By Nicholas Anderson
All musicians make mistakes. Guitarists are no different. By correcting these common mistakes, you can make yourself stand out from most other guitarists.
1. They Either Don’t Learn Music Theory at all or They Don’t Learn Enough of It
For reasons that defy logical explanation (like that fact that Miley Cyrus is successful), many guitarists do not study music theory. I often hear guitarists say that they do not want theory to hamper their creativity. Sadly, what they do not realize is that music theory does not hurt creativity, it helps it. Music theory opens up a whole world of possibilities that you would otherwise only stumble upon by accident. Music theory can help you be more creative by giving you the knowledge you need to know what’s possible and what will sound awful. Understanding chord structures, scales, key centers and tonality, and how all of these things relate and function together is a critical aspect of being a complete musician. I have people come to me for lessons feeling like they’re “stuck” and don’t know how to make progress in their playing. Many times, all they need is a better understanding of music theory in order to make significant gains in their playing. If you’re afraid that music theory is going to hurt your creativity, remember this, you don’t have to follow any “rules” you learn when studying music theory. You can still do whatever you want.
2. They Don’t Practice with a Metronome
Most guitar players, if they know what a metronome is, do not play with one. You should. Playing with a metronome with quickly show you how good or bad you are at keeping time. When you first start using a metronome, you will most likely find out that you’re not very good. But with time and practice, playing with a metronome will help you become a better time keeper. Practicing with a metronome also helps you develop skills needed to play with other musicians. When you practice with a metronome, you not only have to pay attention to whatever it is you are playing, you also have to pay attention to the metronome. By forcing yourself to listen to “two people” while you play, you develop a better ear, which will help when you play with others. It may seems like a lot of trouble at first, but it pays big dividends in the long run.
3. They Don’t Play With Dynamics
Much like drummers, many guitarists know only one volume – 11. But listen to any great rock album and you’ll notice very quickly that there is a whole dynamic range that is used, from very soft and to very loud. Too many young guitarists think that being loud is the only thing that matters, which is a mistake. The ego-centric guitarist always wants to be heard, loud and clear, but what this does is it ruins the ensemble sound of a group playing together. When a guitarist is always stuck on 11, the rest of the band is no longer appreciated, and are often frustrated. Playing with the ensemble and allowing others to be heard can and will make the louder moments more meaningful and dynamic. Loud is no longer loud when it isn’t contrasted with something quiet, and without that contrast it loses it’s power to make an impact on the listener. So next time you write a song or take a solo, experiment with the dynamic range. Throw in something quiet to contrast it with the loud sections.
4. They Don’t Take Lessons
Learning without taking lessons is not a virtue. It does not make you a better musician. It does not mean you’re smarter or better or somehow more enlightened. Most people can learn to play guitar to a certain extent without a lot of help. However, I contend that it is a mistake to do so because as a beginning guitarist you do not know how to identify bad habits, problems, or tendencies in your playing that will hurt you in the long run. A beginning guitarist, if he does identify problems, most likely does not know how to properly solve those problems. This is not only true of beginning guitarists, it is also true of experienced guitarist. Brian Setzer once said in an interview that he still takes guitar lessons. He seems to understand that as a guitarist you are never harmed by having another person taking a second look at your playing.
If you’re making any of these mistakes, you’re selling yourself short. You’re not going to become the guitarist you’ve been dreaming of. Apply for admission today.