As a guitar teacher I’ve compiled a list of 10 easy tips as you start you guitar lesson journey. Enjoy!
- Decision and Determination. Making a decision to do something you’ve always wanted to do is not an easy decision, and not one to be made lightly. Unless you approach this decision with determination you will not see the results you would like to. Determination will help you accomplish great things on your instrument and will bring great joy into your new found interest.
- Buy a reliable guitar. Having a good instrument to start your adventure with is crucial. I have seen people use guitars that are poorly made and that cannot be tuned. This leads to frustration and disappointment. Guitar stores like guitarcenter.com will help assist you in your purchase and will help guide you to the instrument that is perfect for you.
- Find a good teacher. Yes, there are lots of self-help tutorials online, but having a good teacher will help you learn things in a more expedient manner. A teacher can show you proper hand positions, or pick grips, or easy stretching to reach chords, etc. Finding a good teacher will help you to avoid learning mistakes, and will make your journey more enjoyable.
- What styles would you like to learn? Deciding on a style may seem unimportant but with so many styles to choose from, identifying one, two or even three may be helpful. Styles include things like strumming, chords, scales, fingerpicking, etc. Why learn a style that you have no interest in just because someone said it’s a good idea? Do what you love!
- Song goals. Setting some attainable short term, and some harder long term goals is a good place to start. Unless you aim at something you wont hit anything. Decide which songs you want to learn first and then attack it with hard work and determination. Staring with easy songs will encourage you and will be an inspiration as you go after the harder more trying songs.
- Practice makes perfect and that’s no lie. Staring with at least 10min five times a week will help you see improvement. Regular practice, in oppose to once or twice a week with help you see improvement faster. So much of guitar playing depends on muscle memory, and regular practice will help your fingers learn how to be accurate and fast.
- Playing what you have learned to your guitar teacher, family, or friends is a good way to determine how you are progressing on your instrument. The rule usually is that when you think you know a song well, you need to know it three times as well before playing it for someone. Also, playing for people will help you get rid of nerves and will help you relax which is very important when approaching your instrument.
- Passion check. Doing a regular passion check is always important. Unless you are passionate about what you are doing you will have minimal, and short lasting results. But, when you are passionate about what you are playing, and about where you are taking this, you will see amazing results that will not only move you, but will also move and inspire those around you.
- Challenge yourself to greater heights. Okay….you’ve been doing this for a while now and you have even had an audience to play to, so now its times to up the stakes a bit. Set some bigger, and possible harder goals for yourself. Each goal you reach is a milestone and looking back on it will greatly encourage you!
- Find people to play with. There is no greater joy than finding some like minded friends to jam with. Getting together, and doing what you love with others will make the hours fly by, but will also make you grow even more on your instrument. Music is fun, and its one of the best and most effective community builders, so use it, love it, and….master it!
I teach guitar lessons in Cary NC. For more information contact me at http://www.owenhurter.com/contact-2/
Leave a Comment