Category: Practice and Musicianship

Practice & Warm-Up Tips from Julian Lage

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These lessons explore what it means to be a more musical guitar player—including how to practice, learn, and have a healthy relationship with the guitar. You’ll find tips for developing your ear, playing with others, warming up, reading music, performing, and more of the foundational skills that will help you become a better and more confident musician.

Paul Mehling acoustic guitar lesson learn to play fast by practicing slowly

Learn to Play Fast on Guitar by Practicing Slowly

Learn to play fast on acoustic guitar by practicing slowly; make sure that you play everything with 100 percent accuracy before bringing it up to tempo.

Paul Mehling
June 22, 2023

guitarist michael chapdelaine seated in his home studio holding a nylon-string guitar

Watch Your Back: Practicing Healthy Approaches to Guitar Posture

Poor posture can lead to back and neck deterioration and neuromuscular disease in guitarists. Here are some steps to help keep you healthily seated with your guitar.

Michael Chapdelaine
June 13, 2023

closeup of hands playing an acoustic guitar

3 Practice Techniques to Learn Tough Passages and Overcome Musical Roadblocks

In this lesson, we’ll take a six-bar passage and break it into small, easily approachable sections.

Kirk Hamilton
June 8, 2023

illustration of an ear, wearing a headband, exercising on a treadmill

4 Exercises to Develop Your Ear Training on Guitar

Whatever your experience level, here are a few tips that will set you on a direct path to being able to play your favorite pieces without relying on sheet music.

Lissa Schneckenburger
May 24, 2023

man playing acoustic guitar, the learning zone

12 Ways to Challenge Yourself and Discover New Territory on Guitar

We talked to a group of artists and educators who share their favorite exercises, strategies, and tricks for helping get beyond the comfort zone and discover new territory on the guitar.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
March 5, 2023

Smart Warm-Up Exercises for Acoustic Guitar

These guitar warm-up exercises are great for strengthening fingers, increasing speed, and improving synchronization between the left and right hands.

Paul Mehling
January 26, 2023

busking guitarist in the street with a PA and a sign that says CD $20

5 Essential Tips for Busking Guitarists

It turns out there’s a lot more to street performing than just propping your guitar case open next to a tip sign.

Pauline France
December 29, 2022

two friends pose in a music studio with their guitars

Is My Child Old Enough to Learn Guitar?

If your child (or grandchild or other kid in your life) has expressed an interest in playing guitar, you may be wondering if they’re too young to begin lessons.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
December 14, 2022

body awareness exercises for guitarists from martial arts

How Guitarists Can Play with Less Pain and More Balance with Lessons from the Martial Arts

These body awareness tips from the martial arts can help ward guitarists off unnecessary tension and pain before they become problematic.

Judy Minot
October 2, 2022

website and apps for learning guitar illustration

Online Learning Resources and Digital Tools for Acoustic Guitar

The amount of options for learning acoustic guitar online can be overwhelming. In this list you'll find apps and websites for learning guitar to help with anything you're working on.

Doug Young
September 11, 2022

illustration of a person chasing music notes

Between the Lines: All About Guitar Notation

Here you’ll learn how guitar notation evolved into the sophisticated tool it is today, how it’s prepared for publications like AG, and most important, how you can use it to learn new music, whatever your style.

Adam Perlmutter
August 15, 2022

guitar teacher giving online lesson in front of a computer

Class Action: Tips on Building a Successful Guitar Teaching Practice

Whether you want to recruit a few students or develop a full schedule, here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling.

Pete Madsen
July 15, 2022

Painting of man playing a guitar by master of the annunciation to the shepherds

Am I Too Old to Learn Guitar?

If we, at whatever age, are truly determined to make music come out of those six strings, we will.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
July 7, 2022

collage of 15 professional guitar players

15 Acoustic Guitar Pros Share Tips on Tone

“What is good tone? That’s a very good question, but difficult to answer succinctly,” says songwriter and record producer John Leventhal, known for his work with Rosanne Cash, William Bell, and other top artists. “It’s heartfelt and musical. It’s generally a fat tone, I don’t like thin tone. When it…

Greg Cahill
June 9, 2022

photo of guitar student seated on a rug taken from above

The Best Websites and Apps for Learning Guitar

It's never been easier to teach yourself guitar, mostly because of the wide variety of apps, software, and websites to learn from.

Kate Koenig
May 20, 2022

Jamming on Acoustic Guitar: How to Play Well with Others

If you’re used to playing acoustic guitar alone on your couch, it’s time you get out there and join a jam session. Here's how to get started.

Judy Minot
April 10, 2022

Paul Mehling performing on acoustic guitar.

Video Lesson: Learn How to Practice Musically—Not Mechanically

Finding ways to hear yourself actually making music rather than merely doing rote exercises is one of the easiest ways to improve your musicianship, so why not give it a try?

Paul Mehling
March 5, 2022

jeffrey pepper rodgers with acoustic guitar transcribing music

12 Tips for Learning Songs from Recordings

Learning to play your favorites tunes accurately and thoroughly requires digging deeper than visiting online tab libraries. Here are tips to help with the process.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
February 2, 2022

Juliian lage, seated with guitar, performs in the Acoustic Guitar studio

5-Minute Lesson: Practice & Warm-Up Tips from Visionary Jazz Guitarist Julian Lage

In this 5-Minute lesson, guitarist Julian Lage explains the benefits of practicing quietly on the acoustic guitar.

Greg Cahill
January 1, 2022

A Simple but Effective Plan to Make the Most of Your Guitar Practice Time

Here's how you can set yourself up to illuminate your progress on practicing guitar as you make it—and have more fun as you do it.

Judy Minot
December 8, 2021

Learn How to Play Guitar Online

If you’re interested in the self-taught method, finding the right resource might be a bit of a challenge with number of options to choose from. But we’re here to help!

Kate Koenig
July 9, 2021

Learn How to Practice and Solo with Scales on Acoustic Guitar

Working on your scales can lead to greater fluidity on your guitar and more.

Acoustic Guitar Editors
March 3, 2021

a person sitting down playing acoustic guitar

Song Builder: How to Put Together a Repertoire—and Use it Wisely

Whether you’re a solo singer-songwriter or instrumentalist, or you play with a group, as you develop plans to play shows, you’ll need to carefully consider your repertoire. If you’ve performed in bars and restaurants, then you understand the value of having a few choice standards at your fingertips. Or if…

Jane Miller
February 9, 2021

someone playing guitar in black and white

Stuck in a Rut With Your Guitar? Try These Practice Techniques

It’s not uncommon for even the most accomplished guitarists to hit walls when practicing—whether caused by difficulties in learning to play challenging passages cleanly, or uncertainty about how to diagnose and troubleshoot certain problematic areas in their playing. Sometimes a creative solution is in order. In this lesson, part of…

Adam Perlmutter
August 31, 2020

Quick Tip: All Practice and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Guitarist

Writers have a saying to describe the process of practicing their craft: B.I.C. or Butt in Chair. That’s a good starting place for guitar players, too. If you’re dreaming of being a better guitar player, then have a seat. Here’s your guitar. Play something. You just got a little…

Jane Miller
August 31, 2020