Online Guitar Lessons by Los Angeles Guitar Academy's LAGA Online

Throughout the years, professional guitarists have used these techniques to hone their talents, perfecting the pieces of music they are currently studying.  We have listed many of these gems of wisdom below. Always modify the steps to suit your unique needs.

-Study the score, first by sight reading, then more thoroughly.
-Listen to artists whose work you admire, especially those who receive critical acclaim.  
-Listen to music written for other instruments and voice, applying its principles to the guitar.
-Read about the historical and cultural background of the music and its composer.
-Analyze the music from a structural perspective.
-Scrutinize the texture and phrasing, so that it becomes second nature to you.
-Study each voice, singing or playing each until it becomes part of your memory.
-Peruse the rhythmic structure of the music, counting difficult sections out loud so that you engage both the hearing and the visual senses.
-Study the harmonic structure, reviewing music theory texts that might give you insight into its complexity.
-Find fingerings which are both natural and beautiful, giving ease of movement.
-Read the music slowly, using the metronome to help with timing issues.
-Identify rough spots, polishing them and purifying the sound.
-Read at the prescribed tempo with and without the aid of a metronome.
-Memorize the music, one section at a time, as well as the overall structure of the piece.
-Practice at the prescribed tempo.
-Do mental run-throughs of each section as well as the entire piece.
-Get feedback from your instructor, as well as fellow musicians whose ability you respect.
-Refine your interpretation, experimenting with the tone colors and dynamics that express your own concept of the music.

Feel free to visit LA Guitar Academy's website for professional guitar lessons in the Los Angeles area, or go to LAGA Online's home page to take online guitar lessons from the LAGA Faculty.