When an individual has invested time in developing skill on a musical instrument, they eventually come to a point where they need to evaluate what their goals are in regard to their musical pursuits. Specifically, are they playing the instrument for fun, or are they interested in a serious undertaking? This of course determines how much time they spend practicing, what they play, and the level of scrutiny and diligence they apply to their endeavor.

Generally, someone makes this decision following several years of experience during which they have developed their skill to a reasonable level. Whether they have professional aspirations or simply want to pursue a high level of skill for their own fulfillment, they are no longer content with flailing away at power chords or strumming through simple progressions. Whether you are giving lessons or taking lessons, that can be an important question to consider.

Let’s take it for granted that you’ve decided to be a serious musician. What should you spend your time practicing? It can be very frustrating trying to prioritize your practice material with so many possible choices. The guitar offers an almost paralyzing amount of options due to the number of varying styles and genres that feature the instrument. It therefore becomes necessary to narrow the focus of your study. However, I believe that there are universal techniques and concepts that should be studied by guitarists of any style which will help avoid gaps in knowledge and playing ability.

My next several entries will explore different areas of study, their relevance to various playing styles, and suggestions for budgeting practice time around these subjects. Some that I am considering include: Dexterity, Chords/Rhythm, Lead Playing/Improvisation, Reading, Theory, Repertoire, Composition (Songwriting), and Ear Training.

As I’m preparing this next entry, I’d like to invite you to leave your own comments and suggestions. Are there concepts/techniques that you think are vital to EVERY guitarist? What are they? Are there techniques and concepts that are so specialized that most of us don’t need to concern ourselves with them? What area should a guitarist spend most of his or her time practicing? How could you encourage a serious student to work on these areas? What would you teach a student before they have reached a level of playing where they can decide how serious a player they intend to be? What should your guitar teacher have taught you that they neglected?

Also, I’m always up for lesson posting requests on the site. So far, I’ve posted the nasty minor key solo (which I plan to edit somewhat so you don’t have to read a lengthy essay on bending techniques and chord tones. Yuck!) and the Turnaround Licks lesson, which is of moderate difficulty. So, request away and I’ll see what I can come up with.