I love food, and I love guitar music. But for a beginner, guitar practice can resemble dieting. [br] [br] Firstly, as in dieting, the unpleasantness is immediate (effort producing mostly unmusical noise), but the reward (playing music beautifully) seems so far off. Like, 2-7 years away. That’s a masters degree, or a PhD, away. Meantime, massacring Baa-Baa Black Sheep (or whatever) kinda hurts the ears. [br] [br] Secondly, if we stop practising we don’t merely stay where we are. Nope, we go backwards. Just like going off a diet![br] [br] This is probably my third try at learning, but I’m still more or less a total beginner. That’s because each time I gave up. And it seems that’s a very common story. I wonder if the biggest hurdle for beginners is not technique, but the psychology of how to persist with practice long enough to get the results we want?[br][br]
Now, it so happens I’m also a runner. But an old runner. Which means, all else being equal, every year I will get worse. Of course, I can train harder. But at some point, I will get worse whatever I do. (Unlike guitar.)[br] [br] Yet I keep running. Somehow, I’ve overcome the obvious psychological barriers and still—mostly cheerfully—put in the effort. Right now, at 60+ I’m training for my 11th marathon. Clearly, I do have the capacity to put my nose down and get it done. Sometimes. [br] [br] So, how can I apply that to guitar practice? What psychological stratagems help us to keep us on track so we can succeed?[br][br]
Instructors, students—can we share the tricks we use to keep on keeping on? Thanks!
