subject: Guitar Practice Scales - Get The Most Out Of Practice Scales
[print this page] You might hear experienced and professional guitarists raving about guitar practice scales. They say you should always do them, they'll help your playing style, and you'll gain a better knowledge of the guitar.
Well, what if you're playing those scales and none of those results seem to be occurring? Are you not playing them the right way or often enough?
Maybe you're just not putting enough thinking into the scales when you work them out. Here are some things to focus on when you're doing some guitar practice scales.
* Do your scales before the real material you want to work on.
It's always tempting to dive right into what you actually want to play, but doing a few scales before can really loosen you up first. Even if you only go through five different scales one time through, you're letting your fingers know that it's time to play the guitar and getting them ready for the activity.
* Be very meticulous.
Just because you go through guitar practice scales like some mindless zombie flailing their fingers about doesn't mean you'll actually gain anything from it. Be precise about how you play and pay extra attention to detail so you can minimize mistakes.
When you put a finger down on a fret, really pay attention to your placement. Strum the strings with some effort consistency. Really put some effort into what you're doing during these guitar practice scales.
* Work on transitioning from note to note smoothly.
Are you over-shooting some of the notes when it comes time to play them? Try to work on your transitions by moving from one note to another in a very smooth and fluent fashion.
* Learn the notes you play.
This is sometimes considered a hassle, but most professional guitarists know the notes that they play. When you run through a guitar practice scale, test yourself every so often to see if you can name the notes that you just played.
Try to name them at least once per practice. In a couple weeks, the note names should be ingrained in your memory.
* Discover relationships from notes to other notes.
If you're a guitarist that's also interested in writing your own tunes, then finding note relationships is essential. Even without knowing the names of chords and notes, knowing how tones and notes work together to form the beautiful layers and structures will put you so far ahead of other song-writers that merely take a guess at what they should play.
* Start slowly and increase your speed with time.
As much as you might want to play with wicked awesome speed like the professionals the second you lay your fingers on the guitar, you can't. It might be a terrible barrier, but the best way to learn a lick or scale properly is to take the time to play it right, which might mean going slower than you would prefer.
There are many professional guitarists that recommend scales, but there are quite a few that really don't care for them at all. If you decide to fit guitar practice scales into your practice times, remember these tips so you can get the most out of them and not waste your time.
