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

As a guitarist, you have a marvelous opportunity to develop yourself, both personally and musically, when you perform. You will further your life experience,  no matter what size the audience, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional.  Whatever the case, recitals challenge you to organize yourself, to put your mind and body in good shape, to develop the ability to be calm in the midst of performing, and to expand your emotional sensitivity by becoming transparent to others.  Rather than a source of fear, you should welcome recitals as means to personal growth.

Initially you may find public recitals, or even playing for friends, intimidating - in spite of knowing the music well. If that is the case, you will soon realize that mere practice is not enough to overcome the fear of playing for others. You will become aware of the need to prepare your mind as well.  If the very idea of a recital sends you into a panic, it is nature telling you to make some appropriate changes. For example, if you are nervous when performing, that suggests that you may need to do something to settle your mind and relax your body.  A heavy, dull feeling during a performance might indicate that your body performs best when you eat lightly, perhaps not at all, before you play.

The chief realization that eventually dawns on the guitarist who wants to play concerts is that the more he works with his body and his environment, the more he will be successful in his music making. If you act in accordance with the natural principle of least action as well as other principles in this book, you will find relatively little resistance to the fulfillment of your guitar-playing desires. Playing recitals will become an experience that is so enjoyable the player has a burning desire to do again and again.  Those magical moments in music that everyone talks about can become a living reality for you!  Such moments make everyone realize that humanity has an enormous potential for happiness and achievement.
 
Playing for others is a priceless experience, because it challenges you to reach beyond the small fraction of your potential that you normally use,  pushing you to reach ever higher. Take the opportunity to play for other people often - making each situation a teachable moment for yourself.  Strive to make each recital better than the last. Let every performance evolve to ever higher levels.  When you experience the energy that uplifts both you and your audience, that is a moment of transformation.

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.