Coming home from the store with your first guitar is an exciting time. The anticipation of mastering a new instrument is absolutely invigorating. But whether you plan on playing for sold-out audiences, or simply for your friends and family, there are some simple things you can do to accelerate the learning process. As with any new talent, learning guitar is a lifelong process. By maximizing your practice habits you can clear the roadblocks and become the best guitarist you can be.
Slow Down This first tip doesn’t apply to everyone, but it is important enough to mention first. So many budding guitarists start with trying to play their favorite songs. Many of these have accelerated rhythms that set unrealistic expectations for first-timers. It is important to start your guitar education with short, simple, and slower songs. Remember, you need to crawl before you walk!
Practice Regularly This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but you would be surprised to find that few people follow it. Many people assume they can make strides in their guitar proficiency by picking up their guitar at any spare moment they have. While this may work for some, the majority of guitar students need to set some sort of schedule for practicing. You don’t need to change your lifestyle, but you should set aside at least a half-hour per day to practice. Following a schedule not only brings regularity to your lessons, but it also eliminates distractions that interrupt your concentration.
Rhythm and Timing You could be the best guitar player in the world, but if you can’t keep a rhythm than you will never play with anyone else but yourself. Playing in a band or even just accompanying vocal tracks means that you must keep pace with the music around you. The role of the guitarists is to feed into energy of the song, not have the song work itself around the guitar. Be sure to invest in a metronome, which will help you monitor your rhythms and develop better timing.
Stay Positive Always remember that no one was born a guitarist. It is a learned skill that takes time to master. Some people will adapt more easily to the finger movements and hand commands required when playing. Hopefully you will be one of them, but you could also be someone who needs more time to develop. The thing to keep in mind is that guitar is supposed to be fun. If you find yourself discouraged, than it may be time to take a break. Take a couple of days off and come back to the things you were doing well. Once you have built up confidence again you can proceed to the next lesson.
Invest in Instruction You wouldn’t want a plumber to teach you rocket science, so don’t expect to learn guitar from yourself. There are thousands of great resources for guitar lessons, but choosing the right one depends solely on your tastes. For some, regular sessions with a guitar instructor work best. Others prefer to read books and listen or watch recorded lessons. Either way, you need to have a reliable resource to refer to when you get stumped. Personally, I would recommend starting with a beginner’s book or online instruction because it is cheaper, and you can learn at your own pace. These formats also offer the opportunity to replay or rewind lessons so you can access them whenever you like.
So there are my 5 quick lessons to help you get started with your new guitar. Did you learn anything about finger movements or string picking? No, but hopefully you did learn the importance of having a sound strategy in place before your pick up your guitar. For those who are interested in online instruction, I am a big fan of the Jamorama Guitar System. In fact, I have dedicated an entire website to a review of the product.
Don’t frustrate your self by trying to learn the guitar on your own. There are simple strategies you can use to become a better guitar player right now. Visit EasyToLearnGuitar.com and become the guitar player you dream to be.
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