You've practiced the exercise. It's getting better, but there's still a buzzy note or a chord change that doesn't quite land.

Should you move on to the next session? Or stay here until you get it right?

This is one of the questions I hear most often. And I understand why. You want to build a solid foundation, but you also want to feel like you're getting somewhere.

Here's a guideline I use with my students: the 80% rule.

What Does "80%" Actually Mean?

Practice something until it's roughly 80% of the way to how you think it should sound. Then move forward, and keep improving it through review.

That number is a judgment call. Listen to what you're playing, compare it to the video you're learning from, and trust your ear. You get better at making that call every time you make it.

Three questions can help you judge:

• Do you understand what you're practicing? You know what the exercise is asking you to do and what it should sound like.

• Does your playing sound roughly 80% of the way there? At a comfortable practice speed, most of the notes sound clear and the rhythm holds together, with a few rough spots.

• Can you play it that way fairly consistently? You can repeat that level of playing without needing several attempts to get one good run.

Use the video as a reference for the sound you're working toward. You can practice more slowly than I demonstrate and still use the same guideline: roughly 80% of how you think the exercise should sound at that speed.

A Real Guitar Example

Let's say you're practicing switching between E minor and A7.

You know where your fingers go. At a slow pace, you can change between the chords and get most of the notes to ring clearly. Occasionally, a string buzzes or you hesitate.

That's a reasonable point to move forward from, as long as you keep those changes in your practice routine.

If you're still searching for the finger positions every time, spend a little more time with the shapes and the change between them. Make the task smaller. Form one chord, relax, then form the other. Add a single strum when you're ready.

The question is whether you have enough of the main skill to build on it.

What Happens to the Other 20%?

Moving on doesn't mean leaving the exercise behind forever.

Spend a couple of minutes reviewing it before you start the next session. Slow down for the part that gives you trouble, then try it again in the whole exercise.

As you practice related skills and revisit earlier material, some rough spots will gradually smooth out. Others need a little focused attention.

Somewhere down the road you'll come back to an old exercise and wonder why it ever seemed so difficult. Give yourself the chance to have that moment.

When to Use the Rule

The 80% rule is especially helpful in step-by-step courses like the 28-Day Head Start, where each session builds on what came before. Use it to check whether you're ready for the next building block.

Daily Guitar Sessions work differently. They give you regular chances to review familiar skills, try new things, and play. You don't need to reach 80% on each challenge before moving to the next session.

For that kind of practice, decide how much time you'll spend, spend it, and move on. Work at a level you can manage, and let yourself try things you can't play well yet. You might join a play-along using one simple strum per chord while you get comfortable with the changes.

What Learning Spanish Taught Me

Years ago I studied Spanish in a classroom for two years. I got perfect grades every quarter.

Then I tried having a conversation.

Let's just say my report card spoke better Spanish than I did.

Frustrated, I signed up for an immersion program in Spain and spent two weeks living with a Spanish-speaking family. They were instructed not to speak English.

I'll admit, it was humbling. I fumbled for words and had to get past feeling foolish. But by the end of those two weeks I could communicate. I started making Spanish-speaking friends and enjoying conversations.

That trip mattered in another way too. It's where I first heard the Gipsy Kings, playing over the speakers on a bus through the countryside, and that was the beginning of my own Spanish guitar chapter. That's a story for another day.

The classroom study gave me a foundation. Actually using the language is what put it to work.

Guitar asks something similar of you. Structured practice builds your skills. Playing gives you a chance to use them while they're still developing. There's room for both careful practice and a little fumbling.

Try This in Your Next Practice Session

Choose one exercise you've been hesitant to leave.

Play it slowly, then ask yourself those three questions. Do you understand it? Does it sound roughly 80% of the way there? Can you play it that way fairly consistently?

If the answers are mostly yes, and it sounds about 80% of the way there to your ear, give yourself permission to try the next session. Bring the earlier exercise back for a little review.

If one part still feels confusing, work on that smaller piece and check again.

You can take the next step with a few rough edges. You get to keep learning as you go.