Learning To Play the Guitar

At some point in our lives, most of us have considered the possibility of learning to play a musical instrument. For some, its part of a larger dream of stardom - of becoming the next Dave Matthews, Wynton Marsalis or Billy Joel. For others, its about the sheer enjoyment of learning to do something creative. For others still, its a social outlet wherein two (or more) people are brought together through the educational experience of taking a weekly music lesson. Whatever the reason, learning to play an instrument has been a pass time for millions of people around the world. Moreover, when choosing an instrument, there are few choices more popular than the guitar.

If you are reading this, then perhaps you've already made the decision to learn the guitar. If so, then this article is most especially written for you. Even if you've found this article by chance and you decided to read on because the idea of learning an instrument has been a recurring idea in the back of your mind, I would encourage you to read on as well. This article is intended to give you a quick overview of the tools you'll need to get started, and more importantly, help you get motivated to succeed so that you can, like so many before you, learn how to play the guitar and be successful doing it!

To start, let me offer this statement of fact: Overnight success takes years! As a veteran guitar teacher of more than 100 students, I can tell you with absolute certainty that playing the guitar is an incredibly rewarding, fulfilling experience - but its also one that requires years of commitment and a lot of patience - especially in the beginning. While there are certainly many stories out there about people learning to play the guitar in just a few days or weeks, the reality is that it generally takes considerably longer to really develop the skills to become a proficient guitar player. If you decide that learning to play the guitar is right for you, be prepared to give yourself six months to a year before you really start to reap the rewards of your efforts.

I hope you'll forgive the "Star Wars" reference, but there is a lot of truth to the statement. While it is possible to learn to play the guitar without any outside help, it is generally NOT a good idea. Although the internet has made it easier than ever for us to find online instruction videos and chord/lyric sheets for just about any song imaginable, having someone at your side to guide you through the basics is fundamental to your long-term success. A good mentor will correct your mistakes before they become bad habits, and they'll offer you moral support and encouragement which just might help get you through a particularly rough lesson. Trust me on this - you'll learn faster and become a far better guitarist by finding yourself a respectable teacher who can assist you along your musical journey.

As a guitar teacher, the comment I've heard more than any other is "I don't have any musical ability," or, "I want to learn but I just don't think I have the skills to do it." Let me say this decisively: I have never met anyone who wanted to learn that didn't develop into a respectable guitar player. Okay, its an honest, and I think reasonable, assumption that most of us will not be the next Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix and, while we're still being honest, if that's your goal, I'd say GO FOR IT, but set your expectations just a little lower FOR NOW. That said, anyone who puts the time and effort into learning an instrument can attain a level of skill that should exceed their own expectations. It requires work, lots of practice, and a fair amount of patience but it CAN BE DONE. If you are one of the naysayers that goes about the world believing they lack the skills to learn to play, let me tell you that I've taught kids, senior citizens, and just about every type of person in between, and I have yet to meet an individual who has not learned to play.

....oh, and to expound on my comment about being the next Eric Clapton? Just keep that focus throughout your musical career...even Eric Clapton wasn't always Eric Clapton. He got there, and you can too!

So you're ready to make the commitment and now you've decided to get started with your musical journey. Great! Now comes the step that most people struggle with the most - buying your first guitar. Today, you can find guitars for sale at just about any retail store. They're available at K-mart, WalMart, Toys 'R' Us, and Target. There are also a number of retail outlet stores like Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music that specialize in musical equipment and carry a far greater assortment of middle-to-high end guitars.

But what to buy?

While you can certainly find an inexpensive guitar at K-mart, the quality of the instrument might be questionable. There are definitely some exceptionally good guitars available for less than $100.00, but be selective before making a purchase. Many of these low end guitars tend to be made of cheap materials, do not stay in tune, and deteriorate quickly, meaning that while you saved some money up front, you might be replacing your guitar in the near future.

At the same time, you don't need to go into Guitar Center and drop $1000.00 (or more) on a guitar the first time you buy one. As a rule, Guitar Center (and other stores like it) separate their guitars into different classes so that you can shop similar guitars within a specific price point. This makes finding a guitar a little easier without getting your heart set on one only to find out it costs more than your first car did. Be selective, ask lots of questions, and do some homework before making your purchase, and you'll be in good shape.

Another decision that needs to be made is this: Electric or Acoustic? For younger students, the electric guitar has an undeniable appeal - its the type of guitar all rock and pop musicians play. They're loud, they're brash, and they're much more difficult to manage for an inexperienced guitar player. They are fairly heavy compared to an acoustic The strings are much softer, which means that they require a more exact touch. Also, to hear what you're trying to play, you need an amplifier which means extra up-front expense and a constant power source to plug the amp into. Owning an electric guitar also means that you'll hear every wrong note your aspiring rockstar is attempting to play. While I certainly don't discourage starting with an electric guitar, I think all of these points are at least worth considering.

On the other hand, acoustic guitars are bulkier with much wider bodies. Also, they do use heavier gauge strings which means that, at first, your fingers are going to be somewhat tender after every practice session. In time, you develop callouses, but the process can be a mildly painful one. Still, acoustic guitars require less regular tuning, less equipment to make them playable, and they come in a variety of shapes and styles - meaning even the most discriminating teenager will likely find one that makes them happy. Also, when shopping the acoustic guitars, you can always consider an acoustic/electric. but understand that the "electric" side of the guitar simply means it can be plugged into an amplifier - but it neither plays like or sounds like an electric guitar when it is plugged in.

Ultimately, in choosing between electric or acoustic, it is important to select the instrument that makes you the most happy. There are certainly plenty of guitarist who spend their entire musical career playing on an electric guitar and they're no worse the wear for it. Likewise, there are many musicians who swear by the more natural sound that an acoustic has to offer and have therefore never picked up an electric guitar. There are also plenty of guitarist that play both (and for the record, there is no difference in how you play an electric or an acoustic.) Either way, I encourage you again to do some homework - even if that means making a few trips to the guitar store to explore your choices before selecting your instrument.

So that's it, for now. While I hope this brief introduction into playing guitar has given you some things to think about, I do want to leave you with this thought: Life is far too short not to take chances, and far too long to live with regrets. If you've been considering learning to play the guitar, or any instrument for that matter, make the time to do it. Every guitar student I've ever had has been enriched by the experience of learning to play, and some have even gone on to pursue music professionally. You're never too old to start and, who knows, maybe you'll discover a talent inside yourself you didn't know you had!