How much should I practice?

I play a lot every day, but it seems like my progression isn’t moving very fast. Am I doing something wrong?

Why is it so important to practice with a metronome? 

How do I use a metronome? 

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How much should I practice?

Some practice regularly at a specific time of the day; others only play when they feel like it. If you’ve just started, you may want to set aside at least 30 minutes a day and practice every day regularly. Any extra work you can put in will definitely help you play better in a long run. As mentioned previously, practicing several short sessions a day rather than one long one also helps you concentrate better.

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I play a lot every day, but it seems like my progression isn’t moving very fast.  Am I doing something wrong?--Colin, Albuquerque, NM

It's a little difficult to give you a precise advice without knowing how exactly you practice guitar and for how long. Keep in mind also that how fast and how well one progresses is very relative and varies greatly from one individual to another particularly among beginning students. While how many hours you put into practicing certainly counts, it is important to review first how and what you practice, whether you’re using your time effectively and if your practicing method is appropriate for what you are trying to accomplish. If you are taking lessons, follow your teacher’s guidance diligently and clarify anything you are not certain about. If you are teaching yourself, one of the best ways to review whether you are practicing effectively is to record your practicing session. Listen to the tape, make notes what you like or do not like about your own playing, how you can improve it, and brainstorm methods that will correct your problems. In regard to the practicing length, doing 2 or 3 short sessions per day is more likely to help maintain your concentration better than doing one long session. In addition, if you are currently trying to practice many things at a time--such as scales, arpeggios, chords, intervals, reading, etc.--, pick and concentrate only one topic per session for now. Just remember without an exception, everybody goes through trials and errors to find the best way to maximize his practice session. Don’t be frustrated. Keep trying and continue playing guitar no matter what. Persistence and consistency are very important if you want to master the instrument.

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My teacher and band members often tell me to practice guitar with a metronome. Why is it important to practice with a metronome? 

A metronome helps you develop a precise sense of timing which allows you not to speed up or slow down during the performance.  If you are playing in a band, ability to maintain a steady tempo and rhythm is especially important as the group performance often requires synchronizing or playing certain parts at precisely the same moment with others.  If you don't have a good sense of timing, your playing will be inconsistent, inaccurate, and poorly sounded. Practicing with a metronome helps you not only to develop an accurate sense of timing, but also to understand and internalize various rhythms correctly. Drum machines or play-along-tapes are also very good alternatives to a metronome. 

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How do I use a metronome? 

There are many, many ways you can use your metronome. The most popular way is to have it click each quarter note per measure (ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR). In this case, every beat has to be played precisely on each click. If you have a difficulty playing 8th note, on the other hand, you can regard each click as an 8th note; in this case, you'll hear 8 clicks per measure in 4/4 (ONE-&-TWO-&-THREE-&-FOUR-&). Other ways to use a metronome are to have it click on

1. Beats 1 and 3 (you'll have two clicks per measure)

2. Beats 2 and 4 (you'll have two clicks per measure)

3. Beat 1 (you'll have one click per measure)

4. Beat 4 (you'll have one click per measure)

As you can see, there are more than one way to utilize your metronome. Whatever you do, the steady pulse behind your practice is vital and extremely helpful for you to develop a correct sense of timing. If you are uncertain about what quarter or eighth note or other note types are and would like to learn how to count different rhythms correctly with a metronome, check out Guitar Chords and Accompaniment.

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