Beginner Guitar Academy

This week, Paul Andrews explores one of the most common struggles guitarists face: how to practice jamming in a way that leads to real improvement, rather than just filling time.
If you’ve ever found yourself noodling over a backing track and wondering why you don’t seem to get any better, this episode is for you!
Paul breaks down a practical “jam loop” that transforms aimless jamming into focused, efficient practice, and offers actionable tips for beginners and seasoned players alike.
Key Topics & Takeaways
1. Community News & Updates
Upcoming Beginner Guitar Academy member live Q&A: New date is Monday, January 26th at 9 pm GMT / 4 pm EST / 1 pm PST. Members can pre-submit questions, and the recording will be available afterwards in the Academy.
January Practice Tracker and Charity Fundraiser: Download the tracker at bgapodcast.com/january. Donations support Jesse’s Fund, a charity helping seriously ill and disabled children in the UK through music. Consider donating via bgapodcast.com/charity.

2. Why Jamming Isn’t Always Progress
Many guitarists spend practice time jamming over backing tracks, but don’t see results.
The problem: not all practice leads to improvement. Deliberate, focused practice is essential.

3. The 4-Step Jam Practice Loop: Transform unstructured jamming into real progress:
Jam Freely: Start by playing over a backing track to warm up and get in the groove.
Notice One Thing: Pause after a minute or two, pinpoint one specific area that felt off (timing, phrasing, technique, etc.).
Isolate: Zoom in on that one issue. Slow it down, simplify, and practice it separately.
Rejam With Intention: Go back to the track, this time focusing on improving that one thing, aim for progress, not perfection.

4. Making the Most of Backing Tracks
Choose simple, slow or mid-tempo tracks with clear chord changes.
Use tracks that inspire you musically.
Beginner Guitar Academy offers curated backing tracks for members.

5. Best Practices for Jamming
Don’t play nonstop; leave space to create musical phrases.
Stop while it feels good: 5 minutes of focused jamming beats 20 minutes of unfocused noodling.
Balance focused practice with fun, unstructured playing to stay motivated and see real benefits.

6. Advice for Beginners
You don’t need long jam sessions; even a few minutes of focused practice makes a difference.
Mix deliberate practice with time to play and enjoy music.

Links & Resources
Download January Practice Tracker: bgapodcast.com/january
Donate to Jesse’s Fund: bgapodcast.com/charity
Access Backing Tracks: Beginner Guitar Academy dashboard (Members only)

Final Thoughts
Jamming should be a fun, rewarding part of your practice routine. By using the four-step jam loop, you’ll start to notice real improvement and avoid the trap of aimless noodling. Remember: improvement comes from intention, not just repetition!

In this episode, Paul Andrews dives into one of the most common mistakes guitarists make when jamming: the belief that you need to be soloing all the time. Whether you’re jamming with others or with a backing track at home, understanding and embracing your role in the music is what truly elevates the experience.
Key Topics Covered:
The Three Essential Roles in a Jam:
Timekeeper:
The backbone of any jam.
Provides solid rhythm, groove, and consistency.
Not just for beginners—crucial for all musicians.
Steady chord strumming or repeating simple riffs anchors the music.
Supporter:
The glue that holds the jam together.
Adds chord changes, small fills, dynamic shifts, and textures.
Reacts to others, listens, and creates space—often less noticed but vital.
Speaker:
The lead voice: melodies, solos, and musical statements.
What most think of when they imagine jamming, but shouldn’t be everyone’s focus at once.
Works best when time and support roles are present.

How Jams Fall Apart:
When everyone tries to be the speaker at once, musical communication breaks down.

Practical Jam Challenge:
Put on a simple backing track and deliberately cycle through each role:
Focus on timekeeping for one minute.
Shift to supporting, adding fills or dynamic changes.
Become the speaker—play a short, clear musical phrase.
Repeat the cycle or reflect on which role felt most natural.
Use this as a roadmap for structured practice rather than just noodling.

Empowering Beginners:
You don’t need to solo to belong in a jam.
Solid timing and support skills mean you’re already playing like a musician.

Action Steps:
Try the four-step jam practice outlined by
Paul Andrews
Reflect after each jam on which role you found easiest or most challenging.

In this episode, Paul Andrews digs deep into one of the most common questions beginner guitarists ask: “I know lots of scales, so why doesn’t my lead playing or improvisation sound musical?”
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by scales or are uncertain how to turn your knowledge into actual music, this episode is for you! Paul Andrews demonstrates how to sound more musical with only one scale and reveals why learning more scales isn’t the secret to great jamming.
Key Topics Covered
Jamming January & Practicethon
Start your year strong with Beginner Guitar Academy’s January Practicethon! Practice daily, track your progress, and join a community aiming to improve together. There’s also a charitable side: help raise money for Jesse’s Fund, supporting children with complex needs through music.

Myth Busting: Paul Andrews addresses the myth that learning more scales alone will make you a better guitarist. Instead, it’s about how you use the scales you know.
The Power of Limitation
Why sticking to just one scale (even a tiny section of it) can actually boost creativity, reduce overwhelm, and make your solos sound more intentional and musical.

The Four Must-Have Musical Elements for Great Jamming:
Repetition: Create memorable hooks by repeating phrases.
Space: Let the music breathe; don’t play constantly—leave room between notes.
Rhythm: Change up the rhythmic feel of your phrases to add interest.
Dynamics: Play with volume—soft, loud, or both—to add expression.

Hands-On Example:
Paul Andrews gives a practical, step-by-step demonstration of how to jam with just three notes from the A minor pentatonic scale over a backing track—creating musical phrases using only repetition, space, rhythm, and dynamics. He encourages students to keep it simple, repeat phrases, and experiment before ever moving on to more notes or scale shapes.

Upcoming Events & Resources:
There's a “First Steps Jam” happening live on Zoom for Beginner Guitar Academy members—perfect for those nervous to jam in public, as everyone will be muted!
Backing tracks, scale diagrams, and a video of this episode are available on bgapodcast.com/268.
Backing track used in the episode: https://youtu.be/bkMtp8vt6oE?si=n2G0fRXBNn5OCkJg
A Minor Pentatonic Scale: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n6drxfruuf2yg4n1qi11w/A-Minor-Pentatonic.pdf?rlkey=evq8t819h1m7ak22qtq3qcck0&e=1&dl=0

Action Steps
Join the Practicethon: Sign up at bgapodcast.com/january to track your practice, get motivational emails, and be part of the challenge.
Support Jesse’s Fund: Raise money with your own sponsorship page or donate directly at bgapodcast.com/charity.
Practice Jamming: Use one part of a scale, focus on the four key elements, and try improvising over backing tracks for at least five minutes each session.
Check Resources: For full lesson notes and backing...

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! In this episode, Paul Andrews kicks off "Jamming Month" with practical advice on why most guitar jams—whether solo or group—tend to stall or feel unmusical, and how you can overcome those hurdles to make your playing more creative and enjoyable.
Key Topics Discussed
1. Jamming Defined
Jamming isn't just about playing with other people. It can be solo, using backing tracks or drum loops, and is accessible to beginners.

2. Practice-a-Thon and Charity News
January’s Practice-a-Thon: Practice throughout January to launch your year on a strong note.
Optional charity element supporting Jesse’s Fund, helping children with complex needs. You can join and track your progress for free, with the option to raise funds.

3. Upcoming Events
First Steps Jam: January 11th (live on Zoom) — Learn the basics of jamming with guided real-time practice.
Live Member Q&A: January 25th (live on Zoom) — Submit questions in advance or join live; recording available later.

4. Why Guitar Jams Go Nowhere
The core issue: Random ideas with no intent or commitment.
Most jams falter not from lack of skill, but lack of focus.

5. Noodling vs. Jamming
Noodling: Playing without intent, changing ideas constantly.
Jamming: Committing to ideas, responding to what you hear, and developing musical phrases.

6. The Power of Constraints
Music flourishes with fewer ideas, not more.
Use constraints (like limiting yourself to three notes or repeating a phrase for 30 seconds) to foster creativity and musicality.

7. Practice Challenge
Try the "two-note improvising" challenge found in the community section of Beginner Guitar Academy.

8. Action Steps for Listeners
If you can play a few chords or notes, you’re ready to jam! Jamming is a skill developed by doing.
For your next solo or group jam, pick one idea and stick with it longer than feels comfortable—this forces creativity and deeper musical exploration.

9. What's Next
Next week's episode: How to sound musical using just one scale, and why phrasing is more important than knowing lots of notes.

Resources and Links
Sign up for PracticeThon: bgapodcast.com/january
Community Section &...

In this bonus episode, Paul Andrews announces the launch of the January Practice-a-thon challenge at Beginner Guitar Academy! The Practice-a-thon kicks off Thursday, January 1st, and is designed to set the tone for a productive and inspiring year of guitar playing.
What is the Practice-a-thon?
A flexible challenge: Push yourself to practice guitar more often throughout January.
No pressure to practice every single day, set your own realistic goals.
Perfect for those struggling with consistency, motivation, or regular practice.

Charity Element
This year, you can add a charitable aspect to your challenge by getting sponsored.
Donations support Jesse’s Fund, a UK charity using music to help children with additional and complex needs communicate and express themselves.
You can set up your own sponsorship page or support Paul Andrews via his sponsorship page. (All participation is optional.)

How to Join
Sign up at bjapodcast.com/january
Register with your name and email to receive all the info you need.
Download the Practice Tracker (a fillable, printable PDF) to log your minutes and reflect on your progress each week.
Links to set up your charity page are included in the email.

Episode Highlights
Start the year strong by building a consistent practice habit.
Connect with a community of guitar learners.
Support a meaningful cause through music.
Entire challenge is free and customizable to your schedule.
Let’s kick off 2026 with a bang!

Quick Links
Sign up for the Practice-a-thon Challenge

Join the challenge, start the year with intention, and become the guitarist you want to be—while helping others experience the joy and connection of music!
Note: The Practice-a-thon challenge and charitable elements are entirely optional and flexible. Participate in whatever way is right for you.