Just thought I'd share a few things that have helped me with my practicing!

1) When you don't feel like picking up the guitar, and you feel guilty about not practicing, pick it up! It sounds weird but just tell yourself "I'll play for 5 minutes and if I don't want to practice by the end of that, I'll go back to playing video games/watching TV etc." I found that I have practiced way more these days by picking up the guitar for a few minutes even when I don't feel like sitting down and practicing, the next thing you know I've practiced for an hour!! It's weird how our minds work.

2) Keep a YouTube playlist of videos that make you want to practice! Everything from live footage of bands you like, to workshops from your favorite players, whatever inspires you! Then when you feel lacking in motivation or inspiration, go through the playlist and watch a few videos, and maybe you'll get inspired to practice or write something! I've got a playlist of tons of lessons and performances that I look at whenever I'm just "not feeling it", it works like a charm!

3) Keep some posters/pictures of the players you like somewhere you'll see them. Put up posters in your room or make a computer desktop wallpaper of players you dig. Every time I look at a picture of a player I think about the techniques they use, the songs of theirs I like, good memories of when I first heard them or learned a song of theirs... lots of positive energy and brain power in those associations! I find myself forgetting about players I used to love, then rediscovering them and practicing their stuff a ton for a few weeks. This is just a way of making that feeling happen more often, and controlling it to be more beneficial for you.

4) Create something that happens/is for when you practice, and for no other time. For me, what I did was I got a lamp for the corner of my room, one of those lamps that stands tall and shines up on the ceiling. Whenever I practice, I turn off the normal light in my room and turn on that corner lamp. It creates this association in my mind that says "Okay, now it is time to practice." I've found it helps me focus more when I practice at home, yet does not have any negative impact on my practicing outside of that environment without that lamp.

These have helped me out a lot! I hope they help you as well, let me know how they work for you and feel free to offer some tips of your own.

Hey mate I totally agree with these things and guess what - I have a lamp too! It's a floor lamp!

For me, that feeling of accomplishment that I get when I can play something in a very relaxed manner, makes me feel like practicing, simply because I know that if i practice, I can do that

Of course, there are moments and moments - another thing that keeps you going is preparing for something important - a gig usually. Each time, when I knew that an orchestra concert is coming up, I was on practice mode and nothing could stop me. Now you set the importance and the event - it can also be about shooting a youtube video for which you want to sound uber tight

I love the times you pick up the guitar for just 5 mins and when you look up you suddenly realise it's got dark without you noticing!

Some cool ideas here man!

Hey Connor! those are really interesting tactics to increase the practice time and also to feel more motivated! I also agree with Cosmin about having important events coming, even playing on a band and being ready for the rehearsals motivate us to practice.

great tips...!! Motivation will never be a problem , time is another matter !! Every minute spend on the guitar is awesome for me
because i forget all the rest..

What sort of goals do you have for now Gabe? And it's a valid question for everyone - what are you practicing for at this moment?

I guess I"m lucky in that I never had to "force" myself to practice. I never felt guilty for not practicing since I was always practicing. I know it may sound odd but I find running scales and such to be quite soothing. Almost a meditation. It's when I haven't practiced that I get squirmy and aggravated typically. I"ve been playing a long while and I still enjoy practicing. It has made learning easier I suspect. If I had to "make" myself play I don't think I'd have made the progress I did.

COSMIN: Good question!! I"m currently working being able to have control and precision while doing a long reach/stretch. I've gotten pretty good at it and I'm including my workouts in my weekend video chats. I noticed that when I made a long reach, my pinky would not have all the control/precision that I wanted so I built finger workouts to stress the pinky and force it to adapt. Folks who have been attending the vid chats lately will know what I'm on about

Todd

I for one, have picked a pretty extensive list of songs I like and I started learning and re-orchestrating them for acoustic guitar, so that I may be able to play and sing in the same time. I have gotten to a point in which my ear can focus on my voice and the guitar in the same time, for some of them - as Todd says, being able to observe is a form of meditation and believe me, when your ear tells you things and you realize what's going on in a piece of music - well, that's beauty right there!

In a while from now, I think I will have a lot of acoustic videos for you guys

Just set up deadlines...Do every week one REC. Or Just do one every two weeks.

A ) Set up Goals [Things that you can accomplish in the time frame that you established/ Overshoot your goals over the Time frame(Sometimes not finishing things..pushes you harder)]

B ) Learn Songs! Learn Songs! Learn Songs!

C) If you can't do it slow, you won't do it fast. Learn to walk before your run. [Sometimes, you have to hit the ground running]

D) Why are you reading this? Go practice

This post has been edited by korblitz: Feb 20 2013, 01:05 PM

Great input man! I will go practice right now

Well said !!!! PRACTICE!!!!!!

Excellent ideas, thanks!

Here's the technique I use to ensure consistent practice:

Don't Break the Chain
http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfel...twaremotivation

If you already have your goals for guitar playing, it is very advisable to visualize yourself already reaching this goal. This is a common and useful method, used by a lot of successful musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, etc.


There is a great video of Chris Brooks, he speaks about the details in it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKEzW_ChL-U

Thanks for the links Jonas and Rammikin I had no clue that our brain has that power - it's pretty close to what Kenny Werner teaches in his book called 'Effortless Mastery' - it's a great book meant to enlighten us in becoming the best musicians we can be, by developing our own personality and tightening our relationship with music.

This post has been edited by Cosmin Lupu: Feb 21 2013, 09:36 AM

I'll check out Kenny Werner, I don't know his book, thanks for your suggestion!

Regarding music and guitar, I'm doing a lot of composition nowadays! I can say that most of the day I'm creating new music. I'm working on stuff for GMC and finishing the last songs for new Cirse's album so I'm happy to say that my goal now if composing the best music I ever created.

Sounds good man! Tell me, when have you decided to release the album?

A big +1 on the Kenny Werner book!