Struggling to improve despite consistent practice – feel stuck and not sure what I’m doing wrong

Hey everyone,

I’ve been using GuitarTricks for a couple of months now and I’m currently somewhere between Fundamentals 2 and starting the blues path. The problem is I feel like I’m putting in the time (around 45–60 minutes a day), but I’m not actually improving in a noticeable way.

For example, I can play through exercises and some beginner songs, but as soon as I try to switch chords smoothly or play along with a backing track, everything falls apart. My timing gets inconsistent, and I tense up a lot—especially with faster changes. I also feel like I’m just “following along” with lessons instead of really understanding what I’m doing on the fretboard.

Another issue is I don’t really have a clear practice structure. Some days I do scales, other days I jump into songs, and sometimes I just repeat lessons without knowing if I should move on or master them first. It’s starting to feel a bit random, and I’m worried I’m building bad habits.  fnf 

Has anyone else gone through this stage? How did you break out of it and start seeing real progress? Any advice on structuring practice or improving timing would really help.

Thanks in advance 🙏

I have very similar issues.

I have put in a LOT of time. I understand the concepts of the lessons, my right hand is coming along nicely. I can play single note songs with my left.

I try to move my left hand between 3 simple open chords, and it still feels like day one. 

Sometimes now, I don't practice because it is at best boring to not improve, and at worst bad for my fragile ego.

I will still move forward, but it has lost some the excitement I had in the begining.

I probably need a better practice routine as well.

Hey fnfgopro,

That definitely sounds like a plateau! 

Maybe it could help to change things up. 

1 - Have you tried, or are you able to have a jam session with friends? Even if it's a 12-bar blues jam, that can help a lot with getting into a "flow" with your playing. You could picking something really simple, just one or two chords (something that doesn't require "thinking"). Looping it for a while without any judgment can help break through that. Even if you're just playing root notes (so you don't need to worry about full chords), you could try being in a more "fun" mode instead of getting stuck in only the analytical (which also has its place!). 

2 - You mention tensing up. Does staying on one chord give you the same problem? Is it a right-hand or left-hand tensing-up issue? Or just a general "nerves" / blanking out thing?

-Carl. 

Hey, that's a thing. I feel like learning guitar is not a liner path. Progress occurs in plateaus for me, and that's okay! Might be the same for you?

You're in the grinding phase right now where you're syncing precision with your timing. Try playing the song or pass slow five or six times after you warm up. Then riff around with things you know well faster than you normally play. Then play your lesson 5 or 6 more times, but focus on the harder parts this time slowly. 

I've spent two weeks on my current lesson and wouldn't be surprised if it takes me another week or two of practice before I nail it. 

An old man used to ask me, "How do you eat an elephant?" One bite at a time. 

Maybe there's something cool down here that can help you while you grind, just have fun. 

https://www.guitartricks.com/techniques

And just to share, I learned how to play Angry Again from Megadeth and I can't play it to speed. But I play it a little bit better every day. 

You can do it!! 🤘