Learn to Play Guitar - Free Tips for Beginner Guitar Players
By Ralph Serpe
Find a Good Teacher - There is no substitution for a good guitar teacher.
You can buy all the books and videos you want, but in order to really become
a good guitar player, you need to learn from a pro. A professional guitar teacher
has the experience and wisdom necessary to teach you how to become a proper
guitar player. Books, videos, and the Internet for that matter, lack in their
ability to provide you with feedback and advice. A good guitar teacher will
correct you if you are doing something wrong so that you don't form bad habits
or techniques. A good guitar teacher will also encourage you when you are doing
something right.
Do Not Get Discouraged - When first learning the guitar, or any instrument
for that matter, you may find yourself getting discouraged, or perhaps saying
to yourself this is just too difficult. You may find yourself practicing
the same song or chords over and over again, and never getting any better at
it. Do not let this discourage you. Sometimes are brains just need a little
rest, or need to be occupied with something else. Take a break and come back
to your practice with a fresh mind.
Practice - The more often that you practice your guitar the more familiar
you will become with the instrument. Your playing will become easier over time.
Try and free up at least 20 minutes of time every day to practice your guitar.
Find a time and location where you know you will not be interrupted. Interruption
can really kill your concentration and snap you out of a good rhythm. Warm your
hands and stretch your fingers before you play. Talk with your guitar teacher
to develop the best practice exercises that are right for your style of playing.
Create an effective practice schedule - The length of your practice
is not necessarily the most important thing. Usually it is the quality of your
practice that is most important. Make sure your guitar teacher is giving you
a well-rounded approach to guitar playing and helping you make the most of your
practice sessions.
Slow Down - One great bit of advice with your practicing; don't play
too quickly! Many new guitar players will rush through a lick or a song in the
beginning, trying to play it exactly as they hear it and only wind up butchering
it. Before you can play anything correctly, you must learn to slow down and
play it right at a much slower speed. You can then slowly increase your speed
as you improve.
Watch your posture - Guitar playing should not be extremely painful
and uncomfortable. If you find yourself with various aches and pains in your
shoulders, your neck, your back, etc., chances are you are not in a correct
playing posture. Ask your guitar teacher to demonstrate a proper playing posture,
then do your best to stick to it. Tell your teacher to observe you during practice
and correct you whenever you fall out of the correct posture.
Get a metronome - A very important part of guitar playing is the ability
to keep good timing. An instrument, which will help you become better at timing,
is called a metronome. You can purchase this at any guitar center. When working
with a metronome, in the beginning, you should start off at a slow speed. This
will help you build your muscles and develop better control and good playing
habits.
Change your strings - Your guitar strings are very important to the
quality of sound your guitar produces. How often you change your guitar strings
really depends on how often you play. Professional guitar players may change
their strings before every gig. Others who don't play as often, may change their
strings every 2 months or so. Again it really depends on how often you play,
and how well you take care of your guitar strings. Don't wait until your strings
break before you change them and you should change all of your strings at the
same time.
Try new things/experiment - If you feel uninspired in your guitar playing
why not try something fresh and different? If you have mastered a particular
song on your electric guitar, why not try the same song on an acoustic guitar?
If you only play your guitar using a pick, put down the pick and just use your
fingers. Perhaps you only enjoy playing blues guitar. Why not try some jazz
or classical?
I hope these guitar tips were helpful. The most important thing is to never
get discouraged and never give up. Persistence is key when it comes to playing
the guitar. If you really have a sincere desire to learn, and you continue to
practice, you will become a better guitar player. About the Author
You can learn how to play guitar free online. Visit http://www.artsymmetry.com/Category/Guitar-Lessons/199 for more great articles on guitar playing.
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