Where To Keep Your Guitar For The Best Progress

This great little guitar strategy is perfect for beginners, makes a big difference to your overall progress and is something you can try out immediately...

This great little guitar strategy is perfect for beginners, makes a big difference to your overall progress and is something you can try out immediately...

Leaving It Out

When you’ve finished playing guitar, don’t simple store it away in it’s case or a cupboard because it will be out of your sight and out of your mind. Instead, create a path of least resistance to your guitar by keeping it out, in a place where you can very easily notice it, pick it up and have a quick play.

This way, you’ll find yourself automatically picking it up and playing it more frequently.

It will help you make playing guitar a lifestyle habit. Which in a nutshell, is the single biggest key to your guitar playing success… beyond the teacher you choose.

Here’s How I Do It…

I like to keep my electric guitar (Telecaster) out on a stand in the front room/lounge. That way it frequently catches my eye and is on my mind more often, so that I’m far more likely to pick it up and have a quick go.

On top of that, I leave my acoustic guitar (Martin & Co) out of it's case in the bedroom, doubling my chances. So now, when I enter either of these rooms, I’ll usually spot a guitar, pick it up and have a quick go.

Why Does It Work?

It works because if you put your guitar away, the time and effort that it takes to get it out can create tiny psychological barriers to playing guitar that can stop you picking it up so frequently.

Of course it won’t stop you playing guitar completely, but it will absolutely stop you picking it up on the fly for unplanned short bursts.

It might not seem like this will make too much difference to your playing, but these brief plays really add up. It’s partly due to the way we memorise physical skills (based on how frequently we recall them), these short bursts really improve your playing, keeping your guitar on top of your mind and they don’t even feel like practicing.

When it's automatic and you don’t even have to think about do it. It’s a lifestyle habit.

Taking it further…

If you spend a lot of time watching T.V. try keeping your guitar near your T.V. That way, when you’re about to sit down and put the telly on, you just might find yourself reaching for your guitar instead and getting better at playing.

So, next time you play guitar, instead of putting it away, find a more accessible place for it that will result in you dipping in to play it in frequent short bursts.

Remember you're just one chord away,

– Ian

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