Playing guitar is an admirable skill that almost everyone wishes they could do. if you have been wanting to learn to play, or even just improve on your skills, then this article can help you do just that. So take the time to read these tips below and then put them into practice today.
You should get a good guitar if you’re serious about learning to play. If you’re not able to buy your own guitar, you may be able to rent or borrow one from someone. Using the right guitar ensures you’re getting quality sound.
Learn the open strings and start out playing simple songs. Memorize the single notes because that will make learning the chords and scales easier later on. Although it’s a good idea to try something more challenging on occasion, stick to playing simple songs for the first few months, and practice daily.
It bears repeating that practice is the most important thing you can do when learning how to play guitar. Don’t plan on practicing for just a single, long session every week. Practicing consistently every day, even for short amounts of time, is important and the best way to develop the finger memory you’ll need for playing guitar.
Before calluses develop on your fingers, your fingertips will be sore. You will find it to be less painful if you use nylon strings or an electric guitar. It’s painful for beginners to play a steel-string acoustic guitar. While soaking fingers in rubbing alcohol can feel good, avoid soaking them in dangerous substances like turpentine.
As you begin to learn how to play your guitar, it is also a good idea to learn how to change your own strings, and to tune your truss rod yourself. It can be costly to have someone do these things for you, and if you are know-how, you can do it yourself as the need arises. Strings break and go out of tune at a moment’s notice, so knowing how it means you will be back to playing as soon as possible.
Learn tunes in different keys. Playing the same song using different keys can help you understand the different chords. It will also give you a better all-round understanding of music. You’ll have a better understanding of music and be a better musician for it.
As strange as it may sound to guitar novices, it is important to start the process of building callouses on your fingertips soon after beginning to learn to play the instrument. Having a bit of thick skin at the end of your fingers will make playing less painful, and will be well worth the effort as you spend more and more time making music.
Purchase a metronome. A metronome will help your timing. That way, you are not trying to maintain the correct pace on your own. With a metronome, you can begin at a slow pace and increase it as your skills improve. So use a metronome when you are trying to learn songs or chords, and you may find that your learning will greatly improve.
Do finger strengthening exercises. Certain chords require some fancy handwork, and they are only possible with good control of the strings. Be sure you are able to learn a few techniques along with exercises so you can get your hands stronger; this allows you to play better.
Start off with an affordable guitar. There is no sense in investing in a very expensive guitar, only to find that it doesn’t feel right in your hands. An inexpensive guitar is best for learning on and it can bear the brunt of any mistakes you make in caring for it without a great loss. Once you are used to the feel of a guitar, then you can move to a more expensive model that suits you.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming you cannot learn to play guitar because lessons are too costly. Many guitarists have learned to play on their own, with no help from an instructor. There are a number of good books for self-learners, and the internet is full of information and videos that make it easy to learn to play.
Use everyday products to alleviate any finger soreness you might experience. Before and after you play the guitar, soak your fingers in apple cider vinegar for 30 seconds. Using ice on your fingertips can also help reduce finger soreness. Apply benzocaine to reduce the soreness.
See if you can decipher songs independently before looking them up. Learning any song can now easily be done with the help of the Internet, but try listening for yourself and try to figure out a song before looking it up online.
As you have seen, there are many things to learn about playing the guitar. A great guitar playing is always learning new things and trying new styles and techniques. So use what you have learned here today and share what you have learned with your fellow guitar enthusiasts in your next jam session.
Guitar Master 