What to practice

You have to practice techniques before you can play a song.  If you can't pick the strings or play a strum pattern you can't play a song that uses them.  If you can't step without tripping you can't walk, if you can't walk you can't run.  A positive attitude is essential but no amount of positive thinking will make up for lack of practice on the techniques you have to master.   Scales, arpeggios and chords.  Learn how they fit together and how they are used to make music.  Practice them carefully and with enthusiasm.  Ask me about them.  Ask other (proficient) players.  My job is to show you what techniques are required and show you some ways to practice them.  Your job is to do the work.  It won't be a lot of fun until you do.  Fun means we can play, and that is a lot of fun.   If you don't practice, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.  If you do practice, there is a whole world of sound that is possible.  It may not be easy, and honestly we may not all be able to do everything we want to even with practice, but no one can say what is possible until you put in the time in the practice room.  Or as I like to put it, you don't know how much natural talent you have until you practice something a few hundred times.  

Once you start putting in the time then we can learn how to practice better.  That will be covered in upcoming blogs.