There's one thing that is extremely difficult to do on guitar.

All guitarists have to deal with it and we often fail. But the ones who can regularly do this go on to be master musicians, whether they're famous or not. They become the most confident and intuitive players, free to play their best for anybody and everybody.

What's that one thing that most guitarists can’t do? Well, here it is...

Slow down.

The Hidden Obstacle

Now you might think, "Wait a minute! I thought this was gonna be a cool hack.” But you know it’s true; slowing down is often the hardest thing for a guitarist to do.

The reason is simple: most of us don't want to slow down. It feels like a regression, a return to the beginner's stage. It's not as exciting as ripping through a fast-paced solo, right?

But the players who are willing to do this go deeper than the rest of us and develop a comfort with the guitar, a true feel for playing that’s very personal. And they get reeeealy good!

Two-Step Exercise

There is a way to break free from this. All you need to do is mix in a little bit of speed & obsession’s opposite; some space, some good ol’ fashioned nothin’. When you notice that you're rushing try this simple two-step technique (not a hack, because you know that there are no real shortcuts in music).

Part 1: Pause

1. Stop playing. Releaser the guitar but don’t put it away
2. Sit up (because you're probably hunched over)
3. Notice the space in the room, the light, the temperature
4. Take a few breaths. Exhale. Just sigh a couple of times.
   

Part 2: Listen

1. Play one note or one chord and listen to it until the note or chord is completely and utterly gone. Don’t do anything to correct or improve the chord or note, just be there while it fades.
2. Repeat the previous step two more times

The Main Practice Point

The main thing you’re practicing is having the will to step out of the cycle. This is a simple practice that I’ve developed after many years of meditation and  I’m afraid it may be too subtle for a blog post! But, honestly, I’m sure you’ve experienced it because you practice guitar. 

I've been teaching guitar for more than 25 years, and I have seen this over and over again. The folks who can do this get really good at guitar, and quick!

What if you could do those two things, what would practicing be like? What keeps you from going at a pace that let’s you learn while you play?

Drop a line in the chat. I’d love to hear from you.

Cheers!

Bryan

Playing got much simpler once I approached the guitar backwards!

The Human Hand and the Guitar: A Mismatch?

The guitar was made for our hands, but it really doesn't seem like it! The thing is, it's made perfectly for the human hand, but not for the way that we normally use our hand. If you approach it backwards, everything is right at your fingertips.

The Struggles of a Beginner Performer

It looks simple, doesn't it. You put your fingers in the right places and the sound should come right out. But I remember when I first started playing gigs doing everything right and still not getting a good sound, or only getting the song right half of the time, or everything falling apart when I played up to speed, or it was just too damn hard.

The Transformation: A New Way to Play

Paying close attention to my playing, I saw that I was always approaching the guitar neck like it was a tennis racket, like I was going to grab it. That approach was really limiting what I could do with my hands. My fingertips, the most important part of my hands, were the LAST thing I was thinking of!

I needed to do it backwards from how I had always played: fingertips first and then the hand, the wrist, the arm, shoulder, etc. I started with the angle my fingers needed. That did it!

The Result: Freedom and Connection

I've also noticed that it's a lot easier to bridge the divide between how I play in the studio and on stage. I can get in the zone on stage now, which was not an option before. Now that I'm not so preoccupied with avoiding mistakes on the guitar my whole mind and body are available to me to really connect with my audience.

So, give it a try! Start at the source, your fingertips and orient everything else around what they need. Everything is easy to reach, sounds much better and is so much simpler.

Drop a comment below with what you found!

Cheers!

Bryan

Have you ever heard musicians in interviews say things like “the most important thing about playing music is listening”?

Well, duh!

If you don’t listen, you can’t play. Then one day I learned that the way I listened when I played was not the way the great musicians listen, and exploring that radically improved my performances.

Listening: Musician vs AI Bot

Do you listen to music like a musician, or more like an AI bot? You see, musicians listen in different ways at different times and knowing when to use the right kind of listening can make all the difference.

There was a time when my listening was more like a bot. I was so focused on eliminating errors that I was only listening for mistakes. I'd concentrate on getting the notes right and, sure, I could play correctly, but something was always missing.

Perfection?

I would get so stressed out trying to get everything perfect, like trying to juggle chainsaws or I would get it right but the music wouldn’t have any life in it.

And there were always certain parts that I just couldn't get right, even though I practiced for hours.

When I stopped practicing, I always felt like I needed more time, like the song or the solo wasn’t ready. I started doubting myself, thinking maybe I just didn't have what it takes to play the way I wanted to. I thought I was listening, but really, I was just over-analyzing everything.

The Struggle on Stage Is Real

Ever feel like you're always struggling on stage, no matter how much you practice?

You're not alone. Many talented musicians find themselves in the same boat. But here's the secret - the pros don't practice the struggle, they practice "EASY".

The Common Problem

I've seen many students come to me with this problem. They put in the hours, they put in the effort, but when they get on stage, it's like they're always one step behind the music.

They're stressed, they're beating themselves up, and it's just not fun anymore.

The Case of Paul
But what if I told you there's another way? Let's take my student, Paul, as an example.

After seeing him play for just a few minutes I noticed that he clearly knew a lot about music, but he made things much harder for himself. He was adding struggle where there didn't need to be any.

Paul had made that pressure a part of the way he played. He made such a habit of struggling in practice that it had become a part of his style!

Without knowing it, he actually PRACTICED struggling!

So when he got on stage, where things can be even more intense, playing was even harder!

The Transformation
Once I showed Paul how to practice being alert, fluid, and free from pressure, everything changed.

The first change we noticed was his tone: he was much more in tune and his sound got deep and full. His hand hurt less, and he remembered his songs more easily.

His sound had so much more charisma. That sounds weird but I don't know how else to say it!

The Result
Just one week later, Paul was pumped about his latest gig.

Instead of constantly trying to remember what the next part was, the music came to him like an insight, right when he needed it.

As he played more gigs he found that he could look out at the audience more.

He could really feel the people in the crowd in a personal way, like he was hosting a party!

Your Turn
So, what about you? Are you practicing the struggle, or are you ready to practice "EASY"?