How Much Should I Practise?

This is a question that new students often ask me. My answer is always the same: as much, and as often as you can. But first, you should be realistic about what practice is, and what it isn’t.

A good practice session must include working on something that makes your playing better. For example, perhaps I've given you a song which includes a chord change that you can't play properly yet. That chord change would be a really good technique to work on. Set the song aside, and focus on the chord change. Strum the first chord, then the second, and repeat over and over until you can do it quickly enough to slot it back in the song. Make sure that both chords sound correct – play only the strings that you're supposed to, and make sure that each of those strings is ringing clearly. If any of those strings are being accidentally muted, or are buzzing, then adjust your finger positions until the problem is solved. Strum each of the chords once only – after all, it’s the finger movements that contribute to the chord change that need the practice, not the strumming.

If you have limited time to practise (as we all do), then make sure that you target your time wisely. Don’t waste time on your party piece – the piece that you love to play, have played many times before, and have no difficulty in playing. By all means do that too as and when you can spare the time, but don't kid yourself that it counts as practice. It’s fun, and that’s one of the reasons why we all play music, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you remember that practising comes first.

Remember that the more time you spend practising in your beginner/improver stage, the sooner you’ll be able to play everything that you want to, as well as you want to. Also, remember that every day that you don’t practise sets your progress back by a week.