Soundboard Magazine (2024)
Chandler Dillingham discussed his "core values" for efficient practice, and demonstrated techniques for instilling those values in students. In his survey of educational and psychological texts, Dillingham distilled a few areas of focus for guitarists.
In "Goal Setting and Self-Regulation," he recommends dividing time between "deliberate practice" (concrete goals and finding solutions for isolated problems) and "self-regulation" (awareness of mental states of the moments before, during, and after a passage is performed). Dillingham here reminded his audience of management consultant George T. Doran's "SMART" goals those that are Specific. Meaningful, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Based. Frequently articulating and inquiring with students about the specific aims of each repetition and moment of practice goes hand-in-hand with finding creative solutions.
With that in mind, Dillingham moved to "Intentional Accuracy." in which repetitions are maximized not by their quantity but by having small, clearly-articulated aims for each. He promoted a number of strategies for gaining in consistent accuracy, like prioritizing increases in coordination rather than tempo, and spacing repetitions in order to build stronger recall away from muscle memory.
In one sequence of the presentation, musical and technical issues were tackled in a series of interconnected lavers. Awareness of these issues often first arises in repertoire practice, but cycling through studies of isolated movements, technical exercises, and dedicated etudes provides a holistic approach to fixing them.
"Mental Rehearsal* stressed the importance of balance between physical and visualized practice. The beginner's fleeting grasp of a piece, in which memory is reliant on chains of physical movements, often fails when pressure is applied. Strengthening the interaction between memory and the"inner ear" that interior aural conjuring of a phrase or piece away from the instrument is a key goal of mental practice. Dillingham indicated several strategies, including Julian Grey's method of repeating a phrase first with the score, then without, and finally mentally, away from the instrument.
Tactics like these, he says, could also help avoid overuse injuries common in serious young guitarists.
In his concluding remarks, Dillingham urged teachers to increase their focus on imparting efficient practice skills, prioritizing critical thinking and goal-setting.
In "Goal Setting and Self-Regulation," he recommends dividing time between "deliberate practice" (concrete goals and finding solutions for isolated problems) and "self-regulation" (awareness of mental states of the moments before, during, and after a passage is performed). Dillingham here reminded his audience of management consultant George T. Doran's "SMART" goals those that are Specific. Meaningful, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Based. Frequently articulating and inquiring with students about the specific aims of each repetition and moment of practice goes hand-in-hand with finding creative solutions.
With that in mind, Dillingham moved to "Intentional Accuracy." in which repetitions are maximized not by their quantity but by having small, clearly-articulated aims for each. He promoted a number of strategies for gaining in consistent accuracy, like prioritizing increases in coordination rather than tempo, and spacing repetitions in order to build stronger recall away from muscle memory.
In one sequence of the presentation, musical and technical issues were tackled in a series of interconnected lavers. Awareness of these issues often first arises in repertoire practice, but cycling through studies of isolated movements, technical exercises, and dedicated etudes provides a holistic approach to fixing them.
"Mental Rehearsal* stressed the importance of balance between physical and visualized practice. The beginner's fleeting grasp of a piece, in which memory is reliant on chains of physical movements, often fails when pressure is applied. Strengthening the interaction between memory and the"inner ear" that interior aural conjuring of a phrase or piece away from the instrument is a key goal of mental practice. Dillingham indicated several strategies, including Julian Grey's method of repeating a phrase first with the score, then without, and finally mentally, away from the instrument.
Tactics like these, he says, could also help avoid overuse injuries common in serious young guitarists.
In his concluding remarks, Dillingham urged teachers to increase their focus on imparting efficient practice skills, prioritizing critical thinking and goal-setting.
UW-Milwaukee News (2024)
Concert Portrait by Jason Fricke (2024)
Queens Gazette (2022)
© 2025 Chandler Dillingham