A repertoire (pronounced REP-er-TWAR), as relates to a musician, is a compilation of all of the songs he or she is prepared to present. Your repertoire will be a list of each song you can play at performance level. Performance level does not mean perfection. I think most musicians could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times they have played a song at what they would consider to be perfection. But to play a song at performance level would be to play it confidently, at an appropriate and even tempo, in a way that is a satisfying experience for both the musician and the listener. If you don't know the lyrics like the back of your hand, or if you stumble at a particular chord or lick on your guitar, the song has not reached performance level.

What is the quickest and most effective way to build a repertoire? First and foremost, make the development of your repertoire the focus of each and every one of your practice sessions. Now, in two Word files, or on two sheets of notebook paper, make the headings for two lists. One list will be entitled "Repertoire." The other list will be entitled "Repertoire Staging Area." Obviously, your repertoire list will consist of only those songs that have been tested and found to be at performance level. Enter the songs that you desire to bring to performance level on the staging area list. It would make sense to start with songs that you are already fairly proficient at playing.

Don't be too hasty in adding songs to the repertoire list! Do you actually know the song as well as you think you know it? I say this because a lot of guitar enthusiasts play only PARTS of songs. They play the riff of a song, or a couple of verses, and then move on to another part of another song. They think they know songs which they have never even entirely played! Make every song you play pass this test: Be able to play the song repeatedly, without faltering, to a metronome, at the beats per minute that you would want to perform the song in front of an audience.

Work on the songs in the repertoire staging area one by one, bringing each song to the point at which you can add it to your repertoire before moving on to the next song. When you begin to work on a song in your staging area, the first thing you should do is establish its pattern. Is there an introduction, or some pick-up notes? How many lines in part A? How many lines in part B? Is part A or part B repeated? Is there a bridge between the two parts? Just how will the song end? Get the pattern together, taking notes if necessary--and play the song according to the pattern you have established EVERY time you practice it!

Once you've added a song to your repertoire, don't think you don't need to practice it any more! You will never get to the point at which one of your songs cannot be improved. Also, it is important to stay intimate with each song in your repertoire. Once in awhile, take a practice session or two and practice each song in your repertoire.

As you build your repertoire deliberately and systematically, you'll also build up self-confidence in your guitar playing like you've never experienced. The discipline involved in achieving your goals will be well rewarded!

Copyright © 2008 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.