Motivation Archives - Page 11 of 31

16 Ways to Fuel a Burning Desire to Practice Guitar

When you start out playing guitar everything is new, fun and exiting. Your playing improves, expands and grows further.

Then all of a sudden life gets busier. Your job, school or other activities are taking their toll. You meet the love of your life, get married, have children or you need to move to another place. This means you have to divide your attention and your playing could get stuck in a rut. You don’t want this, but it’s happening.

Now, if it’s been a while since you’ve picked up your guitar and you need some fuel to cultivate that burning desire to practice again or you could just use a good boost, then check out these 16 keys to get back in the saddle:

Let’s thrive again!

1 – Read and study guitar magazines
Get a copy of Acoustic guitar, Guitar world or Total Guitar. Magazines are full of inspirational stories, tablature, reviews and interviews. Put them on the table in the living room so you can’t miss.

2 – Watch and be galvanized by awesome videos
Search your (or my) favorite guitar players and songwriters on Youtube. Watch lessons, interviews, concerts, documentaries and behind the scenes.

3 – Find a guitar tablature book of your favorite guitar player.
Get a copy of your favorite guitar tablature book. Put the book on a music stand in the living room. Don’t put it on the bookshelf. You need to see the book right in front of you every time you pass by. Check out the Top 150 greatest guitar players of all time accompanied by the best tablature books.Continue Reading

10 Tips on How to Make Yourself Play Guitar Everyday

By Klaus Crow 25 Comments

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Most of us would like to play guitar everyday, but the reality is there are so many other things on our todo list we sometimes forget to practice at all.

So I tried a little experiment a few weeks ago. I took a piece of a paper and wrote down the most important scales, songs and exercises I needed to work on.

I placed the notes on the fridge, the toilet and living room walls. It now keeps reminding me of what I need to be practicing even when I’m too busy and get lost in other things.

The fact that I’m constantly reminded, triggers me to pick up my guitar several times a day and just play. That’s what I need.

Along with this effective trick I use some other strategies to make sure there’s nothing in my way. Read and apply them.

Here are 10 tips to get you playing everyday:

And remember The more you practice, the better you get, the more fun it will be!

1 – Unescapable reminders
Place reminders everywhere. Put reminders in your cell phone and your computer calender. Place reminders on the kitchen fridge and the toilet wall. Wherever you spend most of your time you want to put up a reminder that makes you start practicing. Continue Reading

Guitar Playing and The Power of Failure

By Klaus Crow 10 Comments

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We all recognize those awkward moments of embarrassment, when it feels like everything you’ve worked so hard for suddenly falls and shatters to pieces.

In an instant you’re desperately seeking for that nearest whole in the floor to jump in and disappear quickly or better yet just vanish into thin air.

Reality sucks sometimes. But these are the crucial moments when the tables are about to turn.

The times in my life where I made dramatic improvement in guitar playing, performing, teaching, blogging and other areas, is when I failed. Failed and painfully confronted.

Yes it hurts, but you will get over it and if you have an open mind and listen to what just happened you can learn and benefit from it tremendously.

I still remember the time when I was asked for a pop rock cover band with musicians ten years older than me. I thought I could play pretty decent guitar (Satriani, Metallica and SRV songs were on my repertoire). Then during one of the first rehearsals the drummer of the band told me my rhythm playing s#cked and that I’d better head back to my room to practice.Continue Reading

10 Vital Tips to Get Your Chords Sound Clean and Clear

By Klaus Crow 10 Comments

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The biggest challenge for the beginner and sometimes even the intermediate guitar player is to make chords sound clean and clear.

I still remember the frustration struggling with the C and F major chord. Like it would never gonna work.

I kept practicing every day and then all of a sudden there it was. The chord sounded perfectly clear. It felt like it happened out of the blue, but I knew it was the result of lots of practice. It was my first guitar victory.

To get a good sounding chord there are several things you need to pay attention to, observe, apply and check repeatedly.

Good sounding chords is not an overnight thing. It’s also not the hardest thing in the world but it takes time, regular practice and perseverance.

If you implement these 10 tips during practice you will definitely get there. Practicing will be a lot more effective and results are just around the corner.

Here are they keys:

1 – Bend your knuckles
Make sure to bend all your knuckles (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th). Avoid any straight fingers, they can cause your chords to sound muffled. The only time you can straighten your finger is when you need to bar a chord. (barre chords)

2 – As close to the fret as possible.
Place your fingers as close to the fret as possible. Don’t place your fingers on the fret (metal fret wire), it causes buzzing. Not every chord allows all fingers to be placed right behind the fret (for example: A major chord), but try to place them as close as possible.Continue Reading

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