One way to think about guitar, is very much like a garden. You can't make a seed grow fast in a week. Its going to grow spread roots get bigger better and all that is going to take time. The enjoyment over the process is all the small increments you add. Be patient. Don't cram too much too soon. Even my opinion sometimes you are taught 7 arpeggios to memorize....its better just do ONE. learn it, play it, USE it, enjoy it. make it part of you..don't move to the next lesson too fast... then add more. Add one new things you added one new thing. Add 10 too fast and you wind up you added 0. Pace yourself and enjoy. Its a lifetime of rewards, no matter what your plans are.
I’m not a classical player, I’m more of a singer songwriter, but I love the things you emphasize in this video. Performance practice being about communicating and feeling the piece, and not perfecting it or noting things to work on, is so huge. Repertoire practice existing for the purpose of doing those things is huge. Technique being about isolating things that are relevant to your repertoire is huge. And using your ears and musicality even in warming up is also great. Thank you for this.
you're amazing! im so glad I found your channel. theres a lot of information on what to practice, but not HOW. you've definitely helped me increase my progress exponentially in the past 5 days. one of the hardest things for me in my practice is STOPPING! because I want to end things on a "good note" but you helped me understand in previous videos that the brain needs time and rest to digest the new information, so knowing how my own physiology works helps me recognize when i'm noodling and need to move on to the next thing or just stop all together. also because of your advice, my practice sessions went down from 30hours per week to 20 hours per week and I'm making WAY more progress now. thx again and see you in the next video!
You talk a lot about eliminating tension, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Can you create a video how to accomplish that? Everyone talks about the what, I think some of us can really benefit from the how!
I'm a beginner with classic guitar tho I know basic stuff but I still feel kinda lost. I needed to hear this, like a structure of proper practice, thank you! Subbed❤
I'm learning to play electric guitar (just over a year now), and I've been focused on testing and refining my practice routine lately. I came across your videos recently, and I love how well laid out and strategic your advice is while also putting a huge emphasis on slow, intentional, musical practice and the enjoyment of the music we're playing. Whenever I hit a plateau I tend to get frustrated and overpractice which leads to worse progress, so you're reminders (and helpful video on plateaus & valleys) are extremely helpful. One question though: where would you categorize learning new knowledge (music theory, scales, etc.)? I'm guessing in strategic practice but would like your opinion on that. Currently, my practice routine is very similar to what you laid out here: warm-up, technique, performance and I'll add learning new lessons every other day or so at the start of my practice (especially if it's more theoritical).
Hi! Thank you so much for commenting! I generally add applied music theory to my technique (strategic) practice session. This is especially true for scale work. If I’m working on harmony, I usually include that in my repertoire practice session (also strategic practice). If it’s just theoretical work like memorizing key signatures, memorizing intervals, etc. I used to do that away from the guitar. I would set about 30 minutes apart every day to work on memorization and then I would apply everything in my guitar practice. I hope that helps!
@@DiegoAlonsoMusic Thanks for your reply Diego! I really like how you broke that down into applied music theory or purely theoretical. That makes a lot of sense and helps me figure out where to slot it into my practice routine. Much appreciated!
I must give you a sincere, thank you for this video. I find this excellent advice that I have been seeking for years! I'm a sub now and look forward to following you on UA-cam. Take care.
Thank you for such a nice comment! Very happy to help! Please let me know if there are any other Guitar challenges or general music challenges that you’d like me to cover in future videos. I appreciate it! 🙏🏽
Really glad I subscribed to your channel. If you have any recommendations choosing a classical guitar for different levels, that would interest me. Great and interesting work though
So glad to hear you like the videos! I hope they’re helpful! I wrote two articles on classical and Flamenco guitars I recommend. When you get a chance, please hop over to my blog page and click Products and Gear: www.diegoalonsomusic.com/blog
I watch your program every day. I'm an on old man wo is willing to play guitar. As lm retired, l practice more than one hour mostly every day. Is it b OK l want to play..my p Robles is to change from chord to chord. Thank /Jean.
Hi Jean! Yes, I think it’s definitely OK to play for more than an hour a day as long as you build up to it. I’ve seen many people get injured very easily by jumping into long practice sessions too soon. Personally, I practice for no more than 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day, split up into three practice sessions/day at 6 days/wk. I’ll add a video to my list for strategies to help change from chord to chord. Thanks again for commenting Jean!
I'm retired and have enough time to practice when I want. I just need to prioritize. Is it better to practice an hour a day in a single session or in four 15 minute sessions spaced throughout the day?
Hi! Thanks for commenting! Splitting is usually best but I generally recommend a different schedule. For my beginner students, I usually recommend that they practice no more than 15 to 20 minutes per day, every bother day, for about a week or two. Slowly, they had about 5 to 10 minutes per day to their practice sessions until they reach about 30 minutes, once every two days. For intermediate players, I usually recommend that they split their practice sessions up into two 30 minute sessions. And for my advanced students, I recommend two 60 minute sessions. In any case, I definitely recommend building up practice time gradually. It’s very easy to get hurt if we practice for too long before the body is ready. I hope this helps!
You mentioned splitting the 60 min session into morning 30 and night 30(or whenever you practice) would you consider doing 15 or even 10 in the morning and 30 at night? Would this be beneficial or should I apply the time somewhere else?
Hi! Thank you for commenting! I definitely think it’s worth a shot so long as you’re covering the same material from your shorter session in your longer session later on. The spacing affect should help, but I think it’ll require a little bit of trial and error over time. Please let me know how it goes!
I agree that’s it’s very difficult for people with ADHD to be consistent. My daughter has it and I’ve found 3 things that have helped her tremendously: 1) have her scheduled tasks displayed, 2) interleave with only 2 items at a time, and 3) use a timer. I’m certainly not suggesting that this will work for everybody with ADHD. This is only limited to my experience and research I have looked for specifically to help my daughter. So far, she and I have been happy with the results. 👍🏽
@@relicofgold No I'm not diagnosed, but I know many people with severe ADHD and tremendous talent from consistent practice. Harder, yes. Impossible, no.
@@stephenrodgersmakesmusic I stand corrected. I said "impossible", but you are correct. I guess I view it quite negatively due my allowing it to hamper my progress. All me, and thanks for the dope slap brother.
Welcome, I have done unit 1 (Do this SIMPLE Routine to speed up progress), I also have this your lesson for making time plan to play.... and what I must do next now to follow your lesson ordinary! Best Regards!
One way to think about guitar, is very much like a garden. You can't make a seed grow fast in a week. Its going to grow spread roots get bigger better and all that is going to take time. The enjoyment over the process is all the small increments you add. Be patient. Don't cram too much too soon. Even my opinion sometimes you are taught 7 arpeggios to memorize....its better just do ONE. learn it, play it, USE it, enjoy it. make it part of you..don't move to the next lesson too fast... then add more. Add one new things you added one new thing. Add 10 too fast and you wind up you added 0. Pace yourself and enjoy. Its a lifetime of rewards, no matter what your plans are.
Extremely well said! I couldn’t agree more. Thank you so much for commenting! 🙏🏽
Hi senior Diego
What i learned in this video is that when using a timer that i am more focused.
I’m not a classical player, I’m more of a singer songwriter, but I love the things you emphasize in this video. Performance practice being about communicating and feeling the piece, and not perfecting it or noting things to work on, is so huge. Repertoire practice existing for the purpose of doing those things is huge. Technique being about isolating things that are relevant to your repertoire is huge. And using your ears and musicality even in warming up is also great. Thank you for this.
This is super usefull even for professional musicians. I just loved this video, thank you so much!
Great advice friend! Thank you sharing your knowledge
You’re very welcome! Thank you so much for commenting 🙏🏽
you're amazing! im so glad I found your channel. theres a lot of information on what to practice, but not HOW. you've definitely helped me increase my progress exponentially in the past 5 days. one of the hardest things for me in my practice is STOPPING! because I want to end things on a "good note" but you helped me understand in previous videos that the brain needs time and rest to digest the new information, so knowing how my own physiology works helps me recognize when i'm noodling and need to move on to the next thing or just stop all together. also because of your advice, my practice sessions went down from 30hours per week to 20 hours per week and I'm making WAY more progress now. thx again and see you in the next video!
You talk a lot about eliminating tension, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Can you create a video how to accomplish that? Everyone talks about the what, I think some of us can really benefit from the how!
I really enjoy these videos. My greatest struggle us organized practice.
I'm a beginner with classic guitar tho I know basic stuff but I still feel kinda lost.
I needed to hear this, like a structure of proper practice, thank you! Subbed❤
So glad to help! Thank you so much for commenting 🙏🏽🙏🏽
I'm learning to play electric guitar (just over a year now), and I've been focused on testing and refining my practice routine lately. I came across your videos recently, and I love how well laid out and strategic your advice is while also putting a huge emphasis on slow, intentional, musical practice and the enjoyment of the music we're playing. Whenever I hit a plateau I tend to get frustrated and overpractice which leads to worse progress, so you're reminders (and helpful video on plateaus & valleys) are extremely helpful.
One question though: where would you categorize learning new knowledge (music theory, scales, etc.)? I'm guessing in strategic practice but would like your opinion on that. Currently, my practice routine is very similar to what you laid out here: warm-up, technique, performance and I'll add learning new lessons every other day or so at the start of my practice (especially if it's more theoritical).
Hi! Thank you so much for commenting! I generally add applied music theory to my technique (strategic) practice session. This is especially true for scale work. If I’m working on harmony, I usually include that in my repertoire practice session (also strategic practice). If it’s just theoretical work like memorizing key signatures, memorizing intervals, etc. I used to do that away from the guitar. I would set about 30 minutes apart every day to work on memorization and then I would apply everything in my guitar practice. I hope that helps!
@@DiegoAlonsoMusic Thanks for your reply Diego! I really like how you broke that down into applied music theory or purely theoretical. That makes a lot of sense and helps me figure out where to slot it into my practice routine. Much appreciated!
I must give you a sincere, thank you for this video. I find this excellent advice that I have been seeking for years! I'm a sub now and look forward to following you on UA-cam. Take care.
Thank you for such a nice comment! Very happy to help! Please let me know if there are any other Guitar challenges or general music challenges that you’d like me to cover in future videos. I appreciate it! 🙏🏽
Lol, I wish I was one of those who over practiced! But great advice!
Really glad I subscribed to your channel. If you have any recommendations choosing a classical guitar for different levels, that would interest me. Great and interesting work though
So glad to hear you like the videos! I hope they’re helpful! I wrote two articles on classical and Flamenco guitars I recommend. When you get a chance, please hop over to my blog page and click Products and Gear: www.diegoalonsomusic.com/blog
I watch your program every day. I'm an on old man wo is willing to play guitar. As lm retired, l practice more than one hour mostly every day. Is it b OK l want to play..my p Robles is to change from chord to chord. Thank /Jean.
Hi Jean! Yes, I think it’s definitely OK to play for more than an hour a day as long as you build up to it. I’ve seen many people get injured very easily by jumping into long practice sessions too soon. Personally, I practice for no more than 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day, split up into three practice sessions/day at 6 days/wk.
I’ll add a video to my list for strategies to help change from chord to chord. Thanks again for commenting Jean!
@@DiegoAlonsoMusicI think a lot of people need help changing from chord to chord. Those pauses ruin the music.
@wholovesyababy5574 Thanks for your comment! I’ll definitely make a video on this in the future. Great suggestion! 🙏🏽🙏🏽
I'm retired and have enough time to practice when I want. I just need to prioritize. Is it better to practice an hour a day in a single session or in four 15 minute sessions spaced throughout the day?
Hi! Thanks for commenting! Splitting is usually best but I generally recommend a different schedule. For my beginner students, I usually recommend that they practice no more than 15 to 20 minutes per day, every bother day, for about a week or two. Slowly, they had about 5 to 10 minutes per day to their practice sessions until they reach about 30 minutes, once every two days. For intermediate players, I usually recommend that they split their practice sessions up into two 30 minute sessions. And for my advanced students, I recommend two 60 minute sessions. In any case, I definitely recommend building up practice time gradually. It’s very easy to get hurt if we practice for too long before the body is ready. I hope this helps!
Thanks!@@DiegoAlonsoMusic
You mentioned splitting the 60 min session into morning 30 and night 30(or whenever you practice) would you consider doing 15 or even 10 in the morning and 30 at night? Would this be beneficial or should I apply the time somewhere else?
Hi! Thank you for commenting! I definitely think it’s worth a shot so long as you’re covering the same material from your shorter session in your longer session later on. The spacing affect should help, but I think it’ll require a little bit of trial and error over time. Please let me know how it goes!
Thank you so much for your reply. Yes this makes sense. I will give it a go and see. Thanks again.@@DiegoAlonsoMusic
There you and YO YO go again with the consistency. That's impossible for ADHD people.
No it's not
@@stephenrodgersmakesmusic Do you have ADHD?
I agree that’s it’s very difficult for people with ADHD to be consistent. My daughter has it and I’ve found 3 things that have helped her tremendously: 1) have her scheduled tasks displayed, 2) interleave with only 2 items at a time, and 3) use a timer. I’m certainly not suggesting that this will work for everybody with ADHD. This is only limited to my experience and research I have looked for specifically to help my daughter. So far, she and I have been happy with the results. 👍🏽
@@relicofgold No I'm not diagnosed, but I know many people with severe ADHD and tremendous talent from consistent practice. Harder, yes. Impossible, no.
@@stephenrodgersmakesmusic I stand corrected. I said "impossible", but you are correct. I guess I view it quite negatively due my allowing it to hamper my progress. All me, and thanks for the dope slap brother.
I am not clear your English...
So.. Show me how to perfect your instructions just 1..2...3..minutes....
Thanks alotttttt!
Thanks for commenting! Yes I’ll
work on shorter videos as well. Thank you!🙏🏽
I mean that how to play harmonic notes on guitar!
Best Regards!
Welcome,
I have done unit 1 (Do this SIMPLE Routine to speed up progress),
I also have this your lesson for making time plan to play....
and what I must do next now to follow your lesson ordinary!
Best Regards!