In most pieces, we find one or more areas that give us trouble. So a big part of practice is solving these problems. Problem-solving is a practice skill we develop over time. We learn many approaches, and tailor our practice to the problem at hand.
Here are problem-solving strategies that work in a wide variety of situations:
- The 7-Step Process to Learn Pieces – This same process can be used for problem solving. It’s a great first tactic for most any problem. This article is a tutorial on a sample piece, demonstrating each step.
- The “Add-a-Note” Method – This simple practice method can eliminate issues, one note at a time.
- How to Video Yourself in Practice – Video is one of the most powerful tools for solving problems. We can often spot the issue when watching ourselves playing.
See also “Polishing” lessons for more ideas on smoothing out the rough spots.
All Musical Problem-Solving Lessons
- 3 Steps to Change the Fingering in a Piece of Classical Guitar Music
- 7 Steps to Learning Any Piece Quickly and Easily (video series)
- A Musical Phrasing Exercise for More Expressive Playing: Conduct and Sing Your Pieces
- Ace the Tricky Spots and Polish to Perfection (pt 1: First Things First)
- Ace the Tricky Spots and Polish to Perfection (pt 2: The One Thing)
- Ace the Tricky Spots and Polish to Perfection (pt 3: Talk it Out)
- Ace the Tricky Spots and Polish to Perfection (pt 4: Simplify)
- Eliminate Confusion and Reduce Random Guitar Mistakes
- How to Create Guitar Exercises from Pieces of Music
- How to Fix Rhythm Problems in Classical Guitar Pieces
- How to Learn Classical Guitar Pieces (Gypsy Dance)
- How to Polish Classical Guitar Pieces to Performance Level
- How to Use a Mirror in Guitar Practice for Evaluation
- How to Video Yourself for Guitar Practice and Be Your Own Teacher
- Play “Naked”: Leave Out the Ornaments (at first)
- Problem Solving: Reverse Engineer to Polish and Clean Guitar Playing
- Speed Up Your Guitar Playing, Using Dotted Rhythms
- The 85% Rule: How to Play Pieces Perfectly Polished at Full Speed
- The Chord Shift Formula: How to Shift Cleanly to a Chord
- The “Add-A-Note” Method to Eliminate Mistakes in Your Classical Guitar Pieces