Showing posts with label learning guitar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning guitar. Show all posts

Monday, January 31, 2011

When You Are New to Learning Guitar

When you first decide that you want to learn to play guitar, things can be a bit confusing. You’re filled with all this anticipation, but most students don’t even know where to start out. And that can be very annoying. Well the very first thing you need is a guitar. Yup, before you can understand guitar you in fact require a guitar.
A beginner guitar
Plenty of people actually ask what a good beginner guitar is. My answer is that there is no true beginner guitar. On the other hand, I do have some input for why I think beginners should get a certain kind of guitar. Personally I think its ideal to learn guitar on a pretty Low-cost guitar. Simply because if you learn on a Inexpensive guitar then, not just will you appreciate the more luxurious guitars more, but you will also notice the difference when you upgrade, and probably notice that more pricey doesn’t always mean better.
In addition Its much easier for a beginner to learn to play guitar on either a classical nylon string guitar or an electric guitar. Simply because the strings have less tension and they’re easier to play without agonizing your fingers. myself I learned on a quite cheap steal string guitar, still, it is actually the most difficult guitar I have ever played. That guitar completely calloused my finger tips because I played it all the time, till I finally upgraded. Now I don’t recommend you get a guitar that is tough to play, trust me if I had a choice I would rather the strings be easier to play. But when your guitar isn’t perfect, you definitely enjoy better guitars, no matter the price. But if you’re an acoustic guitar fan particularly if your on a budget I recommend that you learn guitar on a classical guitar, and most are fairly cheap.
Play Guitar
So now you have your guitar, now you need to learn to play guitar. So, what is the very best way to learn guitar? There are lots of options out there for the novice guitarist. But, which one is the best? Well lets look at the options.
You can learn from a teacher.
If you learn from a personal teacher it could be excellent because you have someone right there with you who is a professional and they can correct you when you mess up. Nevertheless instructors can be very high-priced and they are not always reliable.
You can learn to play guitar from a book
Guitar guides are full of information, and can help you understand chord patterns very easily. Nonetheless books can not consistently teach some techniques, especially if you need to hear the technique. However for theory, scales and chords books are fantastic.
You can learn by video
With video you can truly witness whats going on and correct your techniques. However with videos you feel like you have to keep up with the teacher and your playing and enthusiasm can suffer from this. Especially since its hard to follow tabs or notes when they keep moving…
You can learn to play on-line
Currently If you have a computer this is definitely the finest choice. Learning on-line combines the best of all the previous options. And its usually less than the price of one or two private lessons. Additionally some courses even have certain built in software that will make learning feel like a video game and makes guitar easy. The only thing missing is someone who is actually right in front of you correcting you.

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The Best Ways to Learn a Guitar

Lots of people want to learn the guitar but they aren’t always sure where they should start. For beginners out there who don’t know the first thing about a guitar or playing one, here some tips so you can be playing like Jimi Hendrix in no time. After all, playing a guitar is a great way to relax and reduce stress.
First, get a good guitar that will not impede your playing or learning ability. I have seen many instances where the guitar is the problem, not the student. Make sure the “action and playability” (distance of the string to the neck) of the guitar are good and that it is correctly intonated (the bridge adjusted so the strings are the correct length) or you will have tuning and playing problems that are not your fault. Also learning on light gauge strings is advised to stop finger strain it is worth paying a few extra dollars to have the guitar ’set up’ before your start to play.
Second, get a good teacher or at least a good DVD that explains the methods of learning in a simple and easy manner and will ensure you are playing ’songs’ or at least ‘riffs’ within the first lesson. Avoid learning boring scales and exercises that will de-motivate you. These can be done later. Try to learn individually (one on one) rather than in a group situation.
Third, practice every day for at least 10 minutes, and always practice what you cant play rather than what you can otherwise you will not progress. Try to learn simple versions of songs you know so you can sing along (even if it’s just in your mind) with the song.
Fourth, learn a mixture of chords, single notes, scales and riffs even at the first stages of learning. This is important to develop your technique and strength in the finger and wrist. Moreover, have the guitar, if possible, on a stand where it is easily accessible, so you will want to pick it up often. If it’s in a case under the bed you will forget about it. If it’s next to the TV you will pick it up more often.
Fifth, know how to tune your guitar and always have a tuner or at least a pitch pipe to ensure you are in tune otherwise you will sound horrible. Use a metronome or even a basic drum machine so you can stay in time and develop a sense of rhythm. This is one of the most neglected areas of learning and often the biggest cause of bad habits later on in a student’s progress.
Sixth, try to learn songs you enjoy and in a style you like. It is no use playing Metallica songs if you like Bob Dylan. However its not a bad idea to learn new styles but stick to what you know and like at least in the beginning. This way you will keep your interest in playing the guitar up while you are just starting out.
Finally, record yourself and listen back to it. No matter how awful it may sound it will improve both your desire and your ability to play better. Also if you want to play lead guitar, play over a recorded rhythm part so you have a musical backing to play to. This will improve your solo ability dramatically.
By using these tips, you will keep your interest in the guitar up and help you learn much better than you normally would have otherwise. Learning a guitar is great and you want to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

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Learn Guitar Easy: Truth or Fiction?

Ok, this all depends on the angle that you decide to look at it. For the people that are naturally music inclined, it would be easy. But for those that are not, it might not be so easy. Despite this difference, guitar is really not as easy or as hard as people may think.
Think back to the day that you came across a guitar for the first time, what went through your mind? Bet it was something like, "boy! Is that a cool instrument or what?" Regardless what you thought, guitar playing is what it is.
If one takes it as being difficult, then that is exactly what it is going to be. But if they take it as being easy, then that is what it will be. To take this a step further, let us look at the two separately.
Guitar is Difficult
The one surprising thing that you might come across, if you have not already, is the fact that some people want to learn guitar without having to deal with everything that comes with it. Things like learning tabs, chords, notes, the fret board, practice techniques and the list goes on.
Learning Tabs
If you want to play the guitar but don't want to learn to read guitar music, it would be wise to know your tabs. After all, how do you expect to know what you are doing on your guitar if you can't read tabs.
Chords and Notes
Then there are the rare few that think they can magically skip learning or knowing the chords and notes. How can one play the guitar if they do not know what A flat (Ab ) or A sharp (A#) are. Playing the guitar is not a magic trick, hence it deserves it due diligence.
Fret Board
Now tell me, who has ever heard of playing the guitar without the fret board? No one I bet, unless there is a guitar out there that has no fret board then I guess that the people that are avoiding learning their frets have a big chance of learning guitar the easy way.
Practice and Practice Methods
Each and every person knows that practice is one of the requirements for improving at anything. You can't expect to get better at playing the guitar by simply looking at the instrument days on end. That just won't cut it. You need to do your part as a guitar player.
Guitar is Easy
If you are nothing like the guys in the above scenarios, then you have nothing to worry about. By the way, the things mentioned above are not the only things that are needed to learn the guitar, there are many more.
The only thing that you need to be armed with is the desire to put in all the effort and learn some or all the cardinal things needed to be a guitar player. Then and only then will you be closer to having learn guitar easy.

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Learn Guitar Teachers are quickly becoming an Endangered Species – Use of Video Lessons on the Rise

Learning Guitar is Becoming Increasingly easier thanks to new technology. It wasn’t all that long ago that kids were going to take guitar lessons after school from an individual, now they’re rushing home and turning on their computer to watch video guitar lessons.
It’s happened quickly but online and dvd video instruction is surpassing private lessons as the preferred method of learning guitar for students both old and young. Why? Well like everything else we’re find it easier and faster to handle this part of our lives with the assistance of computers,and the Internet.
An online guitar course which is done entirely via the Internet and a computer costs far less then private guitar lessons and does not require the student to leave the house. Also since it’s a self study program students can watch lessons and practice when it’s right for them, no schedules..
Another point is that the best guitar lessons online are often taught by teachers who are far more skilled then those you could find locally to teach you guitar as a beginner. So choosing to learn online can be as much about saving money as it is about the speed with which you learn and the quality of the instrument.
How does this shift affect music schools, stores and instuctors?
Enrolment is lower then it used to be at many music stores offering lessons, how ever this is primarily in the mature student market (those over 30 years of age). Younger children and teenagers, or possibly their parents, still seem to be embracing the private lesson model.
There is a group of instructors who have started creating their own lesson videos and either posting them to video websites such as youtube or their own websites and blogs. This offers an additional revenue stream for many of these teachers who may teach guitar full-time. It may be a great business decision for them as they can reach more people online then they possibly could locally and videos can teach more then one person at once.

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Learning Guitar 101

So you have finally decided to learn guitar. You have come to the right place. I will be offering advice and give reviews on good places were you can get guitar lessons. can be fun and easy. You can even learn how to play guitar right in the comfort of your own home. There are so many different programs that help you learn guitar.
Some people learn how to play guitar on their own, however the majority of people are not able to learn guitar on their own without any help. At the top of this site I have posted a link that will take you step by step in learning the guitar. I have found many of my students say the guitar lessons really excelled them in their ability to learn guitar.
In the beginning it is good to have patience. Start out learning a few cords and then practice them. Weather you want to play country or rock knowing simple cords is the key to getting started.
Once you have mastered a few cords keep learning more and more. Then you can begin to use variations of these cords to play songs you know or write new ones. This is some of the steps in learning how to play guitar.
I have had my students try different course programs that help them to learn guitar. One good thing about the courses you can take from home is that you decide when you want to take you guitar lessons. You can also decide how many times you want to repeat a guitar lessons.
This gives you flexibility and now time is on your side and fits into any schedule. Most of my new students learn guitar basics and are already playing songs by the end of a weekend. is always easer than the person thinks. People of all ages can achieve many different levels when they decide to learn how to play guitar.
Click on the above link to check out the course. You can learn electric and acoustic guitar with this course. I am will reviewing another course for those people who really want to get the most out of their guitar lessons. For now I have found at least one very good course. I will post the next course in the same place at the top of this page.
So remember you can learn guitar and knowing how to play guitar is easy. Just work on those guitar lessons a few times a week to improve on your skills.
Please visit some of my web sites at Guitar Lessons and How To Play Guitar


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Five Things you Must Do while taking Blues Guitar Lessons

Without a doubt blues is the most popular sub style of guitar playing. To become a master at the entire instrument can take years to accomplish, but one of the greatest things about the blues is you can get started with some simple tips and techniques. Today I have five essential topics you have to cover while learning, and if you choose to follow them you’ll be propelled ahead of the pack when taking blues guitar lessons.
The Basics of 12 Bar Blues
If there is one essential ingredient in everything blues, it’s the 12 bar blues pattern. There is a bit of musical theory behind the concept once you under it you’ll be able to quickly start playing it right away.
The twelve bar blues pattern is made up of three different chords known as the one, the four and the five of a given key, these are often denoted as the I, IV and V. If one, four, five is new to you then you may want to familiarize yourself with it first, how ever it’s not all that tough to understand.
Below is the simple pattern made up of the one, the four and the five chords for the 12 bar blues:
1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 4 – 4 – 1 – 1 – 5 – 4 – 1 – 5
In the example above the 1 is for the one chord, the 4 the four chord and the 5 the five chord.

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