1. They are not focusing on playing the kind of music they want to

If you want to learn how to play Rock music and your teacher is pushing you to learn classical guitar, then chances are, you are not going to want to play at all. Always tell your instructor what you want to learn so that they can keep things fun and interesting. There is always a certain amount of basic technique and skill that needs to be developed, but you can do this while still learning the style of music that interests you the most.


2. The student has a bad teacher

Being inspired and excited to learn guitar is what makes people stick with it and strive to get better. A good teacher will know how to keep a student interested and progressing, a bad teacher will twiddle their thumbs while the student tries to figure out what’s going on.


3. They get frustrated

Any time a person learns a new skill, there is always a certain amount of frustration and second-guessing. A good teacher will know how to get a student to overcome these frustrations and turn them into accomplishments.


4. The student does not play or interact with other guitarists.

It can be intimidating when your first learning, but playing and jamming with other musicians will help you get better timing and make you feel more confident that you know what your doing. It’s also a lot of fun! Even if you can’t find another person to practice with, you should still be playing along with recordings and practicing to a drum machine or metronome.

5. Lack of motivation

Between video games, cell phones, and TV’s, kids especially, have way too many things to keep their brains going on autopilot. Learning a new instrument takes dedication and a continued interest in getting better.

6. Self Doubt

No one sounds great when they are first learning to play guitar so it’s common for a student to have doubts whether or not they are cut out for guitar. Constant reinforcement and goal setting is a must to keep progressing. The best thing to do here is to record yourself playing once and a while so that you can listen back to hear how you sounded a week, month, or a few months ago. You will be pleasantly surprised to find out that what was hard then is probably now pretty easy

7. Too many distractions

It is crucial for a student to focus their attention on one specific thing at a time to learn properly. Turn off all electronics (cell phones, TV’s, Internet, etc.), shut the door, and spend some time with just you and the guitar. You will be amazed at what you can get done when you are not distracted by anything else.

8. No goals or sense of direction

One of the most important aspects of learning guitar well is knowing what you want to accomplish so that you can gauge your progress. Setting specific goals is a must. You may not know how your going to achieve these goals at the beginning but that is what a good teacher or teaching program will show you how to do.


9. Poor practice environment

Are you trying to practice with the TV on, your dog constantly urging you to play with him, and a bowl of rice crispies waiting to be eaten? Again, put yourself in a room, close the door, and turn off everything (including cell phones) so that you can focus on practicing and playing your guitar.

10. No structured practice schedule

The best way to ensure that you will get enough practice time in is to commit to a specific schedule. Everyone is different so its important to take a look at what time of day you think would be best for you to commit to, but once you make a decision, stick to it and you will see yourself progress faster than you ever thought possible. “How much time should I practice” is also a very common question. If you are focused enough, ten to fifteen minutes a day is plenty to progress. More is better, however the most important factor here is that you practice each and every day. It’s important to keep your fingers moving and remembering what you are teaching them.

Any instrument takes a lot of time, dedication, practice, and passion to learn how to play well. The guitar is no different. The rewards however are more than worth it! The ability to express yourself through music is one of the most exciting and gratifying things a person can do. Whether you are just looking to play for fun or if you have aspirations on becoming a professional, this article will hopefully keep you on track to establishing good practicing habits so that you will stick with your instrument and be the best guitarist you can be.

Enough reading, go pickup your guitar and rock out already!