Learning to play the guitar

So you have decided to learn how to play the guitar! Congratulations on wanting to learn this musical instrument. The guitar is a very versatile instrument, depending on your musical inclinations. It is also one of the most popular instruments around the world that people play. You see the guitar in almost all genres of music – rock, blues, jazz, classical, funk, reggae, and a huge variety of other sub-genres. Aside from this, you will also see the guitar in almost every setting of life – whether rich or poor, well-educated or not, across countries, cultures, and beliefs, you will find that if you look for it, you will most likely see someone playing the guitar. From the man on the street corner who plays for coins, to the well-known performer who travels the globe for concert tours, the guitar is, indeed, a very popular instrument that stretches beyond economic demarcations and social classes.

Before you begin

If you want to learn how to play the guitar, think first if you are really serious about it. Are you really passionate about music and looking for a possible outlet of your musical potential? Or are you just looking for a new hobby? Your answer to the question will help you determine the level of commitment you will give to learning. If you are intent on making your own music later on and using your art in different ways (not just for recreation), then this will help you in terms of motivation and practice. That is not to say, however, that learning for a new hobby requires far less dedication, practice, and motivation, because in order to be good, you do have to commit yourself.

Starting the journey

Now that you have determined your reason for wanting to learn how to play the guitar, the next step is for you to determine the method of learning you will employ. Are you hiring a private tutor? Will you be enrolling in a class? Or will you be doing self-study? Do you learn best on a face-to-face, one-on-one set up, or would you rather be learning alongside other people? Or, perhaps, you work best on your own pace, by yourself, without anyone telling you what to do? Answering these questions honestly will help you determine what style of learning suits you best. There is no one way to best learn the guitar, because each of us learns differently from one another. What worked for your mentor or your friends may not work for you, so you should do a little self-discovery and find out what method of learning works for you so that you can maximize the experience.

Reaching your goals

Once you know the style of learning that is best for you, to learn how to play the guitar becomes more fun and challenging because the actual work begins. Now that you have decided to start the actual learning process, you have to be committed and dedicated, because otherwise, you will not be able to see good results.

To learn how to play the guitar will not depend on how good your teacher is or how awesome your learning materials are. No matter how talented you may be, or how good your teacher is, or how successful with other people the materials are, all of these will do no good if you yourself are half-hearted in the attempt. No amount of talent or good teaching will compensate for dedication. Sheer talent alone will not get you anywhere. What is good is talent anyway, if you do not develop it, right?

To be able to fully learn how to play the guitar, you have to be disciplined. Set aside time each day for practice and review. If you get a mentor or a tutor, consult regularly with them, even if you feel, at times, that you are not making any progress. Have the initiative to review without being told. Don’t wait for your instructor to tell you what to do – after your lesson, make sure that you practice what you learned for the day so that it will stick to your memory. If you are doing self to learn how to play the guitar, make sure that you devote regular time everyday for practice. If you can get a more experienced musician friend to spot you (to listen to you play, to check for mistakes, to give you feedback), then that would be very helpful and advantageous for you.

These are just some friendly reminders for you to think on once you decide to take up playing the guitar. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy what you are doing, because that is the best way to learn – while you are having fun!