How to learn to play the guitar?

Have you always wanted to learn to play the guitar, but haven’t decided to do it yet? Then our note is for you.

Learning to play the guitar is much easier and more fun than you might think. If you think that:

too old to start taking music lessons,
you have no musical talent,
Before you start playing, you need to learn musical notation and solfeggio…

- you are wrong.

Photo: thanks to William Iven (FirmBee)

Make a decision

All you need is to make a decision and decide where to learn to play the guitar . You don’t need to be a genius. Devote at least ten hours to practice, and even after that you will be able to play some simple melodies.

We can promise you that guitar lessons will open up new aspects of life for you.

You will learn to relax and disconnect from external problems while playing music.
You will join a community of musicians and learn a new culture.
No matter what age or gender you are, you are sure to gain new fans.
Music will become more than just a pleasant hobby for you; over time, you will begin to understand it on a new level.

Where to study?

There are several training options:

independently, using books and video tutorials
online courses
lessons with a teacher

If you have never held a guitar in your hands, we advise you to start learning by taking lessons with a teacher. Only a teacher can show you the correct positioning of your hands, teach you how to check and tune the instrument, and show you the basic chords. All this will provide you with the necessary minimum knowledge base, which you can then develop on your own. Without lessons from a teacher, you will not be able to achieve a high level of mastery of the game.

A few more simple tips:

Many hours of practice will help you achieve good sound. The secret to success is repetition. Control the placement of your fingers and wrists. Over time, the correct movements will become automatic. You will feel very uncomfortable at first and your wrists may cramp. Be patient, after a month of regular practice, you will easily cope with the most difficult chords.
Try to clamp the frets as accurately as possible, this will avoid rattling when playing a chord.
Your fingers will hurt, but don’t worry about it. Very soon the pain will go away. You can relieve discomfort during exercise by placing your fingers in a bowl of ice for a few seconds.
Study the physical structure of the instrument, the names and functions of all its parts, and how the sound is produced. This knowledge will greatly help you in the future.
For the first five to seven days, practice daily for at least thirty minutes. This will help develop the necessary muscle memory.
Daily exercises with a tennis ball will help strengthen the muscles of your left arm. Squeeze it for 5 minutes several times a day.
Be prepared to be disappointed. It’s inevitable and it’s normal. Not everything will work out for you, and not right away, but don’t give up and continue your studies.
Play with the professionals. Choose a song, play it on CD and try playing along with the artist.
Learn to sight read chords or sheet music. Both methods are good.
Try playing different types of guitars: bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar.
Reward yourself for your successes and achievements. Don’t be too hard on yourself, remember, mastery comes with time.
Don’t skimp on buying a good tool. If you are confident in your desires, buy yourself a professional instrument.
Practice in your free time, while watching TV or with friends.
Feel free to play with more experienced musicians. This will be a good lesson for you.