Resources to learn how to learn?

[LightningCrash]

This is in a more general concept, but I'm starting to teach myself more and I don't have a lot of time to do it. I used to get to play 15 minutes a day but after recently cheesing it up in front of 60 people and Tommy Emmanuel, I'd like to put more effort into learning.

So I have tons of tabs and DVDs blah blah blah but is there any general guidance on the learning and practice of guitar that I should try to implement to make sessions more efficient?
I read an article a while back that concluded that the great violinists don't practice more than the bad ones, but they do make much better use of their practice time.
What are the qualities, in general, that makes that time most efficient? What can I learn about learning to make my time more efficient and purposeful?

At the moment I'm just kind of slowly growing through Jack Magic, two measures at a time. Sometimes I get all ADD and play other things when I get my brain bent in two by some measure I can't handle, and later I come back to the song.
A coworker said TE claims the song is even hard for him to play, my first thought was "well, ****." .... but I'm committed now, no turning back.

[deltoid]

There is a method to proper practice. Here's a excerpt from "Guitar Priniciples"
the second paragraph talks about Attention And Awareness:
http://www.guitarprinciples.com/Book/excerpts.htm

[HHP]

First, 15 minutes a day isn't going to get you there. Don't necessarily need hours every day, but you need to average a lot more than 15 minutes.

Different people learn things differently. In general, most people rely more on one input method for new information than others. You should first determine if you receive and retain information best that you get by seeing it, hearing it, or reading it. Concentrate on methods that are aligned with your own tendencies in "information acquisition".

For example, when someone is imparting information to you, do you...

Tilt or angle your head towards them? If so, you are biased towards hearing new info.

Need for info to be written and in front of you so you can scan it and refer to it? If so, you are biased towards reading as you input.

If someone is describing something to you, do you tilt your head back, roll your eyes up and try to visualize what they are describing? If yes, you need to see the new info at work or have hands on to grasp it.

Identify how you best receive and retain new information and allow enough time to do it and you should progress a little more quickly.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by LightningCrash

…is there any general guidance on the learning and practice of guitar that I should try to implement to make sessions more efficient?

Hi LC...

Yes. Pete Huttlinger has a DVD called A Guitarist's Guide to Better Practicing.

Huttlinger's Guide to Practicing - CliCk

[AX17609]

Originally Posted by HHP

First, 15 minutes a day isn't going to get you there. Don't necessarily need hours every day, but you need to average a lot more than 15 minutes.

Plowing brute force thru a piece two measures at a time won't get you there either. If that's what the OP is doing, then he should pick easier pieces and build up stronger technique.

[LightningCrash]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Right now I'm trying to put in 1hr a day, I put the kids in bed, put the laptop on the kitchen table, fire up the DVDs and try to get in one solid hour of work in.
Outside of that time, whatever piece or exercise I'm learning, I put on my phone, usually in Rhapsody, and listen to it while I'm driving to/from work or doing drudge work around the house.

Originally Posted by deltoid

There is a method to proper practice. Here's a excerpt from "Guitar Priniciples"
the second paragraph talks about Attention And Awareness:
http://www.guitarprinciples.com/Book/excerpts.htm

I like what I saw, and I related to some of that. Have you read the entire book, is it work the buy?

Originally Posted by ljguitar

[size=2]Hi LC...

Yes. Pete Huttlinger has a DVD called A Guitarist's Guide to Better Practicing.

My local library has the book version of this, I'm going to check it out. Have you watched the DVDs yourself and were they worth it?

Originally Posted by AX17609

Plowing brute force thru a piece two measures at a time won't get you there either. If that's what the OP is doing, then he should pick easier pieces and build up stronger technique.

I can get the gist of pieces down pretty easy, it's the mastery, 100% completion that I have to drill on by two measures at a time. I could hobble my way through the whole song before, but it was what I picked up on crappy tabs, I would put it at 30% in an hour's time.
For instance on the TrueFire TE DVD, the Tab for Jack Magic is missing some notes on the first half of the verses. I played it the way the tabs have it, it's missing notes and you can see it on the videos. I'm working through it slowly at ~30bpm. Right now I can do it at about 58bpm. TE plays it at 80-something bpm.

For some stuff, like when I learned the main phrases on Big Blind Bluesy, I spent days where that just did not happen. I heard it in my head, I could play both parts (the bassline and the lead line) individually, but when I went to put them together.... pretzel fingers. I tried and tried and finally, it was like the cork popped out of the bottle and I could play it. But I had that wall for several days.

It still seems like a really brute force technique to do it like that and I want to make sure I'm being efficient, after all I don't have time to waste.


Someone on Reddit posted a book on Piano Practice which I am also reviewing on my tablet.
http://www.pianopractice.org/book.pdf

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by LightningCrash

...My local library has the book version of this, I'm going to check it out. Have you watched the DVDs yourself and were they worth it?

Hi LC...

Having taken music lessons from the time I was 8 yrs old till I was 20 years old on several instruments and vocal lesson, early on I developed a practice regime.

If you do not have a set practice routine, Pete's DVD will help you set one up. Nothing magic nor exotic. But as a teacher I'm amazed people don't figure out how to structure their practice times so their learning is progressive, and consistent.

The DVD is basic, but then good practice structure is basic as well. If you can check out the book first, then what the video will add is a more conversational look at it, and some demonstration.

If you do not have a practice routine, but desire one, this will push you towards that goal. If you are not going to set up a repeating routine for practicing, then this would be a useless purchase.

[LightningCrash]

The Huttlinger book was nowhere to be found at my library, so no dice. I'll just have to buy it.


I have been surprised by the Piano Practice book, it seems very applicable to the guitar. It's nice to see that some of the things I do are right, and a little disheartening to think of all the time I threw away just doing things the wrong way.


Anyone else want to weigh in on books and resources?

[LeftArm]

Have a look at:
"The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness" by Gerald Klickstein
Lots of stuff on practicing and avoiding falling into the trap of repeating the same thing over and over. More how to identify hurdles and then how to get over them.
I have found this very useful.

[deltoid]

Originally Posted by LightningCrash

Thanks for the responses, everyone.


I like what I saw, and I related to some of that. Have you read the entire book, is it work the buy?

That's hard to say. I did purchase the book and worked through it. It's more of a workbook with exercises rather than something you just read. I have received benefit by applying some of the techniques. I think it was worth the purchase.

[TomiPaldanius]

If your goal is to play music instead of doing gymnastics with the guitar, I suggest that the best learning experience is to learn to hear music inside of yourself.

Fall in love with simple ideas. Like melodic phrases. Try to sing the music yourself. Then try to solve the mystery how to play that exciting melody with the instrument.

There is too much mechanical approach for music around today. It is basically very simple if you look it little different way than thinking which finger to which fret you need to put.

If I want to learn TE's Jack Magic I would not take a tab book or video for it. I would sing the first phrase at first. Actually the riff.

Great players don't order tab books, DVD's from Amazon. They use ears and they are music. But I have some DVD's for sale if you are interested

Question is how far you want to go.

I got tired of teaching the way of learning I don't actually learn myself. But if books and all the other material makes you happy and progress well, it is all good. We all are different but if you want to be great/fantastic you need to hear the music inside of yourself and have the skill to transfer that to your instrument. Ask from any of the "top 10" players of the world.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by TomiPaldanius

Question is how far you want to go.

I agree, this is the question anyone should ask himself.