It is not difficult to learn to play the guitar. All you need is the right mentality. The following bits of advice will help you attain this mentality and learning style as a whole. They are applicable regardless of whether you want to study electric or acoustic instruments and whether you want to perform rock, jazz, blues, classical, or heavy metal music.
There are a few fundamental yet important points that must be made before moving on to the three steps. The guitar itself is one of the most neglected components of the learning process. Many times, beginner guitarists try to learn on instruments that are bad for them.. Some are simple to master, while others are challenging. You should pick an easy-to-play guitar to learn on if you are a beginner guitarist seeking the quickest approach to pick up the instrument.
Next, look for a reputable instructor. Your chances of absorbing information effectively drastically increase if you have a skilled instructor who can sit down with you one-on-one and direct, inspire, and motivate you. Finding a reliable instructor might be challenging, however, true professionals such as the guitar instructors on Tutorextra are available online. TutorExtra’s website offers a way to connect with tutors and instructors in a wide variety of subjects.
The three steps to succeeding
Playing guitar involves using your left hand for one thing and your right hand for another:
- With the left hand, we make chord shapes;
- With our right hands, we strum.
We have a recipe for success and enjoyment if we can make both of these abilities simple to perform and then utilise those abilities to play music we love. Keep in mind that making things simple and enjoyable is the quickest method to achieve results.
We now have a road map that we can use. There are three steps to instantly start playing:
- Firstly, we employ “stepping-stone” chords;
- Second, we learn the standard strumming pattern;
- Third, we only play songs that we genuinely enjoy;
Step 1. Utilise “stepping-stone” chords
There is a simple version of every chord, which is something that many beginner guitarists are unaware of. Students who are just starting waste a lot of time learning chords that are entirely inappropriate for them. You must realise that stagnation is the biggest threat to your ability to properly master the instrument. Even though playing the instrument might be challenging, the likelihood that you will keep going is great if you can see that you are making headway.
The foundation of this instructional approach is the use of stepping-stone variations. When compared to using regular chords, these other variations are simple to play, sound beautiful, and let you compose music much faster.
Stepping-stone chords also let you focus more on your strumming, which is a great advantage. Since the variations are simple to play, you may concentrate more on improving your right hand’s rhythm and musicality.
Some teachers believe that overcoming the “pain barrier” and mastering those challenging notes is the simplest method for individuals to learn the instrument. However, mastering simple variations improves your finger dexterity and control, which makes it possible for you to play more fluidly. Along the way, you’ll have more fun and it’s simpler.
Step 2. Finding the universal strumming pattern
The idea that guitarists need to grasp certain “strumming patterns” is among the most damaging falsehoods about playing the instrument that can be found online. You do not need to master a variety of strumming techniques. We want you to become more creative, musical and rhythmically expressive in your strumming. How can mastering a predetermined strumming pattern for one song assist you with a gazillion others?
Forget about strumming techniques and such. It will not help you grow as a musician. The myth was created by musicians who also wanted to teach. You may utilise the universal strumming pattern as the basis for any song if you master it.
Step 3. Only play the music you enjoy
We already established that making things simple and enjoyable is the quickest method to having results. After discussing the left-handed and right-handed components, we will now discuss the third step of the guide.
Playing music you love is an essential component of making things fun, and we want you to enjoy every step of the process. List 20 songs you enjoy and that you would like to learn to play on the guitar.
If you Google the tab or chords for such songs, they will likely be too difficult for you to play as a beginner. Have a go at them, but you will probably find that they are too tough to play in their original form, so you will need to modify them. These stepping-stone chords come in useat this point. There may be a significantly easier way to play the song if you use a capo. Your guitar’s key is raised when you use a capo, and you may employ variation shapes to make different chords. For instance, if you place a capo on the second fret and play an “A” pattern, your instrument will make a “B” sound.
You will be at a crucial stage of your guitar-learning journey while performing these three things, and the duration of this phase varies from person to person. Do not place pressure on yourself to “improve” and do not hold yourself to unattainable standards. You just want to have fun while producing songs.
Your accuracy, dexterity, and finger control will improve throughout this period. You ought to always be attempting to play increasingly complex structures. Revert to the stepping-stone version if you discover that they are too challenging. Have another go at the more challenging chord variant in a week or two.
When you play songs you enjoy while utilising stepping-stone chords, you will discover that your rhythmic abilities and accuracy swiftly improve.