Practice Routine for Beginners

Newcomers to the guitar, piano, or singing scene often feel a little lost and insecure in their new skills. It's not easy to jump right into something as difficult as playing complicated jazz chords on an electric guitar when you're still working with your Flatpicking skills on a more traditional instrument.

A practice routine allows beginners to stick with the practice they've set up. This way, they learn how to play their new instrument without getting discouraged by failures and dry spells in what can sometimes seem like an arduous process.

But how can you structure a proper practice routine as a beginner? Let’s find out.

1- Start with Warm-Up Exercises

First of all, the proper warm-up routine helps you tackle things in your practice session in a healthy way. So, do some exercises to prepare you for the harder stuff coming.

Some basic exercises for beginners include:

➔     Hand Strokes: Obviously, this is for stretching, but it enables you to get used to holding your new instrument more easily and getting a better feel of its weight sometimes.

➔     Technique: In this case, the practicing technique means practicing the plucking and picking movements necessary for playing.

➔     Scale Exercises: These also help beginners learn their way around the neck of their instrument.

2- Target Your Weaknesses

It's always a good idea to figure out your weak spots in terms of playing skills with your new instrument. If you need to practice them, do it. Otherwise, you might go through the motions with your practice routine.

For instance, if you're a beginner guitarist, you'll find it much harder to hit certain chords than others or get better at picking. You can target your weak points by working on these skills individually in your practice sessions, warming up beforehand and stretching out afterward.

3- Make a Daily Routine

Now that you know how to target your weaknesses, it's time to create a daily routine. This way, you can stay motivated and dedicated to your new instrument. The practice routine is also going to help make your new skills stick. Stick with your schedule, and don't be afraid or embarrassed to work on it daily.

One important thing is not overdoing it. While you want to remain dedicated and motivated, if you overdo it, you're just creating frustration for yourself. Stick with a reasonable practice schedule and include a reasonable amount of breaks to avoid getting too frustrated or discouraged.

4- Organize your Practice Space

One of the most important aspects of getting your practice as a beginner is organizing your practice space. Many people underestimate the importance of keeping their practice area clear, which can lead to a lot of issues and frustration.

When you have the right kind of space to work with, it makes it easier and more convenient to maneuver around when you're learning and trying new skills with your instrument. It also enables you to focus better on what you're doing rather than feeling cramped or confined in your limited space.

5- Listen to More Music

The next step in learning your instrument as a beginner is to listen to more music. This is true whether you're an electric guitarist or a keyboardist. It helps you get an idea of what kind of music you should be practicing, but it also lets you know that your practice routine isn't futile.

For instance, if you're learning a guitar, make sure to listen to many lead guitarists and their riffs. This way, you get an idea of what your guitar can do, even as a beginner.

Final Thoughts

So, there you go. This is a pretty simple and basic routine to get you started on your road to musical mastery as a beginner. Ultimately, the key to this whole process is not to get discouraged. Think of it not as a failure or a waste of time but rather as hard work that will pay off in the future.