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 "Effective" Practice Makes Perfect...
"You gotta pay your dues if you wanna play the blues". That's so true. But, what
sort of blues guitar lesson should you be practicing or following? And when you sit
down with that chosen, sacred blues guitar lesson, how often should you practice
it? Doesn't practice make perfect? Wouldn't more practice make even more perfect?
(If there is such a thing.)
The problem that blues guitarists face is conflicting advice from different,
great guitar players. If you're a guitar player, you have heard and read every tale
of an accomplished guitarist's practice regimen. You've read about the brilliant
virtuoso who "never" practices. You've read about your favorite guitar player who,
when he is not recording an album or on tour, just picks up the guitar for perhaps
a half hour a day for his "own amusement". On the other hand, you have read about
that guy who walks around with his guitar strapped on all day. (That's Edward
VanHalen.) And you have read about that other guy who advocates that the guitar
player practice for 10 hours a day. (That's Steve Vai--who played the Devil's own
chosen blues guitar god...er, demon...in the blues guitar movie "Crossroads".)
Well, perhaps your blues guitar idols are just more talented, more gifted, than
you are. Or, maybe they clearly are possessed by some inner drive that you just
can't tap into. Right? Not really.
The key to having a great and effective blues guitar lesson for most of us is
neither total avoidance of practice (which is just a lie--there is no such thing as
any musician, anywhere, ever, who did not have to practice in some way or form) nor
is it fanatical devotion. Fanatical devotion on a regular basis paves the highway
to blues guitar Hell:tendinitis; burn-out; no time for food...
It is effective practice that makes perfect for the blues guitar player. What
would an effective blues guitar lesson session entail?
- Your blues guitar lesson time needs to harmonize with your personal life.
If it doesn't, you will soon find yourself never practicing for real--because
your life will be getting in the way. Music should enhance, not take away, your
life.
- Any blues guitar lesson that you undertake should be a joy. That doesn't
mean that there will never be frustration--and you should not try to avoid
that. But if you enjoy the learning process and you get something out of it,
that's what matters.
- Your blues guitar lesson time must gradually, steadily lead you toward your
objective: to be able to play blues guitar as effectively in your own style as
you possibly can. This is a never-ending journey, by the way.
- Your blues guitar practice time must be adaptable to your growth as a
musician. There cannot be a fixed, stringent regimen (unless you truly desire
one). Some people learn better through structured exercises, while others learn
best by practicing actual songs or improvising.
Above all, your blues guitar lesson is always about you. What do you want to
accomplish? How do you want to sound? Customize your practice to that and you
cannot fail.
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Don B.
Blues Guitar Lesson...