7 Rules for Practicing
Learning an instrument is a lot like training a pet — you need a clear method, patience, discipline, and the occasional treat (or in this case, a break). Whether you’re tackling the classical fingerstyle guitar or another instrument, how you practice is just as important as how much you practice. Here are some strategies that will actually help you improve — not just make you feel productive.
#1. The Art of Being Your Own Toughest Critic (At the Right Time)
You need to develop two completely different personalities: one for practice and one for performance. Think of it as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — but in a way that helps you play guitar better.
Many musicians are hypercritical when they perform but too relaxed in the practice room. If you keep making the same mistakes from lesson to lesson, it’s likely because you’re not tough enough on yourself when practicing. Your practice time is when you need to tear apart your playing, analyze it in microscopic detail, and take notes like a mad scientist. But when it’s time to perform, let go and trust the work you put in.
Blame your “practice room self” for any mistakes on stage — not your “performance self.” The latter is just executing what the former prepared.
#2. Make Every Note Count (Even the Slow Ones)
A common misconception is that playing slowly means playing coldly and mechanically. This isn’t the correct approach. You should aim to make slow practice just as expressive as playing at full speed. Use dynamics, phrasing, and tone to bring your music to life — even when it feels like you’re playing in slow motion.
Years ago, I made it my mission to never produce an ugly sound. I spent an entire summer focusing only on tone quality, ensuring that every note was clear and intentional. Guess what? After a few months, good tone became my default. So take the time to perfect your sound now — your future self will thank you.
#3. Face Your Weaknesses Like a Musical Gladiator
Let’s be honest: It feels great to play things you’re already good at. It’s an instant dopamine hit. But that’s not how you improve. The areas that make you feel uncomfortable? Those are exactly the things you need to work on the most.
Hate sight-reading? Make it a daily priority. Crush basic technical exercises? Push yourself with something harder. If an exercise doesn’t challenge you, it’s just showing off to yourself — not real practice. Growth happens when you struggle a little.
#4. Quality Over Quantity (Yes, That Means No Netflix in the Background)
Some musicians love to brag about how many hours they practice. But if half of that time is spent mindlessly noodling while watching Netflix, does it really count?
Instead of zoning out for hours, try focused 25- to 30-minute sessions with high intensity. Then, take a short break before diving back in. Practicing with real concentration for shorter bursts will get you farther than mindless strumming for hours. And yes, I’ve been guilty of this too — turning on a hotel TV while practicing isn’t exactly the path to musical greatness.
#5. Slow Down — No, Really. Slow Down!
You might think you’re practicing slowly, but if your hands are moving faster than your brain, it’s not slow enough. The ideal slow practice tempo is one where you can anticipate every movement and stop mistakes before they happen.
Imagine a cheesy action movie where the hero dodges bullets in slow motion, seeing every attack before it lands. That’s what slow practice should feel like. It allows you to be in control, rather than reacting in real time. The harder the passage, the slower you should go.
#6. Have a Plan, Not Just a Practice Session
Practicing without a goal is like wandering through a city without a map — you’ll end up somewhere, but probably not where you wanted to be.
Set clear, measurable goals. Want to play a passage faster? Know your current metronome speed and set a specific target BPM. Track your progress daily. The more precise you are, the better your improvements will be.
#7. Be a Lifelong Student (Even When You Think You Know Everything)
Musicianship doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Stay engaged in a community — whether it’s an online forum, a local guitar society, or just sharing ideas with fellow musicians. Even if you can’t take one-on-one lessons, you can still learn from the best by listening to great recordings. Want to improve phrasing? Follow along with a master musician’s performance while reading the score. Try playing along with recordings to match phrasing, dynamics, and articulation.
I did exactly this when I was adapting Frederic Chopin’s piano music for the solo guitar. I tuned my guitar to match Arthur Rubenstein’s version of Nocturne Op. 9, №2. I studied every nuance of his phrasing until I could play along perfectly with the recording.
I learn so much just by bouncing ideas around with my students who come from so many different musical backgrounds. There's philosophy that I picked up from Japanese martial artists called Shoshin or "beginner's mind". It's basically rooted in the idea that you need to maintain the openness and eagerness of a beginner to keep learning, even when you reach an advanced level. At the end of the day, staying open to new ideas is probably the best thing you can do to improve as a musician.
Learning an instrument is a lot like training a pet — you need a clear method, patience, discipline, and the occasional treat (or in this case, a break). Whether you’re tackling the classical fingerstyle guitar or another instrument, how you practice is just as important as how much you practice. Here are some strategies that will actually help you improve — not just make you feel productive.
#1. The Art of Being Your Own Toughest Critic (At the Right Time)
You need to develop two completely different personalities: one for practice and one for performance. Think of it as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — but in a way that helps you play guitar better.
Many musicians are hypercritical when they perform but too relaxed in the practice room. If you keep making the same mistakes from lesson to lesson, it’s likely because you’re not tough enough on yourself when practicing. Your practice time is when you need to tear apart your playing, analyze it in microscopic detail, and take notes like a mad scientist. But when it’s time to perform, let go and trust the work you put in.
Blame your “practice room self” for any mistakes on stage — not your “performance self.” The latter is just executing what the former prepared.
#2. Make Every Note Count (Even the Slow Ones)
A common misconception is that playing slowly means playing coldly and mechanically. This isn’t the correct approach. You should aim to make slow practice just as expressive as playing at full speed. Use dynamics, phrasing, and tone to bring your music to life — even when it feels like you’re playing in slow motion.
Years ago, I made it my mission to never produce an ugly sound. I spent an entire summer focusing only on tone quality, ensuring that every note was clear and intentional. Guess what? After a few months, good tone became my default. So take the time to perfect your sound now — your future self will thank you.
#3. Face Your Weaknesses Like a Musical Gladiator
Let’s be honest: It feels great to play things you’re already good at. It’s an instant dopamine hit. But that’s not how you improve. The areas that make you feel uncomfortable? Those are exactly the things you need to work on the most.
Hate sight-reading? Make it a daily priority. Crush basic technical exercises? Push yourself with something harder. If an exercise doesn’t challenge you, it’s just showing off to yourself — not real practice. Growth happens when you struggle a little.
#4. Quality Over Quantity (Yes, That Means No Netflix in the Background)
Some musicians love to brag about how many hours they practice. But if half of that time is spent mindlessly noodling while watching Netflix, does it really count?
Instead of zoning out for hours, try focused 25- to 30-minute sessions with high intensity. Then, take a short break before diving back in. Practicing with real concentration for shorter bursts will get you farther than mindless strumming for hours. And yes, I’ve been guilty of this too — turning on a hotel TV while practicing isn’t exactly the path to musical greatness.
#5. Slow Down — No, Really. Slow Down!
You might think you’re practicing slowly, but if your hands are moving faster than your brain, it’s not slow enough. The ideal slow practice tempo is one where you can anticipate every movement and stop mistakes before they happen.
Imagine a cheesy action movie where the hero dodges bullets in slow motion, seeing every attack before it lands. That’s what slow practice should feel like. It allows you to be in control, rather than reacting in real time. The harder the passage, the slower you should go.
#6. Have a Plan, Not Just a Practice Session
Practicing without a goal is like wandering through a city without a map — you’ll end up somewhere, but probably not where you wanted to be.
Set clear, measurable goals. Want to play a passage faster? Know your current metronome speed and set a specific target BPM. Track your progress daily. The more precise you are, the better your improvements will be.
#7. Be a Lifelong Student (Even When You Think You Know Everything)
Musicianship doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Stay engaged in a community — whether it’s an online forum, a local guitar society, or just sharing ideas with fellow musicians. Even if you can’t take one-on-one lessons, you can still learn from the best by listening to great recordings. Want to improve phrasing? Follow along with a master musician’s performance while reading the score. Try playing along with recordings to match phrasing, dynamics, and articulation.
I did exactly this when I was adapting Frederic Chopin’s piano music for the solo guitar. I tuned my guitar to match Arthur Rubenstein’s version of Nocturne Op. 9, №2. I studied every nuance of his phrasing until I could play along perfectly with the recording.
I learn so much just by bouncing ideas around with my students who come from so many different musical backgrounds. There's philosophy that I picked up from Japanese martial artists called Shoshin or "beginner's mind". It's basically rooted in the idea that you need to maintain the openness and eagerness of a beginner to keep learning, even when you reach an advanced level. At the end of the day, staying open to new ideas is probably the best thing you can do to improve as a musician.