Lesson 5:
The Feedback Loop
The Art of Feedback
I have something to confess. 🥺
Some time ago, I used to hate hearing and watching myself sing. Every time someone sent me a video of a performance or tagged me on Instagram during a concert, my heart started racing since I knew I wasn't the best singer and I was not ready to confront reality because of those videos.
I stayed like this for many months, avoiding confronting reality and just focusing on people having the best time possible. Until one day, when I moved to a more demanding and luxurious place, one of the reasons why they fired me was because I went out of pitch constantly.
This lesson cost me the breakup of my band and a lot of money that stopped earning, but more importantly, it opened my eyes to get over the discomfort and start to confront my skills objectively by reviewing them often. I started to embrace feedback.
Thats why I hope is that you don't need to get fired from a 5-star venue to start taking feedback seriously 😅 so let's start:
The two main sources of feedback:
1) Self-Assessment:
This is like looking in a mirror. It demands honesty and a keen ear. By recording your practice sessions and listening back, you can catch nuances and mistakes that slip past during the actual playing. It's about becoming your own most constructive critic, pinpointing places where your rhythm stumbles or your chords muffle.
2) External Sources:
Then there's feedback from others—teachers, peers, or even audience members. This kind of feedback is invaluable because it comes with perspective. A teacher might notice your hand positioning and offer tweaks you'd never think of, or a peer might suggest a fingering that makes a challenging passage easier.
Or people might be falling asleep during your performance (not good if you wanted to make them dance). All of this are amazing opportunities for growth, even though it can be painful to watch or receive sometimes.
The Benefits of Tuning Into Feedbackz
Why stress so much obout it? Because it's the secret sauce to leveling up your skills. It's what will make you learn from 2x speed to 4x.
And here is why:
Spotting Errors
Sometimes, it's about the little things—a slightly off timing, a not-quite-right strum—that can throw off your groove. Feedback helps you identify these so you can correct them ASAP.
Reinforcing Strengths
It's not all about what's wrong; feedback also reinforces what you're doing right, encouraging you to embed these successful actions deeper into your play style.
Speeding Up Learning
With feedback comes faster learning. It allows you to make quick pivots, adjusting your techniques in real-time rather than continuing down an inefficient path.
Tailoring the Experience
Personalized feedback means your learning path is uniquely yours. It respects your style and challenges your specific weaknesses, making your practice sessions incredibly efficient.
Not all the people will give you graceful feedback but will be always useful !
How to Use Feedback to Accelerate Your Guitar Skills
1) Reflect After Each Session:
After each practice, take a moment to think about what went well and what didn’t. This simple reflection helps you identify what to focus on next time, making your practice sessions more targeted and effective.
2) Embrace Technology for Immediate Correction:
Utilize apps that provide real-time feedback on your playing. Focus on syncing with the metronome, and correct your rhythm on the spot. Record voice notes and listen where it does not sound good, or record videos of yourself so you can check on your hand position or overall body tightness. Working with a tuner can help ensure that your bends reach the correct pitch, improving your sound.
The important point here is that the faster you get feedback, the faster you can correct and improve it. Use technology for it!
3) Break It Down:
Complex songs can be daunting. If you're tackling a difficult solo, break it into smaller sections. Master each part slowly before picking up the pace, ensuring perfection before advancing. This methodical approach not only makes the task more manageable but also allows you to absorb each part thoroughly.
4) Learn From Others :
Participate in peer review sessions where you can play for others and receive feedback. Maybe a fellow guitarist will point out that a different fingering could make a particular passage easier, or they might compliment a technique you’ve mastered, reinforcing your confidence.
5) Evolve Your Feedback Needs:
As you progress, the feedback you need will change. Initially, you might focus on getting chords right, but later, you might seek advice on how to express more emotion through your music. Regularly attending workshops or taking advanced lessons can provide this higher-level feedback.
6) Handle Feedback Positively:
Remember that feedback is meant to help you improve, not to criticize. If you receive advice on improving your bending technique, use it as motivation to practice more precisely.
Of course, this is easier said than done, and it has a lot to do with your mindset. If you feel like you need help over here, just google “growth mindset” or check out my special course for guitarists “Growth Mindset for Guitarists” that will help you improve the mental game of learning guitar or any other skill.
7) Tailor Feedback to Your Learning Style:
Understand how you learn best. If you are a visual learner, watch videos to see how experienced guitarists manage their technique. Try to imitate their movements closely, focusing on how they position their hands and manipulate the strings. Try audios too and find your perfect learning mix!
Now grab the camera or recorder and play something so you can identify new areas of growth by leveraging the power of immediate feedback! 🎸✨
