Today I’m going to tell you one of the most important concepts I know about making crazy fast progress as a guitarist.
It’s something almost no one talks about.
Because almost no one knows it.
It’s a secret ingredient to practicing guitar.
It’s something only one teacher I’ve ever had taught – and it was not one of the teachers at Peabody conservatory where I got my M.M.
It’s something most guitar players do not practice because they do not know about it.
The secret ingredient is this: Integration.
Integration is taking two different skills (like lead guitar and rhythm guitar) and combining them into one practice routine.
Typically, guitarists will spend a considerable amount of time learning scales only to find that they don’t know how to actually use those scales effectively, emotionally, creatively, and freely.
Why? Because they practiced scales in complete and total isolation, apart from any kind of musical context.
Thus, when it comes time to play lead, they choke.
Or they play what sounds like a scale.
Boring!
Whatever it is you’re working on right now, make sure you’re using in combination with other skills (like rhythm guitar) and in real musical contexts.
Doing this will help you make much faster progress.
Your guitar playing will be much more fulfilling and expressive.