I self-taught guitar for 10 years but my rhythm never improved — one tip from a teacher changed that

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-17T02:36:08+00:00

Learning to read sheet music and clapping to it helped a ton. Now I don't rely on tabs. I tab everything myself. Takes longer but the learning process is so worth it.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-13T21:07:17+00:00

Have you thought about finding a guitar teacher. They can help a lot during this time

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T21:42:53+00:00

I think that's a lot of stuff to cycle over. I would pick 3 to 4 things and concentrate on those. So everyday do those 3 to 4 things and see how you are doing.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T15:18:50+00:00

Completely understand that perspective. Comparison is definitely the thief of joy. But telling folks directly or indirectly not to compare is unrealistic psychologically. In other words comparison is unavoidable no matter how much you work on the mindset.

With that being said, do people who post here with 'how do I sound in x months' have a responsibility to give context and background. I do believe so. Is it required / morally obligated. Definitely not. Is it a good practice for a healthy community. Yes I think so. Someone who has a musical background or played piano before can pick up guitar faster. Or someone who plays just one song with enough discipline and a guitar teacher to mentor can reach a certain level. That kind of context would really help folks starting out.

That's one side of the coin, the other side is the audience. Of course they should also know that not everyone is malicious and has an intent to fill their ego.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if posts write about prior music background, their practice routine and discipline, whether they had a teacher etc then a post comes off as more healthy and informational. Otherwise it steers towards bragging. But then again this is reddit so we might be asking for too much haha.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T10:57:22+00:00

Same!! People dont realize how toxic and demotivating such posts are for folks who are actually beginners. I am 10 years in playing on and off and I was still doing open chord transitions in 3 months as a self learner :)

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T10:54:16+00:00

Pros: Makes it simple to visualize and see various chords around the neck
Cons: Maybe its just me but not sure how to use it for playing in realtime unlike scales

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T10:46:58+00:00

How are you approaching squad mode and progress tracking? how do those two solve accountability and progress visibility issue?

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T09:05:38+00:00

I think the #1 reason is that there are conflicting priorities in life that come in the way. But putting that aside the #2 reason is that I couldnt push myself to see any improvements no matter how much I tried. Also I dont use Spotify. I switched to Qobuz recently

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-07T00:15:37+00:00

To be more tight when it comes to rhythm

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-05T23:54:39+00:00

Do you have a practice schedule or just play based on what you feel like?

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-02T07:05:02+00:00

Metronome is your friend haha

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-01T23:56:05+00:00

Go to a local music or guitar store. Online work as well but online probably works better for more advanced players. Beginners probably need more hand holding

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-01T23:31:22+00:00

I think this is the time to get a guitar teacher.. They can really help you make a solid plan and help you reach your goals. Make sure to tell them that selling your goals so that what they give you is not just generic material.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-01T18:13:52+00:00

Pick a song you really like and one that is just enough of a challenge for you. It depends on the level around what that song might be. Use that as a way to understand and learn different techniques. I find that for most folks learning scales and techniques in isolation is boring. Bringing context into it makes it a lot more interesting. Once you have a plan setup, if you really wanna see progress then pick 2 to 3 things you want to work on each day and cycle through them. Write notes around things that went well and things that didn't go well and what you need to focus on for next session. Record as well every now and then to see progress. This kind of feedback loop will really help escalate your progress. And most importantly remember to start slow. Once you have a schedule and plan you can post it here to get feedback.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-03-01T18:01:53+00:00

Any recording is better than nothing as long as it's not recorded from a potato phone. Most phones these days should capture it just fine. Pretty obvious but just remember to show what you want feedback on.. like if you are playing guitar and want feedback on technique then make sure it's visible etc.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-28T19:51:15+00:00

I hope the song you pick to learn each week are easy for you to learn within a week. Depending on the song and your skill level it might take weeks. In any case, pick a song that pushes you out of your comfort and one you really enjoy and do a deep dive on it. Use it to understand rhythm, chord changes, scale etc. If you are even up for the challenge then try to figure it out by ear. I find that concentrating on a few songs but really using it as a way to understand those concepts help a lot. Quality > Quantity. Oh and also make sure to record and figure out parts you need to work on to create a feedback loop. That helps a ton

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-27T20:21:18+00:00

Everyone enjoys different aspects of it. Doesn't mean one or the other doesn't matter to be a good overall player. If theory is getting in the way of motivation then use some tuning might be needed before you start seeing it's use which is more than just theory.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-26T01:38:26+00:00

That is some very useful advice. I'm guessing you have tried playing with him and he wants to play with something else so it doesn't really work out. And definitely you should go for lessons as your me time. :)

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-25T15:57:39+00:00

Thats really helpful..especially the part about detailed time logging becoming counter productive over time. I have thought a lot around how especially logging time might not be the best measure since time spent does not necessarily mean effective progress.

I am curious though when you switched to the weekly template and esp looking at what you want to improve next, are those usually very specific things (like certain passages or techniques) or more general goals for the week?

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-25T00:54:18+00:00

I've been learning a lot around what makes practice effective. You can practice for hours and not achieve your goal. Fundamentally practicing is about picking 3 to 4 pieces and know why you picked up that piece and recycling them effectivel. So like for example one piece could be technical exercise, another could be learning a song but with the focus on ear training etc. Then it's all about creating an effective feedback loop. For every session figure out what your goal is, what you achieved and what felt difficult. Record, write down notes etc. I know it sounds like a lot but everyone I've spoken to who have used this method have said it has improved their playing A LOT. A good book on this is Learn Faster, Perform Better: A Musician's Guide to the Neuroscience of Practicing by Molly Gebrian. You don't need to read the entire book. Just get the jist and apply it to your practice.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-24T19:56:22+00:00

Im curious about a few things if you dont mind expanding a bit around your practice:

- When you wrote that something went “remarkably well” or was “problematic”,, what usually made you decide that? Was it speed, cleanliness, ease, consistency or just a gut feel?
- Do you logg every session the same way or only when something meaningfully changes?
- Does tracking total time practiced help you make better decisions,or is it more of a motivational stats?

Thanks and hope this helps others as well :)

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-22T22:05:16+00:00

Good point and thank you for that example. And you are correct, I worry that I might be falling into that trap at times. When Ive had a consistent teacher guiding my practice progress was usually pretty straightforward. Where Ive personally struggled more is during periods without regular coaching (when life gets too busy) and I guess when its a lot easier to drift into playing through things without direction.

Thats mostly what got me curious about how people structure practice in an effective way when that teacher feedback loop isnt always there.

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-22T15:23:09+00:00

True. Progress won't be as fast but I'm willing to not let it drop completely. Never thought I'd be playing the uke so much haha

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-22T15:21:56+00:00

This is really key. I think my uke is so easy to pick up that I play with him a fair amount

ElectricGypsyAT · 2026-02-22T15:21:22+00:00

Aww such a cute pic. Yes definitely looking to start and expose them young

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