Lack of Guitar Progress

In this latest blog installment, I would like to talk about a very common situation for many guitarists, why they are having a lack of progress on the guitar.

Let us break down and analyze most of the common reasons why this is so:

1. Most people do not take lessons.

• I would estimate that very few virtuoso guitar players learned without lessons, no matter what you may believe, you are stacking the odds against you if you choose not to take lessons.

2. You do not take lessons, but you feel you can learn with the abundance of "free" guitar lessons on the internet.

• Not all free guitar lessons are bad, I have some free lessons up on the internet as well.
• The proven reality is, is that solid guitar players have had a methodical path to learning, with a teacher/mentor holding them by the hand and leading them the way in a set pattern of learning. This is not so with "free" internet lessons. With this method, you are learning in a "spot" method, learning a bit here, and a bit there, but not in the methodical and proven chain of learned that is truly required. I am sorry, but nothing worthwhile generally comes for "free."

3. You do take lessons, but the guitar is very low on your priority list.

• I have a video up on YOUTUBE discussing this, and in no way am I faulting someone for this, just giving the reality.
• When I get asked by many people how I came to play at the level I play at, it is important for them to understand that when I was taking lessons in my early formative years, guitar came first, and that is an important reason why my playing has developed to the level it has.
• For some students, the guitar lessons are low priority, and this is fine, but remember this when you think about why you are not happy with your progress. If going to your grandma's lawn bowling tournament or if various other activities are more important than going to your guitar lesson, then you reap what you sow.

4. You do not apply your instructor's methods to your practising.

• In many cases, a student is drawn to his instructor after seeing him play.
• When the instructor gives his methods for improving, for some reason some students do not do what they are shown. Why is this? I do not have a concrete answer, but I have some theories, mainly that the student wants to be a good guitar player, but they are not willing to put in the work aspect of it, or sub-concientiously avoid something that may seem "not instantly fun" right off the bat.
• You see how your instructor plays, do not waste precious time and go for it!

In a few weeks we will continue with part 2 of this topic.

I welcome all correspondence, please feel free to email me through my website:

www.bryanbriggs.com