All musicians want to get better with their instrument as quickly as possible. Whether you play guitar, bass guitar, drums, keys or tambourine here are 12 things you can do to be a better musician right now.
1. LISTEN….Everyone wants to become a better player but most sit and
play their songs and exercises over and over but don’t really listen to what
they’re playing they just play the same mistakes and sloppiness over and over.
By taking your time and slowing things down and really listening to your self
play you will start to realize the elements you need to improve your playing.
You need to know your weaknesses to improve them
When your ears hear what needs to be done your fingers will
react
2. PRACTICE SMART….Don’t
practice what you already know practice what you don’t know and what you need
to improve on. In all my years of teaching the one thing I’ve seen that most
students did that curved their learning process is this, they learned a few
songs and when they went to practice they played these song (that they already
knew) over and over. You need to think of the techniques or musical pieces that
you are not proficient at and set your goals to learn these in your practice
sessions.
Save your pieces that you play well for performing and
practice your weaknesses. By making your weaknesses strengths you will become a
better player
3. WATCH YOURSELF…Sit
in front of a mirror and watch your hands, your fingers, even your shoulder and
arms. Look for tension and economy of motion. Make sure you are not causing
tension by the way you are sitting and holding the guitar. To play great you
must be a relaxed player. Make your arms and shoulder loose and even if you are
playing an extremely hard piece don’t tighten up, even the fingers gripping
your pick, keep your grip loose and relaxed.
Tension will create stiffness in your playing and cause you to
be less creative.
4. RECORD YOURSELF….After
you have practiced a piece or technique for some time record yourself playing
it, it doesn’t have to be a recording studio session just a small recorder or
boom box so you can hear yourself back. By listening back you will hear things
a bit different then when you are playing, it’s almost like you are hearing
from the outside looking in instead of the inside looking out, a new
perspective.
Recording yourself will open your ears up to your playing
weaknesses
5. LEARN FROM YOUR
MISTAKES… Be your own worst critic and when you play something that is not
completely correct know what it is and learn from it. I don’t like to call them
“Mistakes I think of them as “learning experiences” and consider them as
chances to grow as a musician.
Don’t pretend learning experiences (mistakes) don’t happen
just embrace them as learning opportunities and you will grow as a musician.
Find the cause and plan how to create a different result
6. HAVE PERCEPTION…
when you are playing think about and imagine your next three or five notes or
chords. By envisioning your future moves you will have total control of your
playing.
Don’t chase your notes be ahead of them looking back. This
kind of perception takes some practice but will give you total creative vision.
7. BUILD SPEED IN SMALL
INCREMENTS…Build your speed up gradually don’t try to shred through pieces
or songs as fast as you can before you have clean technique. Everyone wants to
have speed but with out technique you are just playing fast and sloppy. Try to
play to a metronome or drum beat as much as possible this will give you an
external rhythm to play to and will prepare you to play with other musicians in
a band fashion.
Music is not a sport it is an art form and it won’t get judged
by how many notes you play but by how much you can make a few notes have
meaning.
8. USE YOUR BODY CLOCK…Practice
moving your body to the music as you play, whether you tap your foot, move your
head, jump up and down, or sway back and forth. By getting your body to be the
rhythm keeper you will vibe more as a player, it will show in your phrasing and
creativity.
Feel the music throughout your whole body and you will make
other feel it too!
9. LISTEN TO OTHER
GENRES OF MUSIC…Don’t be closed minded to other styles or genres of music.
Almost every great musician has taken a few influences and combined them to
create their own style. I often listen to other instruments to find new ideas
for my leads for instance I’ll take a sax solo and listen to the way that he
phrases his notes and try to add elements of this into my own playing, not
doing exactly what he did but taking his ideas and using them in my own way.
You don’t have to reinvent your instrument just look at it a
different way.
10. PLAY FOR OTHERS…I
know this is difficult for some but this is a very important part of getting to
the next level. When you have a song or piece completed start with a person you
are very comfortable with and perform it for them. Make sure to put the strap
on and stand up while playing to get the whole vibe going. Next try to get a
few others to jam out to.
This is where you start having fun and you WILL begin to love
the attention, trust me.
Repetition is the mother of skill and with daily practice you will become a great player
12. DON’T GET FRUSTRATED…Guitar is not and easy instrument and there will be times that you will want to throw your instrument out the window (I lost a few good instruments this way) I have found that the best thing to do when you are feeling defeated by a piece or techniques is to take a break and either play something that you can do well for a few minutes or just put the guitar down and allow yourself to clear your mind and give your fingers a break. When you came back to that particular problem you will have a “fresh perspective” and will have a better chance of mastering it.
Space and perspective will help you not get overwhelmed and frustrated.
Need tools, ideas or lessons? Check it at www.RockHouseMethod.com
©2009 - 2013 Fred Russell Publishing, All Rights Reserved. This article can not be used without permission from the Author. To Contact the Author email jm@RockHouseMethod.com
