Play It Like You Mean It – Here are 13 Great Guitar Tips And Tricks for Beginners

Everyone admires someone who can play the guitar. If you are like most, you have thought about becoming a guitar player before. These tips can help you learn to play. Continue reading the following paragraphs to learn how to play the guitar better than ever before.

1. Be realistic with yourself. Progress can be slow, so don’t get ahead of yourself. Try not to set too many expectations. This could just discourage you and cause you to quit altogether. Take things slowly and get plenty of practice in. Just remember learning the basics can take a considerable amount of time.

2. Learn musical notation and guitar tabs. Music theory is useful for understanding how chords and scales work. Learn the strings as well as what the notes are called. This knowledge can really help you out as you learn to play riffs and melodies.

3. Buy the best quality guitar that will fit into your budget. Don’t waste money by spending a ridiculous amount on your first guitar because you may give up on it. Try out several options to find out what feels comfortable. Learn how to tune your guitar and keep it properly tuned.

4. Always remember that playing the guitar should be fun. Remember that you’re learning it for fun. Never allow it to become drudgery. Once you do that, boredom or dread may set in, and practice will cease. Practice the music that you enjoy.

5. If you wish to learn to play guitar, start out by purchasing an affordable, or even used, guitar. Don’t jump right in and spend a bundle on an expensive instrument before you know if you will like playing it, or have the ability to learn how. If you find you want to continue learning, you can always upgrade to a better guitar later.

6. Before you get calluses on your fingers, you are sure to feel some soreness. Try starting with a guitar with nylon strings or an electric guitar if it’s too painful. Acoustic, steel-string guitars are often the most painful for beginners. Rubbing alcohol can relieve the pain, but avoid something more harmful, like turpentine. 

7. Whether you are a rock-and-roll fan, or love classical guitar music, it is wise to begin learning the simple way. Instead of trying to learn difficult music, or fancy licks, start with easy songs. You’ll learn faster if you start out slower.

8. Learn all your chords before you start playing songs. Do not try to play your favorite Jimi Hendrix tune your first week. Start with really simple songs and work your way up. Practice every single day. Taking a week off, when you’re first learning to play, will ensure that you forget everything you learned.

9. Invest in a metronome. This is a great idea if you are unfamiliar with timing or can’t keep a rhythm. They help ensure that you are not floundering to keep pace. You will find that a metronome will make you a much better musician, and learning new music will be a breeze.

10. Look for instructional videos online. With the internet, learning a new skill has become exponentially easier. One on one instruction, while ideal, is rather expensive. If you can’t afford classes, look on sites like YouTube instead. Find popular guitar tutors and watch their videos. There’s a lot of helpful instruction out there.

11. A great way to evaluate you progress is to record and videotape yourself playing the electric guitar. Listening, and watching, yourself while you aren’t concentrating on playing will give you a better perspective on how you are doing. Use your recordings to see how you can improve your sound, finger positions and techniques.

12. Learn how to care properly for your instrument. Practice is important but so is the guitar you practice on! Learn when and how to change your strings. Learn how to tune your guitar and how to clean it. It’s important that you keep it in good shape if you want it sounding its best.

13. Figure out how you can strum the guitar you have and practice frequently. This will help you learn the chords. Switching to a different chord will be easier when doing this. Strum your guitar too and practice the chords until it comes naturally.
As you are now aware, you can take many paths towards better guitar playing. In terms of guitar playing, there’s always something new you don’t know. Make the tips above part of your toolkit, and continue build your skill. Practice is the key to becoming better so why not start practicing these tips today? For more details on the best guitar gears and music instruments, visit TheGuitarJunky.com.