Whatever the reason you want to play the guitar, your enthusiasm and passion will be at its highest when you walk into the music store and buy your first guitar. The dream has begun. But when the challenge of learning to play your new instrument begins, the dream has to give way to reality.
Many people find it more difficult to learn to play the guitar than they thought, especially if they are trying to learn to play on their own. There are a number of reasons for this.
My guitar keeps going out of tune!
Not preparing before buying your first guitar is the first thing on the list. If you don’t spend some time researching different guitars and what to look for, you’ll likely end up with a guitar that doesn’t fit and is not comfortable to play, or is of poor quality. Getting the wrong guitar can have a huge effect on your ability to progress. Not only will a cheap guitar of poor construction have a poor sound quality, it can also lose pitch quickly. This will be a source of discouragement as you try to learn.
Make sure you take the time to buy your first guitar. There are many guides on the Internet that explain how to buy a guitar, so take advantage of them.
Ouch that hurts!
The second on the list happens when you start playing. The new guitarist, after a while, will experience some pain. The pain can occur in the arm or wrist, and if you are learning with an acoustic, you will also experience pain in the fingertips on the fret hand. Pain in the fingers is not usually a problem on electric guitars, as less pressure is needed to hold the string.
This is just something you have to work on. You should limit your practice sessions as you go through this stage until your fingertips have hardened and are less painful. Pay attention to your posture and the way you hold the guitar to help with any arm or wrist pain, and be sure to always do a few warm-up exercises before practicing.
Faster faster!
The third problem is trying to play too fast. As a beginner learning to play guitar, you will be in a hurry to get a result. This tends to make you rush your practice and then get frustrated that you can’t change chords fast enough, or that the chords don’t play cleanly. If you practice like this, all you are doing is practicing to make mistakes. These mistakes will be corrected and you will have to spend time trying to unlearn them.
Make sure to practice at a slow pace. Speed at this stage is not important, precision is. Once you’ve practiced enough to play accurately, then it’s time to try playing it a little faster. A metronome, which keeps time for you at whatever speed you set it, will help you keep your practice at a nice slow pace.
I’m too busy, I’ll practice tomorrow.
The fourth problem is irregular or insufficient practice. When you first start learning to play the guitar, you should be able to allow a reasonable amount of time for regular practice sessions. You may find it difficult to find time at the beginning due to other commitments, work, family, etc. You may be at a job with irregular hours or have to travel a lot. You also may not have a place to practice that doesn’t disturb other family members. Learning to play the guitar is a commitment and you will have to face any problem that prevents you from practicing regularly.
What the hell does that mean!
Finally, there is the quality of your instruction. If you can afford a professional teacher, this is the best way to do it. Alternatively, if you know someone who can play, they may be able to help you. Many opt for self-instruction and there is a large amount of material, courses, books, DVDs, etc. To choose from. This is the last vital link. It is essential to choose the correct course that can communicate well with you. If you are working with materials that are difficult for you to follow, your learning will be much more difficult than necessary. Find out as much as you can about possible courses before opting for one. This single point could be the
make or undo a decision.
Learning to play the guitar is challenging and immensely rewarding. If you are a little careful in your approach, you have a better chance of success.
