Embarking on the journey of learning guitar is an incredibly rewarding endeavor! You’re taking your first steps towards unlocking a world of musical expression and enjoyment. By exploring this guide, you’re already on the right track. Your interest in the guitar and your search for effective learning methods demonstrate a fantastic initial commitment. Playing the guitar offers a wealth of benefits and joys, and you’ve made a wonderful decision to pursue this path.
This article is designed to equip you with the essential tools and knowledge needed to confidently begin your guitar journey and experience those joys without unnecessary frustration. Dedication and consistent effort are key, and the rewards are certainly within reach. However, understanding a few fundamental aspects upfront will significantly enhance your learning experience and make your practice time more productive.
Essential Things to Know Before You Start Learning Guitar
It’s natural to be excited when you’re starting to learn guitar. You’re likely inspired by incredible guitarists and envision yourself creating music you love. While the passion and excitement are crucial, it’s also important to understand that mastering the guitar, especially in the beginning, requires dedication and patience. The effortless performances you admire from seasoned guitarists are the result of countless hours of practice and focused learning.
Learning guitar takes time and consistent practice. Witnessing a skilled guitarist play with ease doesn’t reveal the years of dedicated practice behind their expertise. It’s essential to manage your expectations and understand that progress is gradual and built upon consistent effort.
How much time is needed to become proficient at guitar? There’s no universal answer, as learning speeds vary significantly among individuals. Experience teaching guitar to diverse students has shown that progress is directly linked to consistent daily practice. Students who commit to a regular practice routine consistently achieve better and more sustained results.
Another crucial aspect to acknowledge is that learning guitar is not always easy, especially at first. You’ll encounter various challenges, particularly in the initial stages. Developing hand coordination, building calluses on your fingertips to reduce pain, and understanding rhythm are just a few of the hurdles you’ll face.
These initial challenges, while demanding, are temporary. With consistent practice and perseverance, these difficulties diminish quickly. The initial discomfort and coordination challenges are stepping stones to developing the skills and techniques needed to play comfortably and confidently.
Finally, it’s worth noting that a significant number of people who start learning guitar unfortunately quit relatively soon after beginning. This often stems from several reasons:
- Some underestimate the effort required and become discouraged when they realize consistent practice is necessary.
- Others believe they lack sufficient time to dedicate to practice and perceive learning guitar as too demanding for their schedules.
- Many beginners struggle with knowing where to begin, attempt to learn without guidance, become confused and frustrated, and ultimately abandon their guitar aspirations.
Fortunately, this guide aims to address these common pitfalls and provide you with a clear, straightforward path to begin learning guitar effectively and enjoyably. The goal is to eliminate frustration and empower you with the right strategies to progress and have fun playing the guitar from the very beginning!
Where to Begin Your Guitar Learning Journey
Success in the early stages of learning guitar hinges on making informed decisions about your learning approach. These decisions are not complicated, especially with a little guidance.
Don’t worry! These initial choices are straightforward and will set you on the most appropriate learning path tailored to your individual needs and circumstances.
The first crucial decision is to determine your learning path. As mentioned earlier, seeking guidance is essential for beginners. Fortunately, numerous resources are available to support your guitar learning journey. Choosing the resource that best suits your learning style and preferences is key. Here are some of the most effective resources to help you start learning guitar:
Free Online Videos and Blog Posts
The free online route is immensely popular today. Countless free lessons and articles offer guidance on a vast array of guitar-related topics.
This can be an excellent starting point, particularly if you’re initially exploring whether the guitar is a good fit for you. A wealth of valuable information is freely accessible. However, it’s important to be aware that relying solely on free resources also has drawbacks.
One significant drawback is the potential for feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the sheer volume of available content. When using free resources, you essentially become your own guide, choosing what and when to learn. While this offers flexibility, it can be detrimental without a structured approach.
The challenge lies in the fact that learning guitar is analogous to building a house; it requires a solid foundation. Certain fundamental skills and concepts must be mastered before progressing to more advanced techniques. This is a primary reason why many beginners get stuck: attempting to learn complex skills without the necessary foundational understanding.
Another downside of solely using free resources is the temptation to jump ahead prematurely. When self-assessing your progress, you might overlook crucial details and move on to more advanced topics too quickly. This can lead to gaps in your understanding and eventual frustration when progress plateaus.
So, how can you maximize the benefits of free online guitar learning resources?
A key tip is to stick with one teacher or source of content as much as possible. If you find a particular instructor’s video style helpful and easy to understand, explore their other available content.
If their resources seem comprehensive and aligned with your learning goals, commit to following their guidance. Their structured approach might provide the essential foundation you need for consistent progress.
Jumping between different teachers and methods can lead to confusion and missed crucial information. If your chosen teacher’s free resources are limited and don’t cover your desired learning path, then invest time in researching and finding another suitable resource or method.
If you do find valuable free resources, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Utilize comment sections below videos or blog posts. You’re likely to receive helpful responses from the content creator or fellow learners. If you don’t get the answers you need, it’s a sign to explore alternative learning paths.
Guitar Lesson Books and DVDs
Guitar books have a long-standing history in guitar education. For a significant period, books were the primary resource for learning guitar. Books are valuable resources, and many guitarists have gained substantial knowledge from various guitar books. In recent years, video-based learning has gained prominence, as some learners find visual demonstrations more effective. Many guitar instructors offer DVDs covering diverse guitar techniques and concepts. One limitation of books and DVDs is the lack of direct interaction and personalized feedback. If you encounter difficulties understanding a concept, there’s typically no direct way to contact the instructor for clarification.
In-Person Private Lessons
One-on-one private lessons have been a traditional and effective method of learning guitar for generations. You receive the undivided attention of an instructor, and ideally, your instructor employs a well-structured method to facilitate your guitar progress. However, the quality of guitar instructors can vary considerably. Some instructors can be incredibly helpful, while others may be less effective. It’s advisable to research and gather information about a guitar instructor before committing to lessons. Additionally, private lessons can be expensive, potentially exceeding the budget of some beginner students.
Small Group Lessons
Group lessons have emerged as a popular trend in guitar instruction. They offer several advantages. Group lessons are generally more affordable than private lessons. Furthermore, learning alongside peers can alleviate pressure for some students. Not being the sole focus of attention throughout the lesson can create a more comfortable and conducive learning environment for certain individuals. Smaller group sizes tend to be most effective, as larger groups can become distracting, and individual attention may be limited, hindering your ability to get your specific questions addressed.
Online Guitar Lesson Platforms
Over recent years, online guitar lesson platforms have proliferated. These platforms offer a compelling blend of video-based instruction with interactive elements, often combining the best aspects of video lessons and private lessons.
Typically, you’ll gain access to a well-structured learning curriculum, designed to guide you from beginner to advanced levels.
You also benefit from the ability to revisit video lessons as many times as needed for reinforcement. Many platforms offer features that allow you to contact instructors or share your progress for feedback and interaction. Online lesson sites are generally very affordable and provide excellent value for learners seeking a comprehensive and interactive learning experience.
Once you’ve determined the learning method that best aligns with your preferences, if you haven’t already done so:
It’s Time to Purchase Your Guitar
The initial decision when buying a guitar is to choose between the two main types:
- Acoustic
- Electric
Acoustic guitars are recognizable by their large soundhole beneath the strings. They are hollow-bodied instruments, ideal for strumming and playing songs unplugged.
Due to their hollow construction, acoustic guitars naturally amplify their sound. This makes them excellent for practicing and convenient for taking along to play in various settings without needing amplification in smaller spaces.
However, a potential drawback for beginners starting with acoustic guitars is that their strings are typically thicker and require more finger strength to press down. You’ll need to develop hand strength and build calluses on your fingertips to play comfortably. Some beginners opt for nylon-string acoustic guitars (classical guitars) initially. Nylon strings are significantly easier to press down compared to steel strings found on standard acoustic guitars.
The second primary type is the electric guitar. Electric guitars are usually constructed from a solid piece of wood. Consequently, they do not amplify sound on their own. An electric guitar played without amplification would be barely audible in a normal conversation.
New electric guitar players commonly purchase a small practice amplifier along with their guitar. Connecting the electric guitar to an amplifier projects the guitar’s sound through the amplifier’s speaker, allowing you to control the tone and volume using the amplifier’s controls.
Both acoustic and electric guitars are available in different sizes. Choosing the right guitar size is important for comfort and playability, especially for younger learners.
Guitars are typically sold in 1/2, 3/4, and full sizes.
1/2 and 3/4 size guitars are generally intended for children. Players typically outgrow these smaller sizes around ages 11 or 12, transitioning to full-size guitars.
Full-size guitars exhibit considerable variation in body styles, neck profiles, and overall dimensions. There are guitars that are thicker, thinner, wider, narrower, longer, shorter, lighter, and heavier. Given this wide selection, visiting a local guitar store is highly recommended. Spend time trying out various types of guitars to find the size, style, and feel that best suits you.
After acquiring your new guitar, it’s crucial to ensure it is properly set up. This is a frequently overlooked step, especially by beginners. Many manufacturers of entry-level guitars don’t invest the time in properly adjusting their instruments.
Guitars have several adjustable components that significantly impact playability. Seeking assistance with setup is advisable. If you know someone locally with guitar knowledge, ask if they can assess your guitar and make adjustments to improve its playability.
If you don’t have a contact with guitar expertise, take your guitar to a local music store and inquire about a guitar setup service. It’s best to have this done at the beginning to avoid practicing on a guitar that is unnecessarily difficult to play.
Sometimes, the strings that come standard on a new guitar can be challenging to play. A guitar that is hard to play is uninspiring and discouraging. The factory strings might not be the optimal gauge for beginners.
Heavier gauge strings require more finger strength to press down comfortably. Numerous string gauges are available. For beginners, it’s generally preferable to start with lighter gauge strings. They are considerably easier on the fingertips. You can always transition to heavier gauges later if desired, as your hand strength and calluses develop.
Guitar string sets are typically identified by the gauge of the thinnest string (the high E string).
For example, light gauge acoustic guitar strings might be an “11” gauge set, meaning the high E string is 0.011 inches in diameter (measured in thousandths of an inch).
Light gauge electric guitar strings could be a “9” gauge set, where the high E string is 0.009 inches in diameter. If you’re unsure about the string gauge on your guitar, visit a local music store and ask them to check.
If your guitar has heavier gauge strings, purchasing a set of lighter gauge strings and having them installed is a simple and worthwhile adjustment to improve playability.
Establishing Your Guitar Practice Routine
The next essential decision to make before diving into learning guitar is:
When Will You Practice Guitar?
Consistent practice is paramount for progress in guitar playing. To move forward effectively, you need to establish a structured practice routine.
If you have a very busy schedule and struggle to find practice time, learning guitar will be significantly more challenging.
Many guitar method books, including resources I provide to my students, include a practice schedule template. This is a space to write down specific times each day that you will dedicate to practice.
If you typically have designated times for activities like watching TV or playing video games, consider repurposing some of that time for your guitar lessons and practice. Some people prefer practicing in the morning, while others find later times more suitable. The specific time doesn’t matter as much as adhering to a regular practice schedule.
It’s generally recommended to prioritize shorter, daily practice sessions over infrequent, lengthy weekend sessions.
Think back to studying for school tests. If you have a week to prepare but procrastinate until the night before, you might cram all night and perform adequately on the test the next day.
However, what often happens immediately after the test?
You tend to forget much of what you crammed. You struggled to retain the information in your short-term memory, and it quickly fades. In contrast, when you study a little each day, the process is different.
The act of repetition in daily practice helps commit information to long-term memory. This is the goal for guitar learning: to internalize skills and knowledge so they are readily accessible at any time. Playing music becomes much more enjoyable when you can focus on expression and creativity without constantly worrying about technical correctness.
Finding Your Ideal Practice Space
The final key decision before starting guitar practice is:
Where will you practice guitar?
When I began learning, I felt more comfortable practicing in a private space, away from distractions and potential self-consciousness. Practicing in my room allowed me to relax, concentrate fully, and enjoy the process without worrying about others’ opinions.
You might have the opposite preference. Perhaps you feel comfortable practicing in a more communal area of your home, where others are present.
The choice is entirely personal. The important thing is to identify a dedicated practice space that suits your comfort level and learning style.
Also, I strongly recommend getting a guitar stand or wall hanger. Some prefer wall hangers to display their guitars.
Regardless of the type, it’s essential to avoid storing your guitar in its case when not in use. Why? Because when the guitar is stored away in its case…
It’s easy to forget about it. And when you forget about your guitar, it’s easy to skip practice sessions. Plus, guitars are visually appealing instruments. I personally enjoy having my guitars out on display, as a visual reminder and source of inspiration.
So, these are the four key decisions I advise new guitarists to make before fully immersing themselves in learning. To summarize:
- Choose your learning method: Free online resources, books, in-person private lessons, small group lessons, or online lesson platforms.
- Decide on the type of guitar: Electric or acoustic, purchase it, and ensure it’s properly set up for comfortable playability.
- Establish your practice schedule: Determine specific times for daily practice.
- Designate your practice space: Choose a comfortable and distraction-free area for focused practice.
Once these decisions are made, you’re ready to begin! Get your guitar, sign up for lessons if you’ve chosen that route, set up your practice area, and allocate the necessary time to get started.
Begin practicing and enjoy the journey!
Conclusion
Starting guitar requires guidance and support, and that’s perfectly normal. Numerous resources are available to assist you. Recognize that there’s a structured path to progress effectively without unnecessary frustration. It’s tempting to jump ahead and try playing complex pieces prematurely. However, sticking to your planned learning path is crucial for building a solid foundation. It won’t be long before you’re confidently playing guitar and making music you love.
Any Questions?
If you’re a beginner guitarist with questions, please feel free to reach out.
Leave a comment below, or contact me through my contact page at www.playguitarpodcast.com/contact. I’m happy to help guide you in the right direction.
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