Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you worry about making mistakes when you perform? Do you want to be able to fix errors quickly during your practice time? Everyone slips up, at least occasionally. Don’t worry about it. Errors have an important role to play in the process of learning. Read more to answer the question, “How common are mistakes while practicing and playing guitar?”
This post uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.
How Common are Mistakes While Playing Guitar?
“How common are mistakes while practicing and playing guitar?” Slipups will happen when you perform – get used to it. However, the following information will help keep things in perspective:
- Everyone screws up when performing – even rock stars. Sir Paul McCartney, of Beatle fame, said he used to be petrified of messing up. However, he found that the audience didn’t have a problem with it. In his words, “I used to be terrified… of making a mistake. Now I realize the audiences don’t mind. In fact — they quite like it” (Evening Standard).
- When cleaning out my attic I found a letter that my grandmother had written to one of her violin students. She said, “I know you’re afraid of making mistakes at the recital, but I want to tell you something. If someone tells you that they don’t make mistakes when they perform, they’re either 1) lying or 2) they don’t perform very often.” Errors happen when you perform. If you have an error-free performance, enjoy it, because they don’t happen too often.
- We have wax cylinder recordings of the piano masters from the late 19th century (Piano Mastery). In these recordings, the artists have errors that’d be unacceptable by today’s standards. Conversely, using techniques such as overdubbing, modern audio recordings have idealized performances. This means that they give us an unrealistic idea of how live performances should sound. A live performance won’t sound like a studio recording.
Messing up while performing happens a lot. However, if you don’t draw attention to a gaffe (no groaning or making bad faces), the audience most likely won’t notice anyway. Really, if you stop worrying about errors, you’ll be less likely to make them in the first place.
How Do You Quickly Fix Mistakes While Practicing Guitar?
Yes, mistakes are common while practicing and playing guitar. Not only do errors show up in performances, but they can also show up when you practice as well. In fact, errors have an important role in helping you learn to play the instrument. Why? Because when you mess up, your brain coats your neurons in myelin, helping you to acquire skill.
“So, how can I fix errors when I rehearse?” I have some tips for you:
- Rehearse at Slower Tempos: When you work on a new song, start at a slow speed. This’ll let you accurately work through each physical motion, allowing you to spot any problems and fix them before they become habits.
- Break it into Small, Manageable Pieces: When working on a song, split it into smaller segments and work on those areas in the song separately. After you’ve mastered each segment, start to string them together.
- Make a Recording: Making a recording of yourself playing will help pinpoint any errors you’ve made. Listen to the track and notice where you had made mistakes. Work on those parts until you can play them error free.
- Practice: The more time you put in practicing, the more consistent your playing will become. Nothing replaces practicing. The more you fire your neurons, the more you develop your skills.
More practice equals less errors. Consistent practice will help to build up muscle memory and improve your overall playing level.
Concluding Thoughts to “How Common are Mistakes While Practicing and Playing Guitar?”
“How common are mistakes while practicing and playing guitar?” Very common. It’s not so much a question of whether errors will happen, but how you deal with them when they do.
While you should always have the goal of playing the best you can, you shouldn’t worry about errors. Instead, you need to quickly correct errors when you practice. Likewise, you should attempt to minimize them, or at least try to not draw attention to them, in performance.
Have fun playing!
Related Posts
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
- How to Overcome the Fear of Performing in Front of an Audience
- Tips for How to Stay Calm and Cool Before a Concert
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
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