Three important things you need to do to improve your playing

Playing guitar looks pretty easy at a rock concert or on a DVD...
  the truth is, like everything else in life that's worthwhile
  achieving you have to work for it.

  With guitar playing five minutes thought is much better than five
  hours haphazard practice!

  The important thing is to have a checklist of things you want to
  achieve with your guitar playing, I've included three of the most
  important things to consider.


  Tip 1 -- Set Goals

  Start by defining your target...

  * What songs do you want to play?

  * Who is your favorite guitar player?

  * What style of music do you want to play?

  * Do you want to be a member of a band or play solo? etc ...

  By being specific about your musical goals, you will move towards
  these goals much quicker than if you only had some vague
  intention of becoming a guitar player.

  Let's take these general goals and make them even more focused.

  (a) What songs do you want to play? --

  * Write down the title of five songs you want to play.

  * Do you want to play the rhythm guitar or lead guitar parts?

  * What is your time frame for learning each song? etc ...


  (b) Who is your favorite guitar player? --

  * Write down the name of your favorite guitarist.

  * Listen carefully to some recordings of this guitarist, even the
  very best guitarists start to repeat themselves after about
  twenty minutes, what you are listening for is certain "trademark"
  techniques your favorite player uses.,Those will be the specific techniques
  to work on.


  Tip 2 -- Practice Sessions

  Now that you know what it is that you want to achieve, we need to
  set up a practice program that will guarantee the desired
  results.

  * Is your practice material organized?

  * Remove all distractions from your practice room!

  * What is the best time to practice for you?

  * Do you have good full spectrum lighting?

  * Do you have a music stand?

   etc ...


  OK, let's drill down deeper and be more specific with these
  practice headings


  (a) Is your practice material organized?

  * Is your guitar on a guitar stand, tuned and ready for action?

  * Are all of your practice, CD's, music books, DVD etc., within
  easy reach?

  * Do you have a list of what today's practice session objective?



  (b) Remove all distractions from your practice room!

  * Is your mobile phone switched off?

  * Identify and eliminate sounds (TV, radio, fridge motor etc.,)
  that are distracting you.

  * Be certain to only have one project (the project you have
  decided to work on this particular session) on your music stand
  at all times.

  etc ...


  Tip 3 -- Data or motor skills

  Determine if your need to work on data skills (new concepts,
  theoretical information etc.,) of motor skills (physical
  repetition of material already learned).


   If you have a system of learning and review your checklist every
  weekly to be certain you are "on-track" you will notice a
  constant improvement in your guitar playing.