Beginner Secrets for Learning to Play the Guitar

Before we dive into the basics of how to play the guitar, let's take a look at the actual exercise layout. When we watch our favorite rock stars jamming with their amazing guitars at concerts or in music videos, we are envious of their speed, dexterity and skill. We want to be able to do the same thing and find ourselves wondering how in the world they learned to play so well.

The guitar is not a difficult instrument to learn how to play, but before you begin taking lessons there are a few basics you should keep in mind. You must be determined to succeed. Without determination, you are destined to give up before you've learned to play this wonderful instrument. Determination is especially important when it comes to learning to play the guitar.

Patience is the Key

Another key to learning the guitar is patience. You cannot become a rock star overnight. Learning the guitar takes time, especially during the initial days. Once you have these two basic tenets, the third thing, which is specific to music, is having a musical ear. You have to be able to, over a period of time, identify the sounds associated with particular notes.

Buy yourself a Guitar

To learn how to play guitar you should have your own guitar. Actually owning a guitar is very important because in order to learn how to play it you will need to practice constantly. You must be willing to set aside some time each day to practice or you may experience a setback in your learning process.

Having your own guitar enables you to practice whenever you want, at the frequency you desire. Also, the feeling of ownership is a big confidence booster. By purchasing your own guitar, you have taken the first step to learning how to play it. The last and final preliminary step before you kick off the actual learning process is getting yourself a teacher.

Find a Good Teacher

In the days before the Internet, to learn how to play the guitar, you had to learn from a guitar teacher. This meant you had to actually go to the house of a teacher, or have the teacher come to your house. That was quite a limiting experience, because there was no guarantee the teacher you were learning from was the best or was able to teach you the style you wanted to learn.

Did You Know?
The cost involved with hiring a personal instructor can be quite high. One year of live instructor guitar lessons can cost between $750 and $1,000.

Learning Guitar Online

With the arrival of the Internet, that equation has changed irrevocably. Today, there are a large number of online websites that teach how to play the guitar, right from the simple basics to complex chord structures and styles. All you need is access to a computer and the Internet. You can choose a website that best suits your needs. Once you have zeroed in on a site you can start taking your guitar lessons.