Learning To Play The Guitar Made Easy

When someone has bought their first guitar, it’s very common for them to get it home and marvel over their purchase! The feeling of glamour that is always associated with owning such a beautiful instrument is undeniable - Whether it’s a shiny new model from the local music store, or a rescued orphan from the local pawnshop.

You may well take it home and admire it. You may even lay out the accompanying guidebook that boasts about its ability to make you into an expert within a week, the case, and the plectrums. Then you pick it up and the realization starts to set in that you really don’t have a clue where to start!

Learning to play the guitar properly and well takes time, effort and determination – the glamorous image of the guitar making you into a rock and roll hero overnight is a common one, but it’s not quite as easy as that. The wonderful fantasy of playing on stage at Madison Square Garden in front of an audience of thousands of fans chanting your name will evaporate quickly! Believe me, you are not alone!

If you are in the position of owning a new guitar, but are not sure where you should start along the road to becoming a famous star, then the following are all points that you should be thinking about.

Know your Guitar
Make sure you are familiar with all of the parts, all of the various names. Before you even play a note, you need to understand your instrument. Look closely at the strings and get to know their names and their capabilities. Also important is understanding what type of guitar you have, and what it is designed to play.

Know yourself
Think about the type of music that you like to listen to, and also the type of music that you wish to play. All of these factors will affect the way that you learn and where you should start: what standard are you ideally looking to reach? For example, are you aiming to just be able to play simple songs and enjoy yourself, or are you looking to take it a little more seriously and considering playing in a band or professionally?

The frustration that accompanies a flip through the instruction manual that comes with a new guitar is a common experience also. Often, it will appear written in a completely different language! There is a reason for this: just as we all play differently, we all learn in different ways too. A brilliant way of learning for one person may be completely hopeless for another.

If this is the case for you, you should seriously look into the possibility of getting proper lessons. The generic book that accompanies most new guitar purchases is often written to please as many people as possible – by trying to do this it usually means that it is not as effective for most of them!

There are thousands of guitar schools all over the country, and it shouldn’t take long to find one near to your home. If you bought your guitar from the local store, it may well be worth asking there about lessons – many stores these days have someone who will actually operate through the store and give lessons, if not, they are more likely to know someone in the area who can help you. There are also countless programs available online, many of which are very good for all levels of student.

Remember the way you felt when you bought the guitar – remember that sense of elation at just having formed a relationship with a new instrument – get it right and that relationship can only go from strength to strength. Whatever happens, don’t get downhearted!

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson (Stage Guitarist)