Playing a musical instrument is so rewarding, most of us hope we have some music in us. Guitars are one of the first choices for most people, they sound great and can play a whole array of music, and different genres and everything fits.
Guitars are a fantastic way to relax at the end of a really stressful day and can help you to rejig your focus when you are stressed with work, study, or just life. However, the key to being a great guitarist is dedication, practice, and consistency.
Many people feel that to become a great guitarist they need to learn everything all at once, however, this is not true. You do not need to learn how to tune a guitar down a half step before you have even learned 5 chords.
Focus on learning the basics first, and work your way from there.
So, what are the 5 essentials you need right now, as a beginner?
#1. Choose The Right Guitar
The first thing that you need to do is choose the right guitar. There are countless different types available, and for you, this could be a bit intimidating. One of the best ways to overcome this problem is just to do your homework on guitars.
Read reviews online about the recommended brands for beginners. It will help you make your choice.
You might be tempted to buy the coolest guitar there is, the prettiest one, but this would be ill-advised, you should choose the ones that are most beginner recommended. While most guitars will be fine if you are a beginner, beginner-recommended ones are always a good shout.
#2. Pick Electric Or Acoustic
As a beginner, you need to learn with the right guitar. Learning with the wrong guitar is the biggest mistake you can make, so you will want to make sure that you pick the right one.
The choice of guitar should be dictated by your preferences musically. If you love hard rock, and metal you may want to start with an electric.
However, if you prefer ballads and gentle music, acoustic is better. Most will start off with an acoustic, but not everyone. The reasoning behind most of us learning with an acoustic guitar is that the skills you learn here are transferable to electric guitars.
#3. Set Up Your Guitar Properly
When you buy a guitar you need to ensure that you set it up properly, whether you buy it at a store or online. The chances will always be that it has not been set up properly. Even if it has, it is best to act as though it has not.
Setting up a guitar is simple: straighten the guitar’s neck, lower and raise the action, adjust the intonation, and so on.
If you do not quite know how you should set it up, then consider seeking out the assistance of a professional musician or an experienced guitarist. Then again, if you seek out lessons, then you can always ask your teacher to teach you how!
Speaking of which…
#4. Classes Or No Classes
To take classes or not to take classes? That is the question.
If you choose not to take guitar learning classes and teach yourself then that is no problem. You do need to ensure that you take time to meet fellow learners, be it online or in person, and play together, or at least talk about your process.
Playing with others is very important for learning and enhancing your playing ability.
When you ‘jam’ with other musicians, you share knowledge, and you can grow and learn more. Even if you do not jam with other guitarists or talk to other guitarists, at least talking to other musicians can help you to grow and learn.
You can overcome fears of playing in front of audiences by jamming with others can help you build confidence.
#5. Don’t Be Hard On Yourself
Take it easy and do not set expectations too high for yourself. You won’t be Slash in a week. It takes time and practice. Understand the music theory before you go jumping in the deep end.
Take the time to learn about your guitar, learn to read music, how to hold the guitar properly, the types of strings you need for the music you play and how it all works.
It can be easy to give up when you find yourself stuck in a rut, but getting better means staying dedicated. It has to storm before it shines.
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