How To Actually Improve When You're Already Good

Getting better at guitar gets harder the more you improve. Early on, progress feels obvious—but over time, the gains become more subtle and harder to reach. Practicing scales and licks is a no-brainer; you can never have too much command over those.

But today, I want to talk about a different approach—let’s call it detailing.

We all know a bunch of songs. Some we can just grab and rip through, and others… we’d rather avoid. Start with one of those songs you don’t like to play—not because it’s boring, but because it’s difficult. Then really dig in. Work it up to a level where you actually look forward to playing it, just for the satisfaction of seeing your progress.

Here’s an example. I know a ton of Led Zeppelin riffs, but lately I’ve been telling my students: don’t just play the riff—play the whole song. It’s surprisingly hard to play something “easy” 50+ times in a row if you’ve never practiced it that way.

Go into any guitar store and you’ll hear the same thing: fast riffs, no transitions, stop-and-go playing. A lot of players can play a verse or chorus, but moving smoothly between sections? That takes real work—and it’s often overlooked.

So I went back and revisited some Zeppelin tunes more carefully. Take “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”—there’s a heavier section that I used to skip over. It’s actually a huge part of the song, and it deserves attention. Or “Heartbreaker”—everyone knows the main riff, but I started playing it like I was recording it. I used that as a chance to dial in tone, experiment with gain, and really focus on dynamics—especially hitting the breaks cleanly.

At a certain point, chasing new licks becomes less effective. It’s fun, sure—but it doesn’t always translate musically. Instead, take a single new idea and work on making it sound natural over a backing track. Apply what you know in a real musical context.

That’s where the real growth happens.

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Welcome to Bordas Guitar Instruction, your number one choice instructor in Irvine, California, the surrounding area in Orange County, California and online anywhere.
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