Congratulations! You're setting out to learn to play the guitar. You've got a lot of fun in store for you, but, also, a lot of hard work. If you stick with it, it will be worth it. But if you're a beginner, setting out to learn guitar for the first time, it can be challenging. This article will help you navigate some of the challenges you'll face.
Learning the guitar, like learning any new skill, can be challenging, fun, and rewarding. But it can also be difficult and frustrating. If you follow the advice in this article, you can avoid a lot of the difficulties and frustrations.
First, obviously, you need a guitar. Try to find a guitar that's comfortable for you to play. You also want a guitar that sounds and looks good to you. You want playing, and practicing, to be a pleasure and not a chore, and having a guitar that you really like will help a lot.
Next, even if you plan to teach yourself, using either a book, an instructional video, or online lessons, it's worth it to take at least a few private lessons with a good teacher. A few sessions with a teacher can help you avoid lots of beginner mistakes, and can prevent you from forming bad habits from the beginning. A teacher can show you your basic chords, how to hold the guitar, good fretting, picking, and strumming techniques, and lots more.
Learn to read tablature, also known as tab, or tabs. Tablature is a simplified form of music notation for fretted instruments like the guitar. You don't have to be able to read music to read tab. It's just a guide to where to put your fingers, what strings to play, and when. The ability to read tab will open up a whole world of songs to you. You can find lots of free tabs on the web, and if you can read them, you can learn to play almost anything.
Choose a regular practice time, and stick to it. It's much better to practice a little bit every day than to skip several days and then try to catch up with a long practice session. Find a place where you can practice comfortably, without distraction. Choose a time when you're alert and relaxed. And practice every day.
Listen. When you listen to music, learn to pay attention to what the guitars are doing. Try picking out just the sound of the guitar from the other instruments. Find guitar players that you like, and listen to them as much as you can. Try to distinguish what it is that you like about their playing. Then try to make those sounds. Even if you can't at first, keep trying. The practice of hearing a sound and trying to replicate it yourself will help your playing immensely.
If you're learning on your own, set up a regular lesson time, once a week, to begin working on something new, or to advance your skills. At each lesson, pick a few things to work on. Try to choose something that you can master easily, and something a little more difficult. Then work on that stuff for the next week. By sticking to this routine, your playing will advance consistently, and soon you'll be playing stuff that just a little while ago seemed impossible.
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