Article Tags: tip practice time

Something guitar teachers (and just about any other type of teacher) has to deal with is students not doing what they are supposed to do. In the case of guitar, it's practice and practicing with the purpose to improve. I'm an insatiable mutli-tasker. I have TV on, satellite radio on the computer, an online game (I'm a geek geek--leave me alone), and a guitar on my lap. With that image, you know being ADD or ADHD or whatever acronym doesn't cut it.

Here's a plan. First, decide what you want to accomplish, think small. Take a scale for example, like A Locrian. With the scenario described above, I don't have 30 solid minutes to repeat, repeat, etc. I have 5-30 seconds that goes inbetween other little bursts of things to do. When I get the chance, pick through the notes. Once I get the general process under control, I switch it up, do the scale as a slur--hammer ons and pull offs. I go backwards, forwards, switch positions, find diads, find triads, find fuller chords, etc. With this scattered process of learning, I'm actually creating a different context for the memories of the notes and I'm giving opportunity to repeat for muscle memory. I learned Capricho Arabe in a fashion like this, so the process can yeild results.

This interrupted style of learning doesn't fit everyone. But, for those that say they don't have time, this process proves that you can and do.

The main drawback is the burst style of time use. You still need time to put phrases together and get a feel for the piece or song or whatever as a whole. The benefit is having the focused time spent on specifics.

Added on: 2008 04 21