“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ―Aristotle

If you want to extract the most value out of your child’s guitar lessons, then you’ll need to know what and how much he/she should practice. Before we dive in, there are some basic rules of thumb to follow: 

1. Practice the Guitar Every Day: Short frequent practice sessions are more effective than longer, less frequent practice sessions.
2. Start Slow and Gradually Increase the Tempo: If your son or daughter can’t play it slow, he/she can’t play it!
3. Yes, You Have to Tap Your Foot!: Foot tapping is a great way to internalize rhythm and a great sense of groove. If your son/daughter isn’t tapping as she performs, then she’s missing out on half of the musical benefits!
4. Set Goals: Whenever our child sits down to practice the guitar, he/she should have a goal in mind. 

A Great Guitar Practice Session Starts with a Great Goal

Goal-setting is a critical component of musical achievement. A good goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. In other words, it’s SMART. Imagine your daughter is learning a new song with some challenging new chords on the guitar. A great goal for her would be learning the first 4-measures of the song.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Can she play the first 4-measures in time?

• Can she tap her foot as she performs?

• Does she know the names of the notes and chords she’s playing?

• Can she perform without unwanted string noise?

• Can she clearly articulate each note in the chord?

• Can she answer a simple question as she performs?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, mission accomplished! Those first 4-measures are indestructible. Now, add the next four-measures during week two.

When you couple goal-setting with a practice routine, great things are bound to happen!

What and How Much to Practice?

2 Minutes	Warm-Up: Finger Exercises
3 Minutes	Technique: Minor Pentatonic Scale, Major Pentatonic Scale, or The Natural Minor Scale
5 Minutes	Rock Hard: Play a fun, familiar song from class with the backing track.
5 Minutes	Getting Stronger: Tackle more challenging material from class.
5 Minutes	Stay Inspired: Listen to some inspiring rock music!

Your Kid Can Get a Black Belt in Rock!

GET A BLACK BELT IN ROCK!

The Rock Dojo offers award-winning, introductory-level guitar lessons for kids after-school in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Lake Oswego. You can check out the Rock Dojo FAQs to learn how our colored-belt systems works (hint: it’s like karate. As your students improve on the guitar, they graduate belt levels just like the martial arts). Do you have a specific question about our guitar lessons for kids? Drop us a line at (503) 484-6417 or contact us on the Rock Dojo Facebook page.