How 4 Pennies Can Make Your Guitar Playing Better

It’s hard to play the right notes and rhythms consistently.

You keep playing through a piece from the beginning.

Sometimes you get it right.

Sometimes you get it wrong.

How do you get it right every time?

If you want to take your consistency to the next level, try the 4 Penny strategy.

1. Correct Repetitions

Seek to play several correct repetitions in a row. I suggest four because it’s enough to promote consistency but not so many it seems unattainable. Pick four measures of your piece. Put 4 pennies on the left side of your music stand. Each time you get a correct repetition of those four measures, move 1 penny to the right.

2. Restart the Count After a Mistake

If you make a mistake on a playthrough, move all 4 pennies back to the left side of your music stand and start over.

3. Celebrate Four in a Row

When you finally move the fourth penny to the right side of your music stand, you’ve achieved 4 correct repetitions in a row. Celebrate!

You can have confidence you know those measures well.

Consider repeating this process with each four-measure section of the piece until you’re confident with the whole piece.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even work on playing the whole piece from beginning to end four times in a row correctly!

Keep making music!