Everyone who is a musician has, at some time or another, heard the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect”, but this is a complete falsehood.

While guitar practice is vitally important to improving your playing, it should not be practice makes perfect, but rather, practice makes permanent. The fact is that if you have always practiced something incorrectly, then you will always play it incorrectly as the habit becomes ingrained.

My primary objective is to provide you with effective practice tips that will help you improve your guitar playing style while keeping you safe.

You are probably wondering what could possibly be unsafe about practicing your guitar.

That is an excellent question.

I have noticed a common trend among veteran players that I am familiar with. Many of them suffer from hand and wrist fatigue. Many have had to endure wearing braces while playing because after years of playing the wrong way, they have developed carpel tunnel.

Anyone who has ever held a guitar can understand how playing the instrument can create strain on your hand and wrist. Therefore, taking the necessary time to practice the proper way is something you should strive for sot hat you can avoid this painful condition. Your musical abilities will benefits, also, but the main goal is to get your hands into the right shape.

After all, if you were a brand new weight lifter you wouldn’t go straight for the five hundred pound weights. You would begin with much lighter weights.

You wouldn’t take the chance of serious injury by starting any other way. The same is true of playing the guitar, proper training, conditioning and warm up are necessary to stay in top playing shape so that you can enjoy playing for many years to come.

Exercise 1 – Stretching is key

Before you play the first note, or even think about touching the guitar, you should spend five minutes simply stretching your hand. Stretching will prepare your hand for playing as it gets blood flowing to your hands and will help your muscles and tendons to relax. You will be amazed at how much endurance you will have for playing when you take the time to stretch. Blood moves oxygen, and your muscles are hungry for oxygen. Take the time to stretch your entire hand from your fingers, to your wrist and forearms.

Exercise 2 – Timing is everything

A metronome should be your constant companion when you are practicing. Timing is everything in music, and playing to the steady tick of a metronome will help you develop your timing. Great timing is the single most important aspect that all musicians share. Having a great sense of timing is what sets great guitarists apart from amateurs.

It’s foolish to think that you would not benefit from the use of a metronome or do not need one.

Exercise 3 – Chromatic scales serve a purpose

Chromatic scales are done automatically, with little thought behind them, but they will condition your hands. Using chromatic scales is simply the easiest way to improve dexterity, and increase speed because they will make hitting the right note a very natural action.

At one time, I could spend hours doing nothing more than the following chromatic exercise, and it improved my speed a agility greatly.

If you want to be able to rip through your music accurately and quickly, make a point of practicing these scales on a daily basis.

E|—————————————–1-2-3-4———-|
B|———————————1-2-3-4——————|
G|————————-1-2-3-4————————–|
D|—————–1-2-3-4———————————-|
A|———1-2-3-4——————————————|
E|-1-2-3-4————————————————–|

Reverse it after you play it

E|-1-2-3-4——————————————|
B|———1-2-3-4———————————-|
G|—————–1-2-3-4————————–|
D|————————-1-2-3-4——————|
A|———————————1-2-3-4———-|
E|—————————————–1-2-3-4–|

When you are practicing, be sure to use alternate picking.

Once these exercises are completed, move everything up on fret and practice some more. Continue moving up the frets and practicing them for speed, accuracy and agility.

Try to work your way up through all 11 frets, and then move back down again.

When you start feeling a burn, complete the exercise you are on then take the time to stretch your arms, wrists and fingers thoroughly before you continue practicing.

Following these tips will improve your playing, prevent painful carpel tunnel, and give you the confidence you need to play any venue.