Day 6: Stress-test it

What you’ll accomplish today

By the end of Day 6, you’ll know:

• whether your spot survives pressure conditions
• (if it doesn't) what the “missing thought” is
• how to patch it quickly and re-test

Binary goal: Your spot + 1 bar before/after holds up in no-stopping takes and you can still do 10 clean reps in a row on the isolated version when needed.

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Why this day exists

After a few days of focused practice, mistakes usually mean one thing: there’s a detail you’re not thinking about yet.

Today is all about finding the missing thought, fixing it, and re-testing.

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Step 1: Warm up

• Warm up like you normally do
• Then play your excerpt slowly but beautifully (not mechanical)

If you make a mistake: don’t freak out. Repeat it a couple times and clarify it mentally before moving on.

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Step 2: Perform 3 no-stopping takes

Pull out your phone camera, get in frame, and hit record.

Play: 1 bar before → your spot → 1 bar after, 3 times without stopping.

If something goes wrong, that's ok! This is a stress-test and isn't supposed to be perfect.

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Step 3: Video audit: find the “missing thought”

Watch the recording focusing only on the hands (use slow motion if needed).

Pick one main cause:

• shift arrives late
• finger lifts too early
• barre forms too suddenly
• right hand isn’t prepared
• unnecessary squeeze/tension

You’re just choosing the first clear cause, not trying to analyze everything.

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Step 4: Patch it with a micro-exercise

Make a tiny drill aimed at your one issue:

• Shift issue: silent shift → land → play target note (repeat)
• Finger lift issue: keep the finger touching/hovering through the change
• Barre issue: pre-form the barre shape before it’s needed

Practice this exercise for a few minutes, then go back to playing slow, beautiful reps of the excerpt (like you did in Step 1).

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Step 5: Re-test

Reset and record 3 more no-stopping takes.

Did it improve? If not, no problem! Repeat steps 3 and 4, and then re-test.

This work will be worth it once you can play this passage with confidence and precision!

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Your Day 6 deliverable (one sentence)

Write this down:

When I play this spot under pressure, I want to focus on: ____________________

That’s your “missing thought.”

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Watch today’s clip (1 minute)

Pepe Romero: “Don't freak out if you make a mistake”

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One last thing...

If your video audit reveals a clear technique gap (shift, slur, barre, coordination), this is where tonebase Premium can help. Start your free trial today and get the guideance of a world-class guitarist on any technique.

You're nearly there! Tomorrow is the final day: we’ll lock it in and make the process repeatable.

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