Learning an instrument and playing music well requires the player to navigate transitions with ease.  Playing the guitar is full of transitions, and they need extra work to master and today’s technology enables this easier than ever.  Transitions can be anything requiring a change like left hand fretboard positions, moving from one chord shape to another, encountering accidentals or switching into a new key or time signatures while reading music. What they all have in common is that something is about to change, and we best be prepared for it.

What a thrill it was to watch Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in this year’s men’s Wimbledon tennis final!  The game reunited me with the sport of my teens, and I found myself pondering why this match was so impressive and meaningful.  It took place in England, home turf to top-notch guitarists, such as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Jeff Beck.  This historic match caused me to consider connections between tennis, the splendor of pairing together great talent and the need for sportsmanship in both circles.

Left hand strength and dexterity is developed through warm up exercises in the form of repetition of finger combinations. Warm up exercises are a must for beginners, and on days you are not inspired to play, they can help to get you into a flow.  Start slow, pay attention to accuracy and put all your focus into these exercises.  At the same time, don’t be too critical on yourself.  Playing the guitar well takes time, and there is no end to improvement.