Learning to play guitar can be frustrating and hard sometimes, but How to start learning guitar as a beginner?
The guitar is one of the most beautiful instruments out there, but it can be quite difficult for a new musician to make it sound right at first.
I don’t really want to scare anybody, because my goal is to educate and give some shortcuts to new musicians out there who are going to learn music and keep them motivated.
Saying it can be difficult for a new musician to make things right at first, is a true statement, but name something that you know is good and easy. You probably won’t find one good thing which is easy to do.
Especially music, learning music requires consistency and motivation, not everyone in the world is meant to be a musician.
Musicians are born that way, they learn how to develop their skills and practice until becoming great, it is similar to business or some careers.
In this blog, you’ll learn the 10 best ways to start learning guitar as a beginner.
1. Start with the basics
Start by learning the basics of music, the guitar is one of many instruments that someone can choose to learn to play, but music doesn’t start with the instrument.
Learn more about First guitar lessons and what to expect blog, in this blog, you will learn what to expect and I talk a little bit about the basics.
The beginning of everything is always difficult, most people quit before they start but, if a baby stops trying after his/her first attempt what would happen?
The first step is always the hardest, but by learning the basics it will be easier to achieve your music goal, and not give up on your first try.
Follow your music teacher’s Music plan, and don’t skip lessons or try to learn advanced stuff before you are at that level.
Skipping your music teacher’s lesson plan can delay the process without notice that, trying to play songs before time, can take months before someone can realize that it is the wrong way to learn music.
To start learning guitar as a beginner, you’ll need to learn first about the physical instrument which means, how the guitar builds and what are the different parts of a guitar.
After that learn about how to hold the guitar in “proper guitar posture” and then learn how they place the guitar strings and name them.
The basic could be a book by itself, but the reason someone chose a teacher is, to give you some shortcuts on how to achieve your dream quicker.
History is important but that could take months to learn, this is why we advise our followers to learn from qualified and experienced musicians from the greatest school of art in the united start.
2. Find your first guitar to practice
You heard the saying practice makes perfect, this is true, and having a good instrument can make perfection happen quicker.
As a musician, your instrument will be your best friend, in time you will learn how to protect your instrument and the proper way to treat it.
Your first guitar is not about the price or the size of it, but the sound and how it feels when holding the instrument.
But there are some other criteria that can make your guitar sound right like the type of strings that you put on.
Some instruments make you feel that you want to hold them forever, practice longer because depending on what type of guitar you have can discourage you to learn more.
This is why it is important to find the best one to practice. But if you’re asking which guitar is best? well, different people have different feelings, what is best for me might not be best for you.
Just try to avoid buying those cheap ones selling at Walmart or target.
3. Create a schedule for practice and stick with it
Most people who are trying to learn music except for a parent who pays for music classes for his/her kids already have a life.
Yes, if you are reading this blog surely you are a ground man or woman with a busy life. This is why I will try my best to help you with your music skills learning.
2002-2003 I was still in high school when I decided to start taking music classes, but it was not easy because even though I loved music, my dream was to be a musician but my parent didn’t want that for me.
However, I was smart enough to save some of the money that my parents gave me to eat at school and pay for my music lesson.
It was not easy but during school, I set my schedule to practice after all my studies, 30 minutes before bedtime, and longer on weekends.
This is very important to set up a schedule and stick with it. Let’s say you have a busy schedule but it would be impossible not to find a way to squeeze stuff in and find 1 hour a day to practice.
It is a sacrifice but a sacrifice worth making, because music is life, and knowing how to play an instrument not only helps you but others as well.
4. Build skills by learning song
In the beginning, you won’t be able to create for yourself, because you have no prior music skills. The best way to proceed is by learning from other people.
Your musical skill will develop by listening, practicing, and practicing with others. Music is like going to the gym, the more you exercised the more your muscle developed and the more strength you’ll have.
5. Learn how to use your ears and focus
Music is played by ears, not by hands, good musicians are able to listen and identified any small mistakes and correct them, and can as well be able to play with any other musician.
This may sound a little odd to you as a beginner but don’t worry, this is someone that builds over time.
This is why it is very important to set e schedule and practice every day while stretching your muscles and your ears and mind will develop and later have musician’s ears.
Listen to other songs and try to understand what is going on, and how the progressions are playing. understand what each instrument is doing and detect each of them.
You will need to listen to every sound and know which instrument makes that sound, focusing on the end result of all of them being played together.
6. Meet with other students and practice together
Practice makes perfect but practice alone sometimes can be frustrating, especially as a beginner, with not a lot of inspiration and not a lot of knowledge of what you are doing, it would be more difficult to keep yourself motivated.
Meet with other students and practicing together will help big time, sometimes it may seem like fun to play with others only, but that does more for you in terms of working on your listening abilities.
It helps as well in straightening your muscles, gives you more independence, increases your speed, and expended your music vocabulary as well.
7. Set a schedule and set a goal
It is very important to set a schedule to practice, especially for a beginner who doesn’t have a lot to practice on your instrument a schedule will keep you motivated.
When you set a schedule to practice even if it is 30 minutes a day that will help you move forward and learn more over time.
Set a goal
What do you want to achieve in the next 3 to 6 coming months, what skill do you want to master? How many songs do you want to learn? How many scales do you want to know and can use in your practice?
Goal setting can help you in your learning journey and that can help you track your progress. Set your goal and break them down according to your schedule.
That can help more learn quicker and sharpen your musical skills.
8. Keep it slow no rush
One thing that stops people from achieving their dream is speed, some people want to jump from one to four and skip two and three.
Music learning is a process no one can fake, to be a good guitarist you will need to take it slow, learn slowly, and do one thing at a time.
Let’s say you want to learn how to play II-V-I progressions, you will need to learn how to position your finger and hold each note properly.
9. Use material to practice
Since you don’t know too much about what to practice, you will need some guidance. Before people would have to buy expensive books and video DVDs to practice, but nowadays things are getting easier.
People still use books and DVDs as materials to practice but nowadays things are getting easier.
With YouTube videos, PDFs no need to buy expensive DVDs or books to practice, but still materials are highly recommended.
Follow your teacher’s advice and use the materials recommended.
10. Practice, Practice, Practice
What your teacher will give you is limited, actually according to studies only 20% of what you should comes from your school and teachers. 80% of what you will learn will come from personal effort.
The more you practice easier things will be, in the beginning, start with 30 minutes and increases your practice time.
Spending more time practicing more skills you will develop and the more you will see the necessity to get more skills and more materials to practice.