Seems simple, right? Just pick up your instrument and play. Although you will still succeed by doing it that way, it’s way better to be informed and organized. This is a vast topic that I will be writing about and posting periodically. I’ll boil it down to a few points though.
Practice Regularly
You want to practice regularly, ideally every day or so. It’s better to practice 15 minutes a day than 2 hours once a week. So much of playing an instrument is muscle memory, which you have to program through consistency. This also helps to build a habit. Try attaching your practice time to a daily task, like before or after dinner, after homework, before bed, after work.
Headspace & Intention
The quality of your practice is crucial. Stay focused and engaged, have your goal in mind, dedicate enough time to each small goal.
Repetition
Make friends with the habit of repetition. The students that progress the quickest are the ones who do this. Muscle memory needs repetition.
Make time for fun
Strum chords you made up, play all the wrong notes on purpose, flip the guitar upside down and try to play. But seriously, once you learn some songs, don’t forget them, play them for fun, keep them in rotation. Enjoy your instrument as much as possible. Maybe try making songs up, use whatever chords or notes you know.
Take breaks
Try splitting your practice up if it feels like a lot. Especially if you’re just starting out. Your muscle groups need the break sometimes. Also your brain needs it.
I hope this helps get you started. I will be elaborating on these ideas later and talking about new details. If you have any questions feel free to reach out!
J Holguin Music 