My first guitar lessons were difficult. I struggled to learn chords and songs. My fingers couldn’t find the right place to make the guitar sing.
Since then I have learned how to play the guitar much faster and easier. I will show you how to play the guitar immediately.
I love to play the guitar! I was self-taught up until I became a teacher of music a few years back. My first guitar was purchased in 1989. It’s only in the last five years that I have really concentrated on playing the guitar well. Now, I’m quite good. I can jam with great musicians, and I can entertain myself for hours on my guitar.
Today, I would rather watch TV than play guitar. Here’s why: I feel relaxed after I watch TV and have wasted an hour. After I play guitar, I feel relaxed and am a better guitarist.
A DIFFERENT WAY: FORGET THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR
My path to playing guitar today was different from how most guitarist teachers teach. Guitarists begin with an inexpensive acoustic instrument and then try to learn chords.
The problem is that cheap acoustic instruments are difficult for beginners to use. The strings are too thick. The neck is too large. You don’t have enough strength to make a good sound with your fingers.
Most beginning guitarists have an inexpensive acoustic guitar in their house. This inexpensive guitar keeps them from becoming a guitarist.
Don’t buy a cheap acoustic instrument, try a different approach.
ELECTRIC GUITAR TO THE RESCUE
It is better to get started with an electric guitar. This will help you get started quickly and easily, which will inspire you to continue practicing until you are able to play with other musicians.
A used electric guitar can be purchased at a Guitar Center for around $300. This is the lowest price you can find a good guitar that will sound great and play well. Professional guitar shops will adjust the guitar’s “action” to make it easy to use. You should forget about “starter guitars”, as they are often difficult to use.
I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a used guitar from anyone but a professional shop. You don’t have enough knowledge about guitars to choose a good one. Guitar shops want your business for the rest your life as a musician. They’ll ensure you get exactly what you need.
Acoustic guitars are the most popular choice because they can be played without amplification. Electric guitars require an amplifier to double the cost of starting.
It’s not a problem because your iPhone, iTouch or iPad can be used to control your electric guitar and you can get guitar effects worth thousands of dollar for only $30 (more details in another post). For a dollar, you can get a guitar tuner app for your mobile device.
A cheap guitar tuner will cost you more than the fancy applications for your guitar. Plug in your headphones, and you’ll feel like you’re in front of a Marshall stack.
FORGET THE CHORDS
Get your hands strong before you attempt to force her fingers into positions that are called guitar chords.
Playing scales can help you strengthen your hands. It sounds tedious, I know! If you can sit down with your guitar every day for 15 minutes and learn how to move your fingers, you will be able to form chords much faster and have more strength and dexterity in your fingers. You’ll soon get frustrated and quit playing the guitar if you don’t. This is how you can play the guitar quickly.
STRONG FINGERS OUT OF SCALES
You don’t need to use standard scales. All you have to do to get your fingers moving is to have them respond to your mental commands. Your hand strength will increase.
Begin by placing your hand on the neck of your guitar. Next, place your fingers on the largest string (the E string). Then, use your fingers to push down on the string using your finger. This is known as fretting the string, and it can cause new guitarists to be “fretty” about playing the guitar.
Keep your thumb in front of the neck so that it’s just below your middle finger. Then clamp down on the string. Do not press down on the neck. Instead, just press lightly enough to ensure that the string touches the metal fret.
Begin with your index finger. Next, move to your middle finger. Next, move to your ring finger. Then, turn the other direction. Slowly, making sure you have a clear tone for each string.
Next, move on to the next string and then repeat. Continue moving to the next string until you reach the smallest.
Next, start with your pinky and move to your ring finger. Continue this process until you are comfortable moving your fingers up, down, up, and back again. You can then work your way back to the big string.
You can move your hand up one fret, and then go back up until you reach the 12th fret. That’s the place where there is usually a double dot.
Reverse the direction and continue to go down until you reach the first fret.
This is enough for the first round.
REPEAT
This should be done for five minutes each morning and five minutes at night. You’ll notice a difference in your fingers over the next two weeks. Your dexterity will increase and your fingers will become stronger. You can now form chords comfortably.
