Go Further in the Practice of the Guitar:

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You consider that you have acquired the basics and you would like to go further in learning this instrument? The project of joining your first band is taking shape, but you don't know if you are technically ready? In this article, we propose some tracks to evaluate your level and some advice to go further in your guitar practice.

1. Diligent practice

In another article, we talked about the fact of improving your level and working on pieces within your reach to progressively gain in proficiency. If you are reading this article, it means that you are at an intermediate or even advanced level and you are wondering how to go further.

To give you an idea, it is estimated that one masters an instrument after 10,000 hours of practice. Of course, this is an estimate, but this figure (which can vary depending on the profile) gives you an idea of the work that remains to be done. Of course, that number might be a myth; who can say, really. Just know that it takes many hours of practice to play well.

For a beginner, it is estimated that playing 30 minutes a day allows you to progress well and reach an interesting level after a few years. Of course, the more you progress, the more your margin of progress decreases. Moreover, if you want to become even better, you will have to practice more than 30 minutes a day in order to acquire more precise reflexes and more advanced skills. 30 minutes is a rough estimate and individuals have different acceleration speeds, so it will all vary. Consistent practice is key.

To gauge your current level, you can rely on a teacher who will be able to evaluate you before proposing a serious program of work in order to work in greater depth.

2. Taking Stock and Moving Forward on Your Own

If you don't want to learn from a teacher, here are some technical or theoretical points to evaluate:

Am I able to improvise behind music?
Have I mastered barred chords, bends, tremolos or even tapping?
Am I able to compose?
Am I comfortable with solos or holding a beat cleanly?

Here are some questions that will help you see where you are at and help you prioritize the topics you will work on during your regular practice. Be sure to work on your weak areas while challenging yourself with increasingly difficult pieces.

Try to work on the required technique that characterizes the piece you are aiming for so that you will be more comfortable when practicing the track. Some students don't have the technical level to play a particular piece and try for weeks to "force" their way through it. This is a mistake, in my opinion, because you will waste a lot of time and energy trying to get over a part of the solo or whatever. It is much more beneficial to develop your overall technique beforehand so that you can be more comfortable when practicing the piece you want to play. On the other hand, playing a difficult piece can sometimes encourage you to step up your ability, and if you are determined, you might surprise people who don’t expect you to play a song like that!