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Setting Goals for Playing The Guitar
We all know this: you hear something from Steve Vai, Satriani, or a current album from another guitar god and think, "It's so cool, that's it! I'll learn to play this song! "So you sit down with your guitar, take your tab (or just play it by ear), you can see the difficult places and you'll realize what you have to practice. After practicing for some time, you'll hear another cool song, Lick, or a technique you want to master. So you play that. Soon you will feel that you have wandered aimlessly with the practice, and do not know what to start or where you want to go.
I know how that is. I have experienced it myself. When I started playing the guitar, I just joked songs that I liked and after a while, I wanted to learn everything I heard. So it was not surprising that after a certain time I was frustrated and confused and I felt I was back at the same place where I had started. For this reason, it is very important to set goals.
Why?
By playing for our guitar playing goals, we make sure we stay on the road; Focused and motivated, because we always know where we want to go. Do you know how basketball players land the ball in the basket? They learn from small that they always have to look at the ring when they throw. If you always point where you want to go, you will arrive sooner or later.
As?
How did we set ourselves goals? For me it works best if I follow the SMART rules:
S - Specific (Specific)
You must know exactly what you want!
It is not enough if you say you want to be a master in Alternate Picking. You have to set as exact targets as possible, with which you exactly know when they are reached. For example, "I want to be able to select 16th notes at 200BPM to alternate." By defining the target so it will be very clear to you what you want to accomplish and this is what you need to do To reach your goal.
M - Measurable & Motivational (Measurable & Motivational)
You need to know how far you are from your goal and how you can advance to understand what you need to do to get there.
This has to do with the above point. It's quite different when you get into your car to go to Mexico or go shopping. Will you pack a bag or simply take your wallet with you? Do you need a full tank or a quarter full? The distance to your goal is crucial to plan the following steps, to face the challenges and prepare you mentally, to what is coming to you. So you're less vulnerable to frustration.
A - Attainable (Reachable)
If you set yourself a goal, it must be realistic.
I do not mean that you're striving to be 10 BPMs faster with a special technique, or to switch between the strings more quickly (if that is your intention, then do your best.). You should set the target high enough to make a good progress. But also make sure that you are able to reach your goal. Otherwise there is only frustration and fatigue.
R - Relevant (Felevant)
Your goal must be relevant or relevant to you.
Do you really want to be able to pick all the notes of a particular passage at an insane speed? Is it necessary to memorize all modes or are one or two modes sufficient for your needs? Be aware of what makes you happy when playing the guitar, when you set your goals and do not spend too much time on it. I can not emphasize the importance of humor and happiness in playing. After all, do not you want to torment yourself while learning?
T - Time - oriented (time - oriented)
Everything in life takes its time!
One of the greatest secrets I've learned about the goal is that everything takes a certain amount of time. You should know what you want to do tomorrow and it is also worth planning things in the medium or long term. (You can make daily, weekly, monthly or annual plans.)
If you know where you want to come in the long term, it will help you to set your medium and short term goals. You will always know exactly what you have to do when you take your guitar today.
Finally ...
... use your goals to help you plan your exercise. If you know where you want to go, it will have a positive effect on your schedule, as you can now plan specific exercises that will help you achieve your goal. Discuss this concept with your teacher (if you are currently working) and I'm sure he'll be happy to talk to you about it. You will benefit both in the short and long term.
Where?
We have now covered the issue of objectives. But setting goals alone is not enough. Of course, you can plan a whole brainstorming session, write down your goals to a beautifully crafted document, print it, and then ... put it in a drawer? I guarantee you, if you do that, you shoot yourself into the own foot. You must have your goals in view, so you can watch them EVERY time as soon as you pick up your guitar. This is of crucial importance. It's like the GPS in your car that always tells you where to go; So you will never be lost.
When?
The right answer to this question is: Now and at any time! You should always keep your short-term and long-term goals in mind. Check them all the time to keep them up-to-date and adjusted - in accordance with what you want to do and where you want to go. Thus, your goals will adapt to your reality, your abilities and interests, and you will not experience boredom or frustration because you will not progress. You'll become the guitarist you want to be. So always make sure that you redefine your medium and long term goals when it becomes necessary.
Summary
So we've seen that setting goals is a very powerful way to keep yourself under control. By following the SMART rules, you can stay focused and motivated while playing the guitar, as long as you have them at your fingertips and regularly adjust them to your situation. Make sure you do not lose. When you leave the house, you want to reach your goal. It's cool nice things to cross your path (and playing guitar, there are lots of them), but if you can not catch them and do them for you, what's the point?
About the author:
GonçaloCrespo lives in Zurich (Switzerland) and is a professional guitar teacher and musician. For more than eight years, he has given lessons in various styles of acoustic as well as electric guitar. His main focus is to make his students as effective as possible to play the guitar successfully. He founded the guitar music school Music & Co.
Setting Goals for Playing The Guitar
We all know this: you hear something from Steve Vai, Satriani, or a current album from another guitar god and think, "It's so cool, that's it! I'll learn to play this song! "So you sit down with your guitar, take your tab (or just play it by ear), you can see the difficult places and you'll realize what you have to practice. After practicing for some time, you'll hear another cool song, Lick, or a technique you want to master. So you play that. Soon you will feel that you have wandered aimlessly with the practice, and do not know what to start or where you want to go.
I know how that is. I have experienced it myself. When I started playing the guitar, I just joked songs that I liked and after a while, I wanted to learn everything I heard. So it was not surprising that after a certain time I was frustrated and confused and I felt I was back at the same place where I had started. For this reason, it is very important to set goals.
Why?
By playing for our guitar playing goals, we make sure we stay on the road; Focused and motivated, because we always know where we want to go. Do you know how basketball players land the ball in the basket? They learn from small that they always have to look at the ring when they throw. If you always point where you want to go, you will arrive sooner or later.
As?
How did we set ourselves goals? For me it works best if I follow the SMART rules:
S - Specific (Specific)
You must know exactly what you want!
It is not enough if you say you want to be a master in Alternate Picking. You have to set as exact targets as possible, with which you exactly know when they are reached. For example, "I want to be able to select 16th notes at 200BPM to alternate." By defining the target so it will be very clear to you what you want to accomplish and this is what you need to do To reach your goal.
M - Measurable & Motivational (Measurable & Motivational)
You need to know how far you are from your goal and how you can advance to understand what you need to do to get there.
This has to do with the above point. It's quite different when you get into your car to go to Mexico or go shopping. Will you pack a bag or simply take your wallet with you? Do you need a full tank or a quarter full? The distance to your goal is crucial to plan the following steps, to face the challenges and prepare you mentally, to what is coming to you. So you're less vulnerable to frustration.
A - Attainable (Reachable)
If you set yourself a goal, it must be realistic.
I do not mean that you're striving to be 10 BPMs faster with a special technique, or to switch between the strings more quickly (if that is your intention, then do your best.). You should set the target high enough to make a good progress. But also make sure that you are able to reach your goal. Otherwise there is only frustration and fatigue.
R - Relevant (Felevant)
Your goal must be relevant or relevant to you.
Do you really want to be able to pick all the notes of a particular passage at an insane speed? Is it necessary to memorize all modes or are one or two modes sufficient for your needs? Be aware of what makes you happy when playing the guitar, when you set your goals and do not spend too much time on it. I can not emphasize the importance of humor and happiness in playing. After all, do not you want to torment yourself while learning?
T - Time - oriented (time - oriented)
Everything in life takes its time!
One of the greatest secrets I've learned about the goal is that everything takes a certain amount of time. You should know what you want to do tomorrow and it is also worth planning things in the medium or long term. (You can make daily, weekly, monthly or annual plans.)
If you know where you want to come in the long term, it will help you to set your medium and short term goals. You will always know exactly what you have to do when you take your guitar today.
Finally ...
... use your goals to help you plan your exercise. If you know where you want to go, it will have a positive effect on your schedule, as you can now plan specific exercises that will help you achieve your goal. Discuss this concept with your teacher (if you are currently working) and I'm sure he'll be happy to talk to you about it. You will benefit both in the short and long term.
Where?
We have now covered the issue of objectives. But setting goals alone is not enough. Of course, you can plan a whole brainstorming session, write down your goals to a beautifully crafted document, print it, and then ... put it in a drawer? I guarantee you, if you do that, you shoot yourself into the own foot. You must have your goals in view, so you can watch them EVERY time as soon as you pick up your guitar. This is of crucial importance. It's like the GPS in your car that always tells you where to go; So you will never be lost.
When?
The right answer to this question is: Now and at any time! You should always keep your short-term and long-term goals in mind. Check them all the time to keep them up-to-date and adjusted - in accordance with what you want to do and where you want to go. Thus, your goals will adapt to your reality, your abilities and interests, and you will not experience boredom or frustration because you will not progress. You'll become the guitarist you want to be. So always make sure that you redefine your medium and long term goals when it becomes necessary.
Summary
So we've seen that setting goals is a very powerful way to keep yourself under control. By following the SMART rules, you can stay focused and motivated while playing the guitar, as long as you have them at your fingertips and regularly adjust them to your situation. Make sure you do not lose. When you leave the house, you want to reach your goal. It's cool nice things to cross your path (and playing guitar, there are lots of them), but if you can not catch them and do them for you, what's the point?
About the author:
GonçaloCrespo lives in Zurich (Switzerland) and is a professional guitar teacher and musician. For more than eight years, he has given lessons in various styles of acoustic as well as electric guitar. His main focus is to make his students as effective as possible to play the guitar successfully. He founded the guitar music school Music & Co.
