Tip: Practice in the Morning
Practice first thing in the morning. The fatigued you is not the ideal, guitar-practicing you. The morning you is. Even if you’re not a “morning person,” you may still feel that boyish/girlish feeling in the morning – the sense that anything is possible, or that you can make the impossible possible. That’s when you get in at least 15 minutes of scales, tunes, or whatever is most important or difficult in your practice.
If you need more incentive to wake earlier to make time for guitar, and to get to bed earlier, think of your time as currency to invest. Do you want to invest in late night TV? What are the returns on that, compared to the possible returns in practicing guitar?
Thanks for reading.
Copyright © 2010 Darrin Koltow
This first appeared in the Guitar Noise News – November 1, 2008 newsletter. Reprinted with permission.
teaching myself guitar
April 4th, 2010 @ 8:04 am
I’ve never considered this, but it’s a great idea. You’re right – in the morning we often have that sense of a new beginning and think of all the things we are going to accomplish. Of course, as the day wears on that sense of endless possibilities fades a bit.
I’ll be sure to incorporate this into my routine.
Jim E James
March 30th, 2010 @ 5:16 am
Hey Darrin,
great advice for sure. I started writing a comment about it, but what I wanted to say ended up being extremely long, so I ended up putting it on my blog! (with a link back here of course)
Thanks heaps for sharing a really solid tip dude.
Jamie Andreas
March 19th, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
Hey Darren, great suggestion!
For 40 years, I have practiced in the morning, every morning. For the first 30, I practiced 2 hours of technical exercises every morning. Now, I do about an hour.
It is a special time to practice, as you say, characterized by an invigorating feeling of possibility. In any case, I, and my hands, do not feel awake until after the first half hour of vigorous exercise.
I recommend it for every serious player, and make sure you choose your practice material carefully. It should be geared to long range development, so you want challenges that are enormous in scope.
Keep it up, and you will become a great player!
Best,
Jamie
Johnny
March 19th, 2010 @ 1:21 pm
Oh that I wish I could. I’ve made a self imposed rule not to practice in the morning. Anytime I break it, I end up losing track of time and then I’m late for work. Not good.
If ya’ll can pull it off, more power to you, I just can’t do it.
Sixstring59
March 19th, 2010 @ 8:43 am
This really is a great idea, albeit difficult to get going on. I guess coffee and guitar WOULD be better than coffee and the morning (depressing!) news. Thanks for the tip!
jose arizola
March 19th, 2010 @ 6:41 am
morning is good. I will look at solving time and rhythem lesson. keep in time is my biggest problem. So much that i can see fustration on my instructor.