8 Things I Would Do Differently if I Had to Start Over 🚀
This week I found myself telling many of my students stories about how I didn’t have very good practice habits when I started out and how...
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Op 6, No 11 (Classical) & Entre Dos Aguas (Flamenco)
This week I'm sharing 2 performances that I found particularly inspiring. The first is Fernando Sor's study in Em titled Op. 6, No 11, ...
Four Biases That Make Us Repeat Mistakes 🚀
In a previous post on Strategic Practice, we looked at strategic, problem-solving steps needed to overcome challenges and correct...
Bar Chord Tutorial (PART 2)
Complete Bar Chord Tutorial (PART 2) for Beginner and Intermediate Guitar Students. This video is intended for late-beginner to...
Bar Chord Tutorial (PART 1)
Complete Bar Chord Tutorial (PART 1) for Beginner and Intermediate Guitar Students. This video is intended for beginner to intermediate...
Two Strategies for Faster Memorization 🚀
My two favorite memorization strategies when learning a new piece of music are “Chunking and Chaining” & “Mental Practice.” Combined, they
Tomodachi (Flamenco) & Prelude No 1 (Classical)
This week I'm sharing 2 performances that I found particularly inspiring. The first is Tomodachi, a flamenco fandango abandola’o by Juan...
Fast vs. Slow Practice: Which is Better? 🚀
Fast Practice Vs. Slow Practice: Which is Better? In a previous post titled "How Many Repetitions Should You Do?," I mentioned that we...
How Many Repetitions Should You do? 🚀
How Many Repetitions Should You Do to Improve? When I was starting out, and for many years after that, I asked all of my teachers this...
Vals No 7 (Classical) & Tangos de Mi Novia (Flamenco)
Tangos de Mi Novia (tangos). Composed and performed by Son de la Frontera. According to musicologists like Faustino Nuñez, Guillermo...
Construction: What's the Difference?
THE CONSTRUCTION I have noticed a general misconception that the flamenco guitar is thinner and smaller than the classical guitar. The...
Music: What's the Difference?
What's the difference between Flamenco and Classical Guitar music? One of the first questions people ask me is “What’s the difference...
Make Practice More Effective with This Simple Strategy 🚀
When trying to improve a musical phrase, a common approach is to repeat that phrase the same way many times, day after day, until it’s...
Guajiras do Brazil / Gran Sonata
Guajiras do Brazil (Antoine Boyer & Samuelito) + Gran Sonanta - Mauro Giuliani (Ana Vidovic)
How to Practice Musical Expression Before it's Too Late 🚀
One of the most important elements of musical performance is musical expression. Without it, performances can sound bland regardless of...
How Spaced Practice Helps us Improve 🚀
When I started learning guitar, my intuitive approach to practice was to cram in as much as possible in whatever time I had available....
Un Sueño en la Floresta / Fuente de Lágrimas
Un Sueño en la Floresta (Agustín Barrios Mangoré) & Fuente de Lágrima (Antonio Rey).
How Errors & Frustration Help us Improve 🚀
Two of the most common assumptions I hear about practice are 1) that effective practice means lots of repetitions, and 2) that effective...
Profundidades / Por Una Cabeza
Profundidades (taranta). Composed by Rafael Riqueni (1962, Spain) and performed by Grisha Goryachev. The taranta style of flamenco...
Alertness & Focus for Faster Learning 🚀
There’s plenty of research out there (e.g., Aspen Brain Institute, 2022, Marzo et al., 2009, Eschenki & Sara, 2008, Kuo et al., 2007)...
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