Beyond moving our fingers, classical guitar is a mental game. This is true for all instruments. We don’t just play the guitar – we play ourselves. In any moment, our thoughts and attention can improve or degrade our experience.
So one of the greatest challenges as a musician is to train our minds. Each element of practice has its details. From learning new pieces, to practicing scales, to performing for others, we call on our awareness and focus to make things work.
Training our minds is a lifelong challenge. It’s something that we never “finish”. Instead, we learn tactics and habits we can use to meet the challenges at hand.
Below is a big list of articles on various elements of mindset and “inner game”. Enjoy!
- 11 Classical Guitar Lessons for Beginners (+3 Pitfalls to Avoid)
- 3 Secrets to Getting in “The Zone”: Flow States in Practice
- 42 Questions to Blow (open) Your Musical Mind
- 5 Common Misbeliefs that Hold Guitarists Back
- 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Classical Guitar Practice
- 6 Tips for When You Get Tired of a Tune
- A Guide to the Fine Details: How to Mine Your Music for Gold
- A Musical Phrasing Exercise for More Expressive Playing: Conduct and Sing Your Pieces
- Backing Up to Go Forward: Faster Learning, Better Playing, through Easier Pieces
- Be a better classical guitarist by harnessing the power of simplicity
- Beginner Progress: What to Look for in Early Guitar Success
- Better Listening for Musicians – What to Listen For in Practice
- But I don’t FEEL Like Practicing Guitar Today!
- Classical Guitar Visualization: What, Why and How
- Creativity in Classical Guitar Practice
- Curiosity: The Single Most Important Practice Skill
- Focus More in Practice, With the “Brain Dump” Technique
- Frustrated with Guitar? How to Recalibrate and Move Forward
- Guitar Anchors: Turn Your Guitar into a “Feel-Good Button”!
- Have a Positive Agenda in Your Guitar Practice
- How to Enjoy Constant Improvement on Classical Guitar
- How to Fall in Love with Classical Guitar Technique Practice
- How to Make Your Guitar Playing Easy
- How to Master Motivation in Your Classical Guitar Practice
- How to Play Classical Guitar With No Mistakes, Flawlessly
- How to Use Balance to Trigger Faster Learning (a Fun Guitar Practice Trick)
- Inner Game of Practice: Release Guilt and Accept Reality
- Perfectionism vs. Excellence in Guitar Practice
- Practice Mindsets that Improve Your Performances
- Progress vs. Success in Classical Guitar Practice
- Short on Time? Simple Tricks to Learn Music Fast
- Successful Practice Tip: End On a High Note!
- The Amazing Power of 1% Improvements
- The Philosophy of Kaizen in Classical Guitar Practice