10 Common Mistakes Intermediate Guitarists Make

From my own playing experience, and from observing students; I find intermediate players can become obsessed with learning and playing scales up and down in box shapes, almost believing the number of scales learned equates to mastery of the instrument, while neglecting the very thing that is the most important: rhythm. I remember having a lesson at The Academy of Contemporary Music where we were asked what is more important: rhythm or melody? Most of us in the class said melody. “Incorrect”, we were told, by the teacher with a glint in his eye and a smirk on his face, knowing he was about to drop some serious knowledge on us that would last a lifetime. He played us two examples of well known melodies; one traditional and one from an iconic film score. He played the correct notes with the wrong rhythm, and we didn’t have a clue what they were. He then played the same tunes with the correct rhythm, but wildly different notes. We knew what they were without hesitation: ‘Happy Birthday’ and John Williams’ iconic ‘Indiana Jones’ theme. Proving his point about the importance of rhythm.

It is often the case with intermediate players that they prioritise notes over rhythm. In order to fix this, practise with a metronome or drum machine and really focus on playing scales (or even a single note) with different subdivisions (e.g. quarter/eighth/sixteenth notes, triplets, etc.). Tap your foot or bang your head along with the metronome or drum beat to internalise the beat. You need to feel it, not just hear it. Play along with records as much as possible. It’s amazing how your timing and feel will dramatically improve without feeling like you are actively practising.

Depending on the genre of music you want to play, playing fast enough to play along to your favourite songs often takes precedence over playing well. Yes, building speed is important; but if done incorrectly, this tends to be the moment where a lot of bad habits can set in. As a teenage budding guitarist, I was so obsessed with trying to play along to Metallica records as soon as possible after learning the parts, that not only did my technique suffer at the expense of speed, I had even learned the songs incorrectly. Ironically, going back to fix my fretting accuracy, string crossing, and even relearning the correct notes and rhythms, added so much time and effort to mastering the parts because I was simply so focused on playing along to the record. I would have done it all much sooner had I been more focused and methodical about my approach to learning the parts and developing secure technique in order to play not only fast, but accurately.

In order to fix this, take everything slowly at first. It seems counter productive, but if you don’t know the parts accurately enough and your technique is not secure, there will be a ceiling to how fast you will be able to play fast AND well. Ensure you can play accurately with a metronome or drum beat, making sure you know the rhythms, notes, and techniques required but at a slow tempo. Try this five times at a comfortable tempo. Now switch off the metronome, and try five times as fast as you can, even if you make a lot of mistakes. Go back to the slow tempo five times, then as fast as you can five times. Repeat this method, and not only will you get the accuracy by being meticulous about the nuances required to play the parts, but your hands and brain have time to sync up, getting you used to the FEELING of playing fast, while neatening up the parts every time you try it slowly. Before you know it, you will be playing faster with more accuracy. Give it 20 minutes. You’ll be surprised at the results.

When I was the Academy of Contemporary Music, I wasn’t the best player there, but I had live playing experience. I felt somewhat confident getting in front of the class when asked to demonstrate parts we were learning. One day, we had a supply teacher in (who I wish I knew his name). He asked if anyone wanted to get up and demonstrate a solo we had been learning in class. I felt confident that I knew the parts, and could perform it as close to the record as possible. This solo featured a lot of bending, vibrato, and putting vibrato on bends. I played what I thought was a securely played solo. He then asked, “are you nervous?”, to which I replied, “no”, as I felt confident, partly thanks to my live performing experience. His response wrecked me: “because your vibrato and bends were shaky and awful”. As embarrassed as I was, with bruised ego in check, I took him up on his offer for a one to one lesson when we were finished. It was one of the most valuable lessons I ever had, because that was the most I felt like I finally sounded like a professional musician. 

All my heroes had superb vibrato/bending control, with secure pitch accuracy and timing. In 30 minutes, he showed me the error of my ways, and I began to zone in on my vibrato technique, most notably vibrato at the top of a bend. Like trying to play fast, I had become complacent about my vibrato and bending technique in order to rush through learning the notes to play along to records as quickly as possible. Thank you to that supply teacher, wherever you may be!

In order to fix this; ensure your bends are in tune, either with an electronic tuner as a visual aid, or by playing the target note and getting it securely locked in your head. Not only will this improve your technique, but your ear also. Ensure support is there for your bending/vibrato finger by using the fingers behind the fretting finger. Experiment with the speed and width of your vibrato, ensuring 100% command and control. If like I did, you are playing very shallow but fast, you will sound shaky and nervous. Bending and vibrato are techniques I still practise daily, and I never simply assume I can do it when learning solos. Watch and listen to your favourite players, and take notes about how wide and fast they execute their vibrato.

There was a time in my late teens where I could play Steve Vai songs note for note (as well as my technique at the time would allow). I played along to backing tracks for ‘The Crying Machine’, ‘Hand On Heart’, and ‘The Attitude Song’ for my A level recital. My classmates (and even my music teacher) would be forgiven for thinking that I knew what I was doing and that I could really play. However, they didn’t see how much I practised to memorise and execute those melodies, because if I made one mistake, it would be game over. The truth was, I learned the parts parrot fashion: copying the tab to the best of my ability, with very little fretboard knowledge and theoretical understanding of what I was playing. If I lost my place, shape 1 of the minor pentatonic scale wouldn’t get me out of that mess. Most students and intermediate players I have spoken to have felt the same at some point. If I had to guess, you would feel most confident in one or two keys (usually, E and A minor). If I asked you to play 5 shapes of C# minor pentatonic and solo with a degree of confidence, would you be able to? What about 5 shapes of Gb major pentatonic? Do you know where every C note on the guitar is? I certainly didn’t back then, and I knew it was holding me back from progressing.

Try working on knowing all the notes of the fretboard. Start with what you do know, and use octaves to help work out the next. Get to know all 5 minor pentatonic and minor pentatonic shapes in keys more than what you are comfortable with; and improvise to a backing track, not always starting on the lowest note in that position. Progress to major and minor scales, and if you’re looking for more, the modes of the major scale. Of course we can learn more than this, but if you have a solid foundation with the aforementioned scales and notes on the fretboard, you will be surprised at how many musical situations you will be confident with, just from knowing the fretboard a little bit more.

Intermediate players (and even advanced ones) have the tendency to reach a point in their playing where they are relying on muscle memory to get them through. As much as there isn’t a problem with having a bag of tricks that you can consistently call upon, you can become bored of your own playing, often leading to not having the incentive to pick up the guitar on any given day. Think back to when you first started: everything you attempted was something new. 

You overcame those challenges, and they made you the player you are today. I think it’s easy to lose that mindset as we progress, and as we get older in general, as levelling up seems to take some kind of herculean effort, when in reality, it doesn’t take as much time as you think. Keep finding new things to incorporate into your playing. Learn a new riff, a new solo, new phrasing ideas, play with different dynamics and note choices, find new (and old) players and bands to draw inspiration from, experiment with a different technique or even a whole new genre. Keep your playing fresh and exciting, otherwise you will feel your playing stagnate. 

The second I start to feel this way, I find something new to make me feel like a beginner again. Musicians tend to not like that feeling, but learning new skills keeps our minds engaged while ensuring our progress is consistent. I think you will be surprised how quickly you can shake up or playing, and have that youthful, inquisitive feeling that kept you playing in the first place.

As a beginner, I was always taught to ensure every note and chord I played was performed with dynamic consistency: every note being of equal volume. I still believe that is what beginners should aim for, for consistency of tone and volume from note to note, and chord to chord. However, there comes a point, especially when learning to solo, where that can feel predictable, stagnant, and uninspiring. Listen to your favourite players and pay close attention to how loud they play. It can be intense and aggressive for an entire section, then calm and delicate the next. Even in solos, not every note is played with the same intensity; keeping the listener engaged and allowing for extra expression beyond having secure technique and note choice.

Experiment with different picks, picking angle, and how hard or soft you strike the string. Try it with one note, then a whole scale, a lick, and then a whole solo. Listen closely to how you attack the strings; and you will begin to hear a new level of emotional depth and intensity in your playing, whether playing aggressive heavy metal, or delicate ballads.

As a teacher, I am often surprised (in a good way) how well new and younger students can solo. They demonstrate techniques and speed that I simply did not have at their age. But there’s always something lacking, and it presents itself very quickly: when I ask them to jam. It becomes even clearer when I ask them to play an A major chord. The look on their face is priceless. Chords? Really? Yes...really. Now I’m not saying intermediate guitarists don’t know any chords at all, but as guitarists, we will be playing rhythm guitar 99% of the time, so why are we practising soloing 99% of the time? I’ve always found that imbalance kind of funny, and I know I’m guilty of it myself. Once you become an intermediate player, I believe it is essential to level up your chord vocabulary to compliment your advancing rhythm skills. 

Ensure you have a solid foundation with open major and minor chord shapes, while also solidifying your command of major and minor barre chords and power chord transitions. Start experimenting with extended chords, and try to implement these new chord voicings by learning new songs and genres. Pay close attention to your favourite players. Are they using full chords, triads, or inversions? Get to know your triads around the neck in multiple keys. To me, this is also an essential skill you are starting to develop your songwriting, to open up new avenues and textures, again, keeping your playing and writing from stagnating.

As an intermediate player, it is easy to assume you have got the basics covered. In my experience, that is simply not the case. I have been playing guitar for close to 30 years, and I consistently go over ‘simple’ techniques that I have simply taken for granted that I can do them. Is my alternate picking dynamically and tonally consistent? Could my timing be better? Am I muting efficiently enough? Is my legato secure? Can I hear all the notes in this chord? Bad habits can creep in very quickly if left unchecked. The perfect opportunity to address such issues is when learning new songs, licks, and solos. Triple check all techniques required to securely execute the parts, treating them as mini exercises as you go.

Unstructured practise, to me, if the biggest progress killer. As fun as it is to mindlessly meander around the fretboard, reenforcing techniques and licks we already know; having clear goals is what keeps us improving. Even as Lick Library tutor, I have goals (short-term, mid-term, and long-term) in order to make sure I am ready for a filming day. For example, if I’m learning a new song, I will ask myself questions such as: how many sections are there to learn? Is there a solo? 

What techniques do I need to sharpen up? How is my timing in this section? Knowing I have a deadline to master the parts (even if self imposed), is incredibly useful for me. I used to imagine I had a gig or recording session coming up (even if I didn’t) to ensure I would have a structured daily routine. Even if there isn’t a song or solo I need or want to learn; I still break up my practise session into multiple segments, with time divided depending on how much time I have to practise that day. I will break my practise up into: technique, rhythm, fretboard theory, chord knowledge, licks, solos, songs, session styles, ear training, sight reading, improvisation, and songwriting; prioritising whatever is mostly needed at the time. If I don’t get time for one aspect of my playing one day, I’ll work on it the next day. To paraphrase the wonderful Lick Library tutor, Nick Jennison: “don’t skip legato day”.

The single biggest improvement in my playing was, without a shadow of doubt, playing with other musicians. Not just other guitarists, other musicians. I was incredibly fortunate as a teen, as my brother played bass, and he knew a drummer. I’ve been jamming with other musicians since my first lesson. Practising alone at home obviously has its merits. It is an essential part of refining your technique, knowing your parts, and playing along to records for the sheer love of playing itself. I have students who are very happy if that’s all they ever do, and I applaud them for it. 

But, in my experience, playing and jamming with others did more for my playing than thousands of hours and decades of practising alone could ever do. By playing with others, you learn to refine your rhythm chops and timing, develop your ear training, refine techniques by hearing them in context, and you learn to adapt if things go wrong. I absorbed so much from every musician I’ve had the fortune of playing with. A drummer will play a fill, and I’ll incorporate the rhythm into a riff. 

The vocalist will perform a certain inflection that I later imitate in a lick. The keys player will teach me, indirectly, that I don’t need to play full barre chords when triads will suffice. Similarly, the bassist will inform my decision of how much I need to play, leaving space for others. These, plus countless more, are reason enough to get out and play with others as much as you can. I also ended up practising even more, because I had a reason to perfect my parts. I simply didn’t want to be the one who turned up to rehearsal and not be playing at 100%. Even getting up at open mic nights has done wonders for my playing and musicality, especially on acoustic guitar. I urge you to go out and play with other musicians as much as possible, and see your progress skyrocket.