatically move a foot side to side. Just happens.

Cheers,

GuitarZen

GuitarZen wrote:

I tap my foot and that seems to keep me aligned. If i slip off tempo, i notice it right away. Even if i'm kicked back on the couch with my feet up, I automatically move a foot side to side. Just happens.

Cheers,

GuitarZen

sounds like you have a talented foot lol;

Old Tele man wrote:

...my suggestion: ALWAYS practice with a tempo -- notice I didn't say metronome! -- either a record or something (backing tracks are excellent!) that helps KEEP you aligned with the songs timing.

...yes, a metronome is useful, but it's VERY boring.  Remember, you're practicing a song, not a rote tempo/timing (usually).

lol i always use a metronome, probably why i'm so out of time lol =P

but yeah it is more boring.

but you can speed metronomes up and slow them down whereas if you wanted to do that to a song you'd have to press fast forward but thats just silly =P

Yeah and happy too.... ! !

Cheers,

GuitarZen