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Because many of you have asked me about this, here are some tips I want to share with you about learning to play guitar. These are certainly not rules written in stone or anything. They're just things that have worked for me over the years. So, please treat them only as a guide. Ultimately, YOU decide what works best for you.
1. Start off with an inexpensive guitar. Acoustic is preferable to electric, because the former is likely to help you develop your fingers better. Plus, there's just nothing like the sound and tone of a metal string plucked over hollow wood. J
2. Learn the basic scales and chords. The major, minor and dominant 7th are widely used in a lot of different music. Learn these and a few others which sound pleasant to you. Play them in different bar chord positions. Pay close attention to your fingering.
3. Acquire at least some knowledge of music theory – either by reading music or tab. Use a song and instruction book from a music store like Guitar Center or from the internet.
4. At first, pick up easy and well-known songs. The songs you became familiar with in kindergarten and grade school are just fine. Understand the notes, scales and chords used in these songs. Also, even though the guitar is a string instrument, it is helpful to think of it as a kind of percussive instrument as well. It's important to develop a strong sense of rhythm when learning songs.
5. Once you're comfortable with the basics, pick around 5 guitar-based rock songs that speak to you very emotionally. They can be from a single band or artist or from different ones. But what matters is that the music of these songs should inspire and excite you so much that you are restless until you know how to play them.
6. Learn these songs as thoroughly and accurately as possible. Some of you will be comfortable picking up the music by ear. And others of you will prefer to have the sheet music or tab. Either way or a combination is fine and doesn't make any difference. But try not to skip over any details of the playing techniques used in the songs. Single notes, bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, chords, arpeggios – learn everything.
7. Observe how other, more experienced, guitarists play these songs. You can watch videos or concerts of the original artists playing. But you may also want to get to know a guitarist personally who plays these songs well and can show you up close how he or she is playing. Ask questions when you have trouble following what they're doing.
8. Practice these songs over and over again until you are satisfied with how you play them. This can be a long process. But please be patient. As with anything, you will get better at it with more practice. Try to get close to the original versions. But feel free to leave some room for your own variations and a little improvisation as well.
9. Play these songs in a band. That's it - at this point, you're already pretty good at playing guitar. There's nothing like the feeling and perspective of playing great music with other musicians. Buy or borrow an electric guitar and amp if you don't already have one. Get together with at least a drummer and a bassist, and start jamming to these songs!
As you can see, although I'm basically "self-taught" on guitar, that does not mean of course that I have not learned from others. I've had numerous teachers, some of whom I've known personally, but most I've never met. That, I think, is one of the key factors in learning to play any musical instrument.
1. Start off with an inexpensive guitar. Acoustic is preferable to electric, because the former is likely to help you develop your fingers better. Plus, there's just nothing like the sound and tone of a metal string plucked over hollow wood. J
2. Learn the basic scales and chords. The major, minor and dominant 7th are widely used in a lot of different music. Learn these and a few others which sound pleasant to you. Play them in different bar chord positions. Pay close attention to your fingering.
3. Acquire at least some knowledge of music theory – either by reading music or tab. Use a song and instruction book from a music store like Guitar Center or from the internet.
4. At first, pick up easy and well-known songs. The songs you became familiar with in kindergarten and grade school are just fine. Understand the notes, scales and chords used in these songs. Also, even though the guitar is a string instrument, it is helpful to think of it as a kind of percussive instrument as well. It's important to develop a strong sense of rhythm when learning songs.
5. Once you're comfortable with the basics, pick around 5 guitar-based rock songs that speak to you very emotionally. They can be from a single band or artist or from different ones. But what matters is that the music of these songs should inspire and excite you so much that you are restless until you know how to play them.
6. Learn these songs as thoroughly and accurately as possible. Some of you will be comfortable picking up the music by ear. And others of you will prefer to have the sheet music or tab. Either way or a combination is fine and doesn't make any difference. But try not to skip over any details of the playing techniques used in the songs. Single notes, bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, chords, arpeggios – learn everything.
7. Observe how other, more experienced, guitarists play these songs. You can watch videos or concerts of the original artists playing. But you may also want to get to know a guitarist personally who plays these songs well and can show you up close how he or she is playing. Ask questions when you have trouble following what they're doing.
8. Practice these songs over and over again until you are satisfied with how you play them. This can be a long process. But please be patient. As with anything, you will get better at it with more practice. Try to get close to the original versions. But feel free to leave some room for your own variations and a little improvisation as well.
9. Play these songs in a band. That's it - at this point, you're already pretty good at playing guitar. There's nothing like the feeling and perspective of playing great music with other musicians. Buy or borrow an electric guitar and amp if you don't already have one. Get together with at least a drummer and a bassist, and start jamming to these songs!
As you can see, although I'm basically "self-taught" on guitar, that does not mean of course that I have not learned from others. I've had numerous teachers, some of whom I've known personally, but most I've never met. That, I think, is one of the key factors in learning to play any musical instrument.
Sam Bhattacharya
http://www.sambhattacharya.com
