Gibson's Learn & Master Guitar Blog With Steve Krenze

The True Secret of the Guitar Pros

Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Steve and band playing on stage

Let me tell you one of the true factors of whether you truly improve. As often as I have said that the pros have no secrets, but here is a true secret of the pros.

There is one thing that all real guitar players have that wannabes who just wish they could play do not have. No, it is not a certain guitar, pick, amp or strings and yet it will make or break your chances of success.

It is..........PERSEVERANCE.

Dogged, unyielding perseverance. That voice inside that says "I will conquer this guitar. Maybe not right now, or tomorrow or the next day...but I will certainly practice hard until I master this."

It doesn't matter whether it is soloing, reading music, barre chords or playing in front of people. Winston Churchill didn't know he'd be talking to guitarists when he said, "Never Give Up. Never Give In. Never. NEVER. NEVER."

Weak players quit. Wannabe's quit. Even dreamers eventually give up. Real guitar players keep working on the new skill until it is conquered. The main factor that will decide your success in mastering the guitar, or anything else for that matter, is not found in a guitar store or a guitar magazine...it is in your heart.

I have taught people how to do barre chords so many times, I can't remember all of them. I have explained it every way I can think of, from every angle possible. I have also incorporated every analogy that I can think of. But information can only get you so far in guitar learning. If I have been negligent in anything as I've taught guitar, it has been in not emphasizing perseverance enough.

Perseverance is the one factor that will help you through the difficult aspects of playing guitar. One step at a time, One exercise at a time, One practice session at a time you must continue to chip away at the skill until you master it. If there is Smoking guitar solo

that voice inside of you, no matter how small, that keeps saying, "I don't care how long it takes me, I WILL play barre chords." Then I am confident you'll get there. But if that voice is silenced or overpowered by another, then there is no technique, secret or new skill that I can teach you that will push you over the edge into success.

Learning does not just involve accumulating information. It must involve perseverance or you won't have the backbone to make it through the tough learning times.

Perseverance is the true secret of the pros.

- Steve Krenz

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