Many would like to learn to play guitar. Now that they are adults, the next question is how to start. What to do first and where to begin are all good questions that I would like to address here. Give you a little boost 😉
You might think, “Well, I will just grab a guitar and start playing!” Simple enough but it may not inspire you or even be a good guitar to play. Here are some steps to follow:
- Decide on the music you want to play.
- Decide on the guitar.
- Set aside a time daily for playing.
- Learn songs not just riffs
Your favorite music
The guitar discussion boards are all loaded with the question of whether you should start on acoustic or electric. Let’s step back from that and ask, what is your favorite music? Who is your favorite guitarist? What would you most like to play right now if you could already play? This is the basic motivation for why you want to play in the first place. Build on that inspiration.
The follow up question should be obvious: What type of guitar is being played in that music? If the guitar is electric, you will not be inspired by an acoustic and vice versa. Many would say you should start on acoustic for a variety of reasons and all are good reasons but they are not going to fulfill the why. Salespeople will always start with the why before telling you about the what. Can you see yourself in the Caribbean, for example? Sure! Then let me tell you about our vacation package to get you there. Use that to drive yourself.
The Guitar
Now that you have a vision for the style and music, let’s think about the guitar itself. The choices can be endless even when you narrow down to acoustic or electric. For example, size.
Size matters
If you are a true beginner, you may not know the following terms: short scale, travel, parlor, 3/4 size, and student. A few may seem obvious but they all refer to the smaller sized instruments. Short scale usually implies an electric. Travel can be applied to both while parlor, 3/4 size and student typically refer to acoustic guitars. If you have small hands, you should start here. The body size is also a consideration as these will be considerably smaller, lighter and fit better in some cases.
There are many famous guitarists who played short scale or parlor guitars, such as:
- John Lennon, Beatles – Rickenbacker 325
- Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull – parlor acoustic guitar
- Susanna Hoffs, The Bangles – Rickenbacker 325
The neck matters
Try out the guitar necks. The issue may just be that the neck is too wide or narrow on some types of guitars for you. For example, I have trouble playing in first position on my Fender Stratocaster 12-string. It is just too narrow making it difficult to fret some chords clearly. It may be the perfect size for you, though. I find my Epiphone 12-string acoustic fits just fine with the wider neck.
The cost matters
If this is your first guitar ever, avoid the lure of fancy expensive guitars. You are still just trying to find your way and you can always upgrade. There are many inexpensive options these days that are worth your consideration. Stay with the established brands and you will find a winner. However, you may need the services of a good guitar technician to dial it in for you. Set up can make the difference between love and hate. Choose a music store that can offer that service.
Set aside some time to learn to play guitar
As I have posted here and here, set aside time to practice. You don’t need hours and hours a day but you need to get some discipline going in order to see progress. Progress feels good and will keep you motivated when it gets challenging. 20 minutes is a minimum to go over what you learned and practice something fun. I find the time flies and a couple of hours will go by before I know it. As adults we don’t have limitless time as the pressures of life need tending but music is always a good way to wind down and ease the stress of the day.
Set aside some extra time at least once per week – an hour or more. Take breaks every 45minutes to an hour to avoid strain. You are building muscle, believe it or not. Like going to the gym, skip a day and you will feel it.
Learn songs – entire songs
From start to finish. Start at the beginning to build a repertoire of music. One major criticism of guitarists is that they only know the cool riffs of songs and never entire tunes. Kill that habit before it starts!
Learning entire songs will help you learn how to transition from one part to the next smoothly. Verses should not sound like the choruses and vice versa. Begin to notice the difference and why. Listen for the dynamics – the changes in volume, pace and intensity – and develop a feel for them. Simple changes in rhythm make major differences in how a song flows and feels. Learn how to control your volume on the fly.
Finally…
When you want to learn to play guitar, the details make the difference. That is where you go from here. I gave you some basics to give you a boost now go and jam! This will be something you can do for life and maybe bring some joy to another through your new found art. Let me know how it goes or, even better, let me help you along the way – sing up for Just 2 Play Guitar and I will see you on the other side.