Learning to Play

At first, the big question about learning to play the guitar is whether or not to take lessons, or simply, as in the case of many successful and well-known guitarists, to undertake learning the instrument by yourself. Both have merits, as I will describe here.

In my own case, I learned to play the guitar by myself from either the occasional book on chords and guitar basics, and once I learned those, from listening to music itself and trying to play along. There is a lot to be said about learning guitar basics, whichever way you end up learning them. Many would say that as long as you have the basics down, you can develop your own chords and take your time in learning more intermediate-level guitar theory. It all depends on you. The basics might be all you need, as many famous guitarists came through this school of learning. However, there is also a lot to be said about studying more intense guitar theory, as well as gaining a deep technical knowledge of music itself. It all depends on your natural skill, level of ability, and your curiosity and how you go about satisfying it. Some people learn better from a teacher, and some people learn better by themselves at their own pace.

For the absolute beginner, when you finally do purchase your first guitar, I would recommend picking up a How-To book on guitar basics and chord structures. With this type of investment, one can at least enjoy playing some basic chords in relatively little time, and then, as time goes by, begin to assess their own ability and level of interest. I would have to admit, I have seen a lot of people become discouraged initially, but once they get the basics down, they begin to enjoy more, stress less, and finally begin to figure the guitar out in their brains. If you have ever heard of Eric Clapton, one of the world’s most respected and famous guitarists, you might be interested to know that even he was discouraged when he first started playing the guitar. Whatever your initial skill level might be, don’t let it get in the way of the reason why you wanted to learn guitar in the first place. You might just be the next guitar god! Wouldn’t we all like to think so? It’s possible.

Once you have the basics and you are enjoying yourself with your new purchase, that is the time when you can more accurately assess your interest and discover whether or not shelling out the extra bucks for lessons is worth it or not. Hopefully, in your guitar travels so far you’ve had the chance to make other guitar friends, and hopefully, they will be better than you, giving you a chance to learn from more experience players. That way is cheaper and probably more enjoying than paying someone you don’t really know. So get out there, go jam at the local music shop, and attend the shows of local bands. If you become a serious player, you will already be hooked and ready to learn more.



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