“Play Better, Practice Smarter:
Expert Insights To Elevate Your Guitar Journey!”
There’s a question I ask myself about every student who walks through my door: Do they see themselves as someone who owns a guitar… or as a guitarist? It might sound like a small difference. It’s not. It’s actually the difference between the people who stick with this and
I see this all the time with people before they become my students: Parents buy their kids a $500 guitar, and within months it’s leaning against the wall gathering dust. No case. Same strings from the day they bought it. Action so high the kid can barely press the frets
Here’s something that comes up in almost every conversation I have with new students — or their parents. “Shouldn’t we start with reading music?” I get it. If you took guitar lessons in the ’70s or ’80s, that’s probably how it went. You sat in a chair, squinted
Most students wait way too long to change their strings. I can hear it the moment they start playing. Dull tone. No brightness. Strings that sound dead because they are dead. Then they wonder why their guitar sounds bad. Here’s the thing: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you
Most guitarists avoid ear training because they think it’s boring, repetitive, or too hard. But that’s not really the problem. The problem is that the way most people approach ear training is completely disconnected from how music actually works. Take those ear training apps everyone recommends. They start you off
In my 30 years of teaching guitar here in Geauga County, I’ve heard every reason someone almost didn’t start. “I’m too old.” “I don’t have the talent.” “I tried once and couldn’t do it.” “My hands are too small.” I hear these in almost every first conversation with a prospective
Most people practice guitar wrong. They spend hours playing but don’t actually improve. They wonder why they’re stuck at the same level months or years later. Here’s the problem: Playing guitar and practicing guitar are completely different activities. Playing is fun. You strum songs you know. You
If you’re left-handed and thinking about picking up the guitar, someone has probably already told you that you need a left-handed guitar. It makes sense on the surface. You write with your left hand, you throw with your left hand—so you should play guitar left-handed, right? Not necessarily. And before
Music theory is one of the most practical tools a guitarist can learn. Far from being a dry academic exercise, it provides a blueprint for understanding how music works. It’s how you create specific sounds on purpose instead of by accident. With even a basic grasp of theory, you can
Transcribing is one of those words that makes most students nervous. When I bring it up in lessons, I can almost see the resistance — they picture sitting at a desk with manuscript paper, painstakingly writing out every note of a complex solo. That sounds daunting if you have never
Have you been practicing guitar a lot but don’t feel like you are making much progress? This happens to a lot of guitarists, so you’re not alone. The main reasons why you don’t make much progress have little to do with a lack of time spent practicing. Here are various
As you may or may not know, the bass guitar is partly a rhythmic instrument. It means that importance of rhythmic playing is on the same level (if not higher) as melodic playing on this beautiful instrument. This is also one of the reasons why we focus with students in
Have you ever wanted to learn your favorite song on guitar, but something held you back? Have you looked up the chords on the internet, but then your fingers couldn’t keep up with the fast changes? If that sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. The
Have you ever thought, “I’m too old to learn guitar. If only I had started as a kid, I’d already be the guitarist I dream of being.”? This is a common thought for people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. Many believe that unless you start young, it’s impossible
When it comes to being the best you can be, we almost always think of or hear the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect,” and we have just accepted that to be the truth. Is it though? Does just the art of doing things over and over and over again guarantee that
Van Halen exploded onto the scene in the early 70’s with their first full length record “Van Halen” and forever changed the way guitar players think about lead guitar, harmonics, and blues rhythm guitar. His driving blues shuffles, intense harmonics and vibrato, and his revolutionary use of two hand tapping
Getting the most out of your guitar practice is essential for anyone striving to master the instrument. Yet, many guitar players and teachers focus solely on how much time you spend practicing. The common belief is, “The more hours you practice, the better your results.” While there’s some truth to
Have you ever wondered what sets exceptional guitar lessons apart from the rest? Great teaching is more than just showing someone where to place their fingers on the fretboard. It’s an art that combines expertise, inspiration, and connection. Let’s uncover the secrets behind truly remarkable guitar lessons and how they
If you agree to make music for an event in exchange for money, it is a good idea to consider the possibility of making a contract with the person hiring you. As a disclaimer, I’m not an attorney and this article is not attempting to give you legal advice for
What leads to mastery isn’t necessarily cramming in as many different exercises into one and repeating those but instead working on smaller fragments of those exercises to the point where they require little to almost no effort or thinking. Once you are able to play these smaller exercises at
Okay, it’s time to be creative. If you’re regularly practising your guitar, going over your chord changes and strumming patterns and maybe some scale shapes, you might find that it can get a little stale and boring doing the same thing all the time. But as guitar players we always
If you’re an intermediate guitar player or striving to become one, this guide provides you with a structured approach to advance your skills. It’s especially useful if access to teachers or resources is limited. Let’s start by reviewing what a late beginner guitarist should be able to do. If you’ve
Goal setting is the key to success. The term success is not awarded just to those who make millions of dollars or who achieve a high level of guitar playing. In fact, the moment you decide on a goal, you are immediately successful because you know where you are going.
If you’re a beginner guitarist, one of the first things you’ll need to learn is how to strum the strings. Strumming is a fundamental skill that allows you to play a wide variety of songs and styles. In this article, we’ll take you through the basics of strumming, from establishing
Learning how to play the guitar is one of the coolest things you can do on this planet. Think about it for a minute. The music in our culture is predominantly driven by guitar, no matter what the genre is. Who is the popular person at the campfire or at
Do you play guitar and want to have an awesome home studio to create and record music but not sure where to start? It’s a lot simpler to create a great set up in your home than you think. Let’s go through all the different components you’ll need to get
I can tell within five minutes if a student has a proper practice space at home. The one making steady progress? Has a dedicated spot where everything they need is within reach. The student who “practices an hour a day” but shows up with no progress? Practicing in front of
“I don’t have time to practice.” I hear this constantly. Students with school, work, families, commitments – they’re genuinely busy. Here’s the thing: You can’t build technique or muscle memory without your guitar in hand. That requires physical practice. But there’s other stuff you can work on away from the
Learning to play the guitar is an exciting and rewarding journey that opens the door to endless creativity and self-expression. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, the experience can be incredibly enjoyable when approached with the right mindset and habits. By following a few simple
If you’re looking for a guitar teacher right now, I already know how you’re going about it. You’re searching for someone close to your house, and you’re comparing prices. That’s it. Those are the two things you’re thinking about. Location and cost. I know this because after 30 years of
