| In the course of running my guitar tuition website, I | | | | awkward, frustrating, annoying,painful,tedious and |
| get inundated with questions frombeginner guitarists. | | | | very time consuming. So there is a big decision to |
| Many of the questions are to do with technical | | | | make before youeven start to think about playing. |
| aspects of learning. | | | | Do you REALLY want to commit to all that pain and |
| So that's things like, what type of strings to buy, | | | | torment? |
| what is the best guitar to start off with,how long | | | | Even after 30 years of playing regularly I still feel the |
| should my nails be and so on. | | | | pain and have to strugglewith new pieces. I will |
| These guitar playing questions are mostly very easy | | | | sometimes spend weeks (yes weeks) of practice |
| to answer but, occasionally, I geta question that | | | | just to learna single phrase in order to play smoothly |
| forces me to really think hard about a suitable | | | | and make it look effortless. |
| answer. | | | | Casual listeners will say 'Oh I wish I could play the |
| I was hit with just such a question today from a | | | | guitar' but I don't have time/talent/inclination. |
| beginner guitarist who said that he'ddownloaded | | | | They have absolutely no idea of the commitment it |
| some of my guitar videos and was having a little | | | | takes to play well, they just 'wish' they could do it! |
| trouble trying to get hisleft fingers into position. | | | | For me there was never any question about whether |
| He asked me if there were any exercises he could | | | | it was worth the effort. |
| do to make his hand more flexibleas he was touching | | | | So here is my advice to any beginner who is |
| other strings on the guitar and getting those horrible | | | | struggling along and not feeling that the progress is |
| buzzing noisesthat are so familiar to us all when we | | | | very rapid . . . . Just keep practicing . . . . Just keep |
| first start out. | | | | practicing . . . . JUST KEEP PRACTICING. |
| This beginner, it turned out, had been playing for | | | | There are no shortcuts, just plain old fashioned |
| three years and it struck me that whathe was really | | | | determination and grit. |
| looking for was some magic short cut that would | | | | It will come, little by little, step by step. The fingers |
| suddenly catapult him to stardom. | | | | will get strong,the skin will thicken,the strings will stop |
| Here's a question for you anyone who wants to or | | | | buzzing and listeners will start saying 'Oh...I wish I |
| has been trying to learn guitar | | | | could play theguitar' and you will smile smugly 'cos |
| How many people do you know who can play the | | | | you know what it takes. |
| guitar really well? | | | | I'm sure that this beginners plight will ring a few bells. |
| The answer I guess is, not many. | | | | Let me reassure you that this is a great time to learn |
| Here's another question: How many people do you | | | | the guitar. |
| know who bought one, tried it,dreamed about it, | | | | There are many super quality instruments out there |
| wished they could play, envied people who could play | | | | to get you started. Tons of resources on the |
| and thenjust stopped? | | | | internet. Newsletters, Tabs, videos (just search |
| The answer, and I'm just guessing again. Loads! | | | | YouTube for guitar lessons) or Online Acoustic Guitar |
| As a self taught guitarist of over 30 years these are | | | | Lessons |
| some of the thing I have learned. | | | | Your ultimate success will depend on how much you |
| Playing the guitar Hurts. | | | | want to do it and how much effort you are prepared |
| Yep it's true. I never read that in the books I bought | | | | to put in. |
| as a beginnerand it came as something of a shock | | | | Someone famous once said . . . . . |
| when I realised it. | | | | 'Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration' |
| A few other things I didn't realize were that It's | | | | She must have been a budding guitarist. |