In the last survey, quite a few people requested help with finding time to practice and tips on how to practice. Here are a few ideas that you may find helpful.

1. Make Time To Practice.
We each have the same 24 hours a day. Only God is omnipresent so we need to be making choices of how to spent this gift of time we each have.

It’s a good idea to think about where you could cut back to open up a half an hour, or more, to spending on playing. I have a good friend who decided to cut out 2 hours of TV in the evenings. I also know a number of famlies that use their family devotional time for a perfect opportunity to add worship songs played on the guitar.

2. Make It Easy To Practice.
Set up a ‘practice area.’ Get a music stand to hold your music, a chair without arms and a convenient place for your guitar. I used to recommend leaving your guitar on a guitar stand, but in earthquake areas like California that wasn’t the best idea. A nearby case can keep it more protected. (I keep my good instrument in a case but still leave out an inexpensive one on a guitar stand just because it’s so convenient to get to.)

3.. Start With Prayer.
Our minds can be full of distractions. It’s good to get them quieted and focused on the task at thand, plus, as a Christian we can ask for resources beyond our own for help in all areas of our lives. This definitely includes help with learning to play the guitar.

For more ideas check out – How to Practice the Guitar

If you have some more tips on practicing, just add them to the comments.

I don’t know about you, but I sure enjoyed watching the Olympics from Beijing. What an incredible opening night and how inspirational to hear the stories about these athletes.

Did you notice how often the news commentators talked about their relaxed technique? I did. Several times the newscasters talked about Michael Phelps’ relaxed swimming style. When Rebecca Soni finished swimming they mentioned her big smile and that you have to have a relaxed face to smile like that right after a swim.

Dara Torres, who has 2 personal stretchers, received comments about how relaxed she looked. Did you see The Jamaican runners? Usain Bolt breezed far ahead of the rest in the 100 and 200 meter race. Amazing! Made me think of ‘Chariots of Fire’ and Eric Little’s comment about how he knew God had made him fast and he felt God’s pleasure when he ran.

How can the Christian guitarist apply this? Focus on our goal, which is Jesus Christ, and develop an excellent guitar technique. Keep you face, shoulders and fingers relaxed as they effortlessly play the guitar. Unlike the Olympics there are no ‘best’ players. God rewards each one of us as we earnestly seek Him. 😉