3 reasons people quit guitar.

1. No time. Time is the one thing we all get equally yet some  manage their 24 hours a day far better than others. When we claim we have no time we are usually lying to ourselves. What we actually have is a lack of organisation in our lives. The solution is to write down your priorities and then schedule those priorities beginning at the top of your list. If guitar is too far down on your list that you run out of time on your schedule you have two choices. Either move it up the list or forget about learning guitar. Why stress yourself out? Either you have the time or you don't. Your priorities will change so you can always come back to it once you finish university or building your dream home or scaling Mt Everest.

2. No money. I often here people claiming they want to learn guitar but can't afford to. I argue that guitar is perhaps one of the least expensive things you can do. Learning guitar will likely save you money. Most musicians would must prefer to be jamming with friends than going out on the town. Its more fun and lot less expensive.  Guitars are cheap, maintenance costs are very low and guitar lessons are affordable for almost anyone. When people say they can't afford it I ask them how much they think it will cost and then explain the real cost and most are pleasantly surprised.

3. No patience. Some students expect too much too soon. I know I did as a teen. Its what I call the 'Are we there yet' syndrome. Learning guitar usually takes longer than you think and far too often impatience sets in before reaching your goals. My suggestion is to find a teacher not just because they will help you to learn faster but because they will keep you motivated and put your learning in perspective. My blogs revolve largely around the psychology of learning guitar because your mind will be your biggest hurdle not your hands when it comes to learning guitar. Master your mind and you will succeed.

The G4 Guitar Method

The G4 Guitar Method is a structured method of learning how to play guitar. Its a unique system built on 27 years of research and experience based on a proven strategies. To view a video and learn more please visit our website at http://www.g4guitarmethod.com.

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A common misconception about child prodigies.

When we see or hear of young children playing a musical instrument at a level far above those two or three times their age we image a dominating parent and a child begrudgingly going through the motions.  While there are definitely cases of extreme parents most are a far cry from any form of child abuse. 

The role of parents 

Young children's brains are developing and what is known as the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until we reach our 20s. Without going too deep it simply means we tend to act more before we think about our actions. This means young children are more in the moment and lack the self discipline to act in a way now that will benefit them long term. This is where parents come in. We want our children to have free choice and ultimately think for themselves but we need to also equip them with skills for their future and if like me you believe music is a valuable skill this should be included.

Should you let your child decide?

Our role is to help children to learn how to make better decisions. I know if my 4yo daughter was left to her own devices she would spend most of her time watching Tinker Bell, eating anything sweet and never cleaning her teeth or taking showers. When parents say to me that they will leave it up to their child to decide whether or not to practice guitar my answer is always the same. If you leave it up to them you may as well quit now. Guitar practice is like taking a shower, getting dressed, cleaning teeth etc. You have to train your child to carry out these activities or they simply won't get done. 

Genetics play only a small role

While genetics may give us certain advantages or tendencies they are far from the deciding factor especially with learning music. Those prodigies we see are rarely the result of fortunate genes but are the result of persistent parents who understand that children need to be nurtured. If you doubt this idea look at almost any so called gifted child and you will undoubtably find a parent who was responsible. Mozart is one of the best examples. His father was one of the leading music teachers in Europe at the time. He coached Mozart every step of the way. Mozart's sister was also an outstanding musician. For an in-depth understanding on this topic check out the book 'Bounce'. 

The G4 Guitar Method

The G4 Guitar Method is a structured method of learning how to play guitar. Its a unique system built on 27 years of research and experience based on a proven strategies. To view a video and learn more please visit our website at http://www.g4guitarmethod.com. 

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Finding the TIME to Practice Guitar

Finding the time to practice for most guitar students is their biggest challenge but this is especially true for the beginner. We know any new routine takes time to establish but we often overlook the fact power of habit. Think about the many things you now take for granted such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, checking your emails, Facebook and so on. In the beginning none of these were habits. You had to consciously make a decision (or your parents did) to do them each and every time. But eventually they just became a part of your everyday routine and now they require almost no effort on your behalf.

The habit of guitar practice.The goal for you as a guitar student should be first and foremost to establish the habit of making time to practice. The best thing I have found for most students is to try and be regular with your guitar practice even if all you do is have a little fun. Once the habit of practice is establish you can work on the quality of your practice. 

Start small

Its actually better to begin with short practice sessions of say 20 minutes a day than doing say 2 hours one day a week. The reason is that a 2 hour session once a week is much less likely to turn into a habit and is far more likely to be skipped altogether or cut short.

Don't feel like practicing?

On those days you just don't feel in the mood try doing 5 minutes and then making a decision. Often your mood will change once you pick up the guitar. Skipping days will just delay the habit building process. I pick up guitar everyday and rarely have to make a conscious effort to do so but it wasn't always that way.

You might also like the following blog 

Are You Serious About Guitar? Take the 365 Day Challenge

The G4 Guitar Method

The G4 Guitar Method is a structured method of learning how to play guitar. Its a unique system built on 27 years of research and experience based on a series of checklists. To view a video and learn more please visit our website at http://www.g4guitarmethod.com. 

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