Music Banter - View Single Post - Learning to Play a Guitar, Best Ways to Learn?

tjflick · 01-30-2013, 10:29 AM

I teach guitar for a living. The first things you should be learning are chords and right hand strum and picking techniques.

(If you're right handed)

Your right hand is your "kick" and "snare" drum. The guitar is a percussive instrument almost as much as it is melodic.

Learn all of your base chords and study up on the CAGE system. You should be able to form chords instantly without even thinking about them. The way I teach is 3 chords at a time and you spend at least half an hour per day just switching between those 3. You need to develop muscle memory.

The lead guitar stuff...such as going through chromatic, pentatonic, and arpeggiated sequences shouldn't even be on your list yet.

Most of all, have fun! But also realize that guitar can be frustrating at times. You might hear the coolest solo you've ever heard and you instantly think, "I can do that!"...then you get home and quickly find out that you're not even close to that level. Inspiration is a two-headed dog. Learn to control it.

Lastly, if you don't have a metronome...get one.

01-30-2013, 10:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
tjflick Groupie Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1	I teach guitar for a living. The first things you should be learning are chords and right hand strum and picking techniques. (If you're right handed) Your right hand is your "kick" and "snare" drum. The guitar is a percussive instrument almost as much as it is melodic. Learn all of your base chords and study up on the CAGE system. You should be able to form chords instantly without even thinking about them. The way I teach is 3 chords at a time and you spend at least half an hour per day just switching between those 3. You need to develop muscle memory. The lead guitar stuff...such as going through chromatic, pentatonic, and arpeggiated sequences shouldn't even be on your list yet. Most of all, have fun! But also realize that guitar can be frustrating at times. You might hear the coolest solo you've ever heard and you instantly think, "I can do that!"...then you get home and quickly find out that you're not even close to that level. Inspiration is a two-headed dog. Learn to control it. Lastly, if you don't have a metronome...get one.