| Most of us have heard of the power of
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| | scale or perhaps a few bars of a
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| being consistent in our guitar practice.
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| | song.***Step Two***Decide on a speed goal
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| You know what I mean. Practicing
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| | for the thing that you have chosen. This
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| something EVERY day until mastered. But
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| | will be your target tempo. Make it
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| do you do this? I know that in the past,
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| | challenging. Something that will make you
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| I definitely didn't...When I first
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| | a significantly better player once you
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| started playing I was a maniac! I had no
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| | have achieved it. Of course, you need to
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| real structure to my practice. I just put
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| | keep in mind your current playing level.
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| in the hours and hoped that I got better.
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| | If you are a beginner and you set a speed
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| And I did! But there was a problem. I
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| | goal of sixteenth notes at 240bpm, you
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| practiced something different almost
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| | are definitely setting yourself up for a
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| every day. My practice "schedule" changed
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| | failure!***Step Three***Decide on how
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| from one day to the next. This created
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| | much time you'll invest practicing the
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| two major negative side effects...1. Sore
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| | thing that you have chosen. I would
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| hands. For example, I would often go so
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| | recommend setting a goal of 10-15 minutes
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| berserk on alternate picking exercises
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| | a day. A small amount done daily will
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| that my picking wrist would get
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| | give you better results than hours done
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| incredibly sore. It would be so sore that
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| | irregularly.***Step Four***Make a
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| I couldn't practice alternate picking the
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| | commitment to practice what you have
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| next day. So what did I do? I then went
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| | chosen on a daily basis. The key is to
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| crazy with legato exercises. So much so
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| | practice it every single day until your
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| that I wouldn't be able to practice
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| | speed goal has been reached. No
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| legato the next day. So I went back to my
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| | excuses,no crying, no moaning, no
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| trusty alternate picking. Mmmm...there's
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| | exceptions.***Step Five***Get to work!
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| a pattern emerging here. :-)2. Slower
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| | This is the step that requires
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| Progress. Now, don't get me wrong. I
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| | discipline. It could take weeks or months
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| progressed faster than any of my friends.
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| | to achieve your speed goal! Just keep in
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| But I definitely don't think I progressed
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| | mind that anyone can write down a goal,
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| at my fastest possible rate. If I had
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| | but unfortunately VERY few people will
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| practiced less on an exercise, but did it
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| | follow it though to completion. That's
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| EVERY day I think my progress would have
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| | probably why there are so many more
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| been much faster.I guess the moral of the
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| | guitar OWNERS than guitar PLAYERS ;-)I
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| story is to temper your enthusiasm with
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| | invite you to try this approach to guitar
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| intelligence. Let's look at how to start
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| | practice. I've found that it really helps
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| to be more consistent with your
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| | me, and I'm sure you'll benefit from it
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| practice...***Step One***Decide on
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| | as well!Craig Bassett is a professional
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| something that you would like to master.
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| | guitarist, author and guitar tutor.
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| Make it something short like a lick,
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|
