You know the best way to practice guitar is with deep concentration, carefully chosen music, and commitment to reaching your guitar goals. But this Shark Week, I have a confession to make.

Sometimes I love to make a deep dent in the couch, play guitar, and watch TV for hours.

This practice doesn’t suit every guitarist, and it drives my family crazy, but I find playing guitar with the TV on incredibly relaxing and I think it’s actually helped me become a better player in three distinct ways.

The Benefits of Watching TV While Playing Guitar

When I first started learning to play guitar, I stared too much at my hands which really slowed down my ability to read tabs or chord charts while I played. Playing with the TV on pulled my eyes away from my hands and forced me to learn to rely on my muscle memory to form chords, scales, and riffs.

I also used to get bored easily while practicing technical exercises such as scales and arpeggios. With the TV on in the background and my metronome clicking happily away, I can run through technical exercises for a whole episode of Shark Planet.

Finally, watching TV distracts the nervous, busy parts of my brain that are mainly responsible for criticizing me constantly and wondering if I left the oven on. With my focus split and my busy-brain occupied, I can improvise in a freer, less-inhibited way. I find I feel less self-conscious and much more relaxed.

Plus, it’s great to just spend more time with a guitar in my hands. If I’m sitting around at home anyway, I might as well be playing!

How to Practice Guitar While Watching TV

For best results, I play an unplugged electric or hollow body electric guitar while watching TV. It’s a little less annoying to the other members of my household, but I can still hear myself well enough to get the job done.

When I’m alone, I bust out my metronome for TV practice sessions as well.

11 Things You Can Practice While You Watch TV

Ready to give it a shot? I’ve selected 11 shark-approved things you can practice while you enjoy Shark Week, your next Netflix binge, or a week long Harry Potter movie marathon.

1. Play Chromatic Scales

Chromatic scales involve all the fingers of your left hand and they’re a great way to refine your right hand skills with your pick. Just like any other exercise, start with your metronome on a slow speed and work up to a faster tempo.

2. Play Pentatonic Scales

Pentatonic scales are at the root of many of your favorite rock, pop, and blues songs. Plus, they are a great tool to have at your disposal when it comes time to improvise a solo. Practice them in many positions on the neck to get the pentatonic patterns locked in your muscle memory.

3. Play Major Scales

Practicing major scales is a must for all musicians, no matter what instrument you play. There are five patterns you can learn to play major scales all over the fretboard.

4. Play Minor Scales

Minor scales give you a sadder, moodier sound. The melancholy vibe of these scales will help you express your grief when Shark Week is over.

5. Play Scales in Different Modes

Each scale can be played in a different order, known as a mode, for even more variety in sound and feeling. This guide from Guitar Habits can help you learn all seven modes in seven days.

6. Practice Chord Changes

Keep your eyes on the TV as you practice switching from one chord to another. You can work through the chord changes in your favorite songs, or make up chord drills to give yourself a little extra challenge.

7. Play Arpeggios

Arpeggio is a fancy word for “broken chord”, and they’re extremely versatile piece of your guitar-skills arsenal. Arpeggios are great for picking an accompaniment to a singer or for improvising solos.

8. Practice Fingerpicking

It can take a lot of time to master the coordination that fingerpicking requires, so why not practice this technique while you’re vegging out in front of the TV?

9. Practice Something That Challenges You

Sometimes when you’re playing something hard, the biggest obstacle to mastering it could actually be your own mind. Get a little bit distracted with some TV while you play through challenging pieces (or parts of pieces) and you might break through your mental block.

10. Practice Something Easy

Unwind by playing through your favorite, easy, fun pieces. After all, the best thing about playing guitar is the pleasure you get from making music. Enjoy yourself!

11. Get Creative

You might like to improvise along with your TV, perhaps playing along to music in the show you’re watching, or writing riffs inspired by what you see on the screen. Find what you enjoy and what makes sense for you to play.

Remember, though playing in front of the TV can be fun and relaxing, it’s no substitute for focused and dedicated practice time. Your guitar teacher can help you make a plan for great guitar practice that helps you meet your musical goals.

Practice every week like it’s Shark Week!

______________________________________________________

Megan L. is a writer and musician living in San Diego. She loves supporting independentartists and learning more about music every day. Megan has been working for TakeLessons since November 2011. Google+