So, you want to learn guitar. Welcome to the wonderful world of playing! Since you’re new, you want to get started on the right foot. There are many bad habits that you can pick up that will be difficult to shake off down the road, so here are our 5 best tips for beginners wanting to learn guitar.
Tip #1: Focus on Technique
If you look at any of your favourite guitarists, regardless of whether they play heavy metal or classical tunes, they all have one thing in common: good technique. They can achieve seemingly effortless solos and chord progressions because they mastered playing the guitar with good technique. A well-structured practice routine will help you build proper technique and motor skills. Now, you might be wondering – okay, but how do I start? We suggest that you download apps like Uberchord or Fretello and watch the best YouTube channels for guitar lessons. Nowadays, there is a vast treasure trove of knowledge online, and practically everything you could ever want to know about the guitar is easily accessible. However, we also strongly recommend getting a professional guitar teacher as well, as they can point out your gaps and personally guide you through your guitar journey.
Tip #2: Take It Slow
You may envision yourself as shredding riffs at lightning-fast speeds, but don’t even bother trying to learn how to play fast. First, you need to master good technique, and trying to go fast as a beginner is just going to frustrate you. Instead, concentrate on precise fingering and hitting the right notes. Once you achieve good technique, speed will happen on its own.
Tip 3# Learn Music Theory
If you’re like many, you’d rather skip music theory. It seems dry and bland when you’d rather be creatively expressing yourself. However, most guitarists who neglect to learn music theory all run into one major roadblock – they start to plateau. You can grow as a guitarist by disgesting small bits of music theory. If you feel like you’re not making any progress, learn a little theory, then explore what you’ve learned in your playing.
Tip #4: Play Covers
I cannot stress this enough: Playing covers is one of the best ways to learn the guitar. Not only do you get to cover your favourite songs, but you get to learn about the elements that make these songs successful. Luckily, you can learn songs easily online through YouTube videos and other resources.
Tip #5: Keep Learning
Your guitar journey doesn’t have an end to it. There are always new tricks and techniques to learn! Give it time, don’t give up, and soon enough, you’ll become a great guitar player. Happy playing!
Resources For Beginner Guitarists
If you would like more resources for playing the guitar, here are other posts we’ve made: