5 Ways to Practice Guitar On The Go

What’s your reason for not practicing as much as you should?

Everybody’s got one. 

As a private lessons instructor, I hear countless reasons for not finding time to practice. Young kids are often involved in other extracurricular activities, and older students often get caught up in work or other commitments.

I never scold my students for not practicing. I simply tell them “The more you practice, the more you get better”.

The struggle is real. For the students that want to get better, but have the trouble finding time to sit down with the guitar and practice, I’ve got a few solutions. 

It’s time to capitalize on your extra time. 

Whether you’re standing in line at the coffee shop, sitting in traffic, waiting for the bus, or any situation of that nature, you can continue your guitar education in these 5 ways.

1) Portable Pocket Guitar

This may sound confusing, but this product is about the size of the first 5 frets of a guitar. This allows you to practice chords without carrying around the rest of your cumbersome instrument.

It literally fits inside your pocket, backpack, or briefcase. 

This product also allows you to practice strumming patterns along with your chord changes without making sound. 

For about $30, you can take this almost anywhere and silently practice. 

Check them out here.

2) Guitalele/Ukulele

If you want to hear what you are practicing, go for something a little but bigger.

A guitalele is essentially a six-stringed ukulele. They are perfect for car rides (as long as you are not driving!) or jamming on your break at work.

This is much more portable than a full sized guitar. This is a fun-sized guitar!

One important thing to note is that this guitar has a shorter neck than standard acoustic and electric guitars. This means the strings are tuned higher. 

Standard tuning for an acoustic guitar, from the lowest string to the highest, is EADGBE. The tuning for a guitalele is significantly higher, ADGCEA. If you put a capo on your guitar on the fifth fret, you will hear what this sounds like. 

If you don’t have $130 to spend on a Guitalele, or if you can’t find one, a standard ukulele works great as well.  

The four strings of a ukulele are tuned GCEA. You can take the same chord shapes played on the bottom four strings of the guitar and transfer them to uke, making it great for portable practice.

Check out some guitaleles here.

3) Finger Exercisers

If you’re looking for something even more simple and even more portable, look for a finger exerciser. 

These are a simple way to strengthen the hands you use to play your instrument. 

Developing the amount of hand strength necessary for playing difficult chords and patterns takes a lot of time. 

Taking the time to strengthen your hands away from practicing will make learning new chords easier. 

These devices are the size of your palm. You can fit them anywhere, and you can use them in any situation, at anytime. Just squeeze it to make your hands good and strong.

Check them out here.

4) Theory Books

If you’re really looking for a boost in your musical education, there are plenty of great Music Theory Workbooks to take with you. 

These are perfect for any waiting room.

Music Theory is incredibly important to guitarists who want to learn to improvise, or play by ear. 

By studying theory, you learn the relationships between chords, notes, and rhythms. 

Learning to notation and tabs will help you to learn songs quicker. Learning about keys, scales, and chord progressions will help you to recognize patterns in the music you’re listening to.

There is a large variety of Music Theory books available. If you’ve never studied theory before, start with the easiest book. They are filled with activities and exercises to make the lessons clear. 

I recommend theory to everyone. Understanding how music works is the different between a good player and a truly skilled player. Be the latter!

Check out these books here.

5) Phone Apps

There are TONS of music-related apps out there. Get exploring. 

Ear Training Apps.

Ear training goes right along with theory. This will help you to recognize patterns in music. Understanding the music you are listening to will help you to improvise, as well as learn songs more quickly. 

Guitar Apps.

There are many guitar apps that simulate the fret board and sound of a guitar. 

These apps can be a little bit awkward to use, but if you turn your phone the right way, you can put your fingers on the fret board where they form a chord, ‘strum’ with a finger on your other hand, and hear that chord. 

This is obviously a great way to practice chords. But there’s more!

Some apps help you to learn new chords, strumming patterns, techniques, and even songs! 

Reinforce your learning on the go! All you need is headphones and dedication.

I have one final point to add. 

Take your GCO lessons to go! Listen to the lectures, tap along to the lessons, and get familiar with the instrument before you practice. 

If you are planning on practicing after work, take some of your lunch break to listen to the lesson ahead of time. When you pick up your instrument at the end of the day, you will already be familiar with what your lesson will entail. Watch the lesson again, and maximize your learning. 

By listen to the lesson twice, you can catch things that you might otherwise miss. 

Finding the determination to practice after a long day’s work can be hard. Once you’re already familiar with the content, you will have a much easier time applying it to your guitar. 

Everybody’s got a busy schedule these days. Thanks to today’s technology, you can capitalize on the time you spend sitting in traffic, as well as waiting in lines and waiting rooms.

Maximize your learning. Start investing. It will pay off when you pick up that guitar and you find it’s getting easier and easier.