Common Questions About Learning The Guitar - LEARN GUITAR
Learn Guitar - Common Questions About Learning The Guitar Hallo guys? Are looking for to LEARN GUITAR? Learn to play guitar? I'll show to you How to play guitar and guitar lessons for beginners. congratulations you have found my blog about Common Questions About Learning The Guitar. Blog on how to play the guitar, I will share the experience of how Learn Guitar effective and efficient. Because you know an awful lot out of my giving Learn guitar but you must pay dearly for it, and therefore I will share free information about Learn guitar for you, may be useful.
Learn Guitar article entitled Common Questions About Learning The Guitar is an article you can learn for free, as well, Learn Guitar This article is a form of sharing the results of their own experiences, kelaurga, friends, or from highly recommended guitar literature such as books, magazines, journals, blog guitar is very reliable.
Things you wanted to know but were afraid to ask? Well here's the answers you might be looking for! If you have more questions then pop over to the forum (hit the big '? Get help with this lesson' below) and ask there!!.
Let's get started by looking at some of the most common questions I get asked about learning the guitar. The guitar is an easy instrument to play badly, but with practice anyone can learn to play well. In this lesson I just want to clear up a few things so that you know what to expect of this course, and of yourself.
I have tried to answer many of the common questions asked in the video, but the cool thing about these web pages is that I can update them easily (try doing that with a book!) and it means that I can add any new questions here in the text, so please check the text FAQ bit below aswell before you post a question in the forum.
* Please read these questions below (and the next few lessons) before posting your question on the forum, as most questions asked seem to be already covered in one of these few lessons! *
One thing to be aware of however is that children do tend to learn faster than adults. I've been surprised time and time again at how quickly children between 12–18 learn stuff. I guess because they are still growing they develop the muscles in their hands faster, but they also have less pre-conceived ideas about what might be difficult to learn. Many grown-ups will hear a song and think “that sounds amazing, I bet it's very hard to play” and struggle if they try, whereas an 18 year old will hear the same thing and think “that sounds amazing, I want to learn that” and then do it without thinking about how hard it might be. Just remember it's mostly about practice time: put in a lot of time and you'll get good, no matter what your age!
How quickly will I be able to play songs?
You should be able to play a basic song or two after about three to five hours of practice (over a week or more—not in one go). It probably won't sound perfect, but it will at least be recognizable. How much time it takes you to learn the basics will depend almost totally on how much you practise. Note that if I give a recommended practice time—say, five minutes— it means five minutes of intense practice, not half-watching TV or answering phone calls or whatever. Try to stay focused when you practise, and then you can ‘free up' when you play ‘for real'.
How often do I need to practice?
If you play for fifteen minutes a week, expect it to take at least a year to get the very basics under your fingers. However, if you practise for fifteen minutes a day, you will notice that things are getting easier after just one week. There is such a thing as ‘natural aptitude' — so some people naturally learn things faster than others — but perseverance will always prevail. Lots of people who learn slowly at first learn better and faster in the long run (usually because those people are taking the time to figure out what they are doing).
Do I have to practice every day?
The best way (but not always possible) is to try and find a little time to practice every day. It is much better to do 10 minutes a day 6 days a week than an hour practice every Saturday. Aim for daily practice but if it is not possible, try to get in a little time often and then have one main practice time each week. Many of my students have found that playing at the same time (such as straight after dinner, when you first get home after work/school or just before you go to bed) is the best way to develop a consistent routine.
Do I have to follow your suggested practice routine?
Well, I'm suggesting it for a reason, and that is that most people need to work on similar things. However, everyone is different, and so if you feel the routine does not fit well for you, then change it. But try and keep to the general structure: it works!
My fingers hurt and have deep grooves in them, should I stop practicing?
Yes, if it is painful at all, then you should take a break. It's normal for things to be a little sore at the beginning. Getting grooves in your fingers is quite normal, and they are just from the strings sitting in the same place under your fingers (which is good). They will toughen up after a short time and then you won't notice it at all. The very first few times you play your fingertips are likely to get VERY sore, very quickly (in 5 minutes or even less!) but don't worry: just put the guitar down for a while and come back to it later. It's normal.
Sometimes the lines in your fingers can stay there for a whole day after you finish. Don't worry about this! Some people like to start playing on a nylon string guitar when they're starting out, for this very reason. It hurts a little less I guess, but it shouldn't be long before your fingers toughen up enough to play for 10 or 15 minutes on a steel string guitar without crying!
Try not to let it get to the point of a blister, because then you need to take a few days off to let it heal. Also, make sure your hands are dry when you play; if you practise right after a shower or after doing the washing up then the skin will last hardly any time at all. If you get any pain in your hand or forearm you should stop straight away and see a doctor if the pain persists. Playing should be fun and enjoyable, not painful.
What strings should I use?
If you are a beginner playing steel string acoustic or electric guitar you probably want to start with very thin strings. On electric they are referred to as ‘9s' (.09 to .46 inches thick); on acoustic you would use ‘11s' (.11 to .52 inches thick). If you just go to a shop and ask for light strings—or 9s or 11s—you should be given the right set. However, this is really a matter of personal preference.
Some people prefer thicker strings, and don't mind the pain so much. Thicker strings tend to have a fatter sound too, which many people prefer. I use 10s or 11s on electric and 12s or 13s on acoustics. I use lighter strings when I practice a lot so I don't hurt my hand muscles, but for recording I usually use the thicker strings as they sound a little better most times.
The string thickness (or string gauge) is a lot less important with nylon strings, so any set will do. You'll see high and low tension, I usually buy High Tension, but I'm not entirely sure why if I'm honest... I need to do some more research too!
There's more about strings in lesson BC-103 and also lessons in the Essential Skills area on changing strings and other FAQs about our stringy friends.
I only want to play rock guitar (or country guitar or jazz or whatever): why do I have to play pop songs and rhythm guitar?
What you should learn when you first start, no matter what style you want to aspire to, is the same basic chords, and developing a sense of rhythm. Any serious guitarist in any style should know all of the things in this course. Often learning things in one style will help your playing in many other styles.
Even if you might think that a particular skill is not needed for what you want to do, you will often miss an important technique or 'a piece of the puzzle' that you will be searching for later!
My advice is to follow the course all the way through and then decide what things you might want to specialize in.
We don't learn much about rhythm in the first few stages. Why?
Learning to play good and consistent rhythm guitar is only possible when your strumming hand can move without stopping. This helps you get in the groove and keeps your timing solid. If you can't change chords fast enough, then you will keep putting little stops in your strumming and this is a very bad thing to learn. If you work on building up the speed of your chord changes first, you will start playing rhythm easily. People learn a lot faster this way: by mastering the individual elements first and then combining them.
Do I need to grow my fingernails?
It is very important that the fingernails on your fretting hand (the one that holds down the notes on the neck) are very short or they will make your hand go in a funny position. I have fake nails on my strumming hand because I play guitar all day, every day and natural nails just don't last long enough. They can help with fingerstyle playing but many great players use flesh and not nails, so you don't have to have fake fingernails. In fact, I don't recommend getting fake (acrylic) nails unless you want people giving you funny looks when you go out!
See more on this in lesson BC-184
Does it matter if I'm left-handed?
No! But you'll either need to buy a left-handed guitar, or string a right-hander upside down (like Jimi Hendrix). There's advice on the forum about being a left-handed player. In this book we've tried to use ‘fretting hand' and ‘strumming hand' to avoid dictating which hand you're using.
How do I know when to move onto the next stage?
Very common question this one, but the answer is a little vague I'm afraid. I have tried to give you as much advice as I can at the end of each stage about what to expect, but everyone has different goals, abilities, expectations and aspirations and all those things will come into play when you have to decide when to move on. My advice is "when you feel ready". As a self learner you will have to make that decision, but if you are confident in most of the skills from each stage and can use them in a song or two (just bumbling along, not concert level just yet!) then you are probably ready!
When should I start doing the Finger Gym and other Technique exercises?
I'm surprised to see this question on the forum so often - as a beginner you should not be worried about specialist technique exercises yet - just play and enjoy it! The Finger Gym is a hardcore exercise and certainly not for beginners, be like an unfit person deciding to get fit and wanting to run 20 miles on the second day. Just leave all that until you finish the Beginner's Course and know what special technique work you actually need!
LEARN GUITAR - Such postings Learn Guitar today with the title of the article about the Common Questions About Learning The Guitar may be useful, and please subscribe for free every time I post. In addition to the article entitled Common Questions About Learning The Guitar You can view the article Learn Guitar other, by looking at the menu on the right www.learnguitararticles.blogspot.com Blog. Thank you for visiting my blog.
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Learn Guitar - Common Questions About Learning The Guitar Hallo guys? Are looking for to LEARN GUITAR? Learn to play guitar? I'll show to you How to play guitar and guitar lessons for beginners. congratulations you have found my blog about Common Questions About Learning The Guitar. Blog on how to play the guitar, I will share the experience of how Learn Guitar effective and efficient. Because you know an awful lot out of my giving Learn guitar but you must pay dearly for it, and therefore I will share free information about Learn guitar for you, may be useful.
Learn Guitar article entitled Common Questions About Learning The Guitar is an article you can learn for free, as well, Learn Guitar This article is a form of sharing the results of their own experiences, kelaurga, friends, or from highly recommended guitar literature such as books, magazines, journals, blog guitar is very reliable.
Common Questions About Learning The Guitar
Things you wanted to know but were afraid to ask? Well here's the answers you might be looking for! If you have more questions then pop over to the forum (hit the big '? Get help with this lesson' below) and ask there!!.Let's get started by looking at some of the most common questions I get asked about learning the guitar. The guitar is an easy instrument to play badly, but with practice anyone can learn to play well. In this lesson I just want to clear up a few things so that you know what to expect of this course, and of yourself.
I have tried to answer many of the common questions asked in the video, but the cool thing about these web pages is that I can update them easily (try doing that with a book!) and it means that I can add any new questions here in the text, so please check the text FAQ bit below aswell before you post a question in the forum.
F.A.Q...
* Please read these questions below (and the next few lessons) before posting your question on the forum, as most questions asked seem to be already covered in one of these few lessons! *
Am I too old to start learning the guitar?
I find it amusing that I get this question a lot... from 16 year olds! You are never too old to start playing and enjoying guitar. Sure, you will read about the guitar legends we all admire, and how they started when they were six months old and were playing the Albert Hall by the time they were two, but that's not the case for most guitarists. It seems that about a quarter of the people using my website are over 50 years old and loving it. It's a wonderful hobby and I have had a few students in their 50s that started gigging regularly after a few years practice; a couple even turned professional! So it is never too late.One thing to be aware of however is that children do tend to learn faster than adults. I've been surprised time and time again at how quickly children between 12–18 learn stuff. I guess because they are still growing they develop the muscles in their hands faster, but they also have less pre-conceived ideas about what might be difficult to learn. Many grown-ups will hear a song and think “that sounds amazing, I bet it's very hard to play” and struggle if they try, whereas an 18 year old will hear the same thing and think “that sounds amazing, I want to learn that” and then do it without thinking about how hard it might be. Just remember it's mostly about practice time: put in a lot of time and you'll get good, no matter what your age!
How quickly will I be able to play songs?
You should be able to play a basic song or two after about three to five hours of practice (over a week or more—not in one go). It probably won't sound perfect, but it will at least be recognizable. How much time it takes you to learn the basics will depend almost totally on how much you practise. Note that if I give a recommended practice time—say, five minutes— it means five minutes of intense practice, not half-watching TV or answering phone calls or whatever. Try to stay focused when you practise, and then you can ‘free up' when you play ‘for real'.
How often do I need to practice?
If you play for fifteen minutes a week, expect it to take at least a year to get the very basics under your fingers. However, if you practise for fifteen minutes a day, you will notice that things are getting easier after just one week. There is such a thing as ‘natural aptitude' — so some people naturally learn things faster than others — but perseverance will always prevail. Lots of people who learn slowly at first learn better and faster in the long run (usually because those people are taking the time to figure out what they are doing).
Do I have to practice every day?
The best way (but not always possible) is to try and find a little time to practice every day. It is much better to do 10 minutes a day 6 days a week than an hour practice every Saturday. Aim for daily practice but if it is not possible, try to get in a little time often and then have one main practice time each week. Many of my students have found that playing at the same time (such as straight after dinner, when you first get home after work/school or just before you go to bed) is the best way to develop a consistent routine.
Do I have to follow your suggested practice routine?
Well, I'm suggesting it for a reason, and that is that most people need to work on similar things. However, everyone is different, and so if you feel the routine does not fit well for you, then change it. But try and keep to the general structure: it works!
My fingers hurt and have deep grooves in them, should I stop practicing?
Yes, if it is painful at all, then you should take a break. It's normal for things to be a little sore at the beginning. Getting grooves in your fingers is quite normal, and they are just from the strings sitting in the same place under your fingers (which is good). They will toughen up after a short time and then you won't notice it at all. The very first few times you play your fingertips are likely to get VERY sore, very quickly (in 5 minutes or even less!) but don't worry: just put the guitar down for a while and come back to it later. It's normal.
Sometimes the lines in your fingers can stay there for a whole day after you finish. Don't worry about this! Some people like to start playing on a nylon string guitar when they're starting out, for this very reason. It hurts a little less I guess, but it shouldn't be long before your fingers toughen up enough to play for 10 or 15 minutes on a steel string guitar without crying!
Try not to let it get to the point of a blister, because then you need to take a few days off to let it heal. Also, make sure your hands are dry when you play; if you practise right after a shower or after doing the washing up then the skin will last hardly any time at all. If you get any pain in your hand or forearm you should stop straight away and see a doctor if the pain persists. Playing should be fun and enjoyable, not painful.
What strings should I use?
If you are a beginner playing steel string acoustic or electric guitar you probably want to start with very thin strings. On electric they are referred to as ‘9s' (.09 to .46 inches thick); on acoustic you would use ‘11s' (.11 to .52 inches thick). If you just go to a shop and ask for light strings—or 9s or 11s—you should be given the right set. However, this is really a matter of personal preference.
Some people prefer thicker strings, and don't mind the pain so much. Thicker strings tend to have a fatter sound too, which many people prefer. I use 10s or 11s on electric and 12s or 13s on acoustics. I use lighter strings when I practice a lot so I don't hurt my hand muscles, but for recording I usually use the thicker strings as they sound a little better most times.
The string thickness (or string gauge) is a lot less important with nylon strings, so any set will do. You'll see high and low tension, I usually buy High Tension, but I'm not entirely sure why if I'm honest... I need to do some more research too!
There's more about strings in lesson BC-103 and also lessons in the Essential Skills area on changing strings and other FAQs about our stringy friends.
I only want to play rock guitar (or country guitar or jazz or whatever): why do I have to play pop songs and rhythm guitar?
What you should learn when you first start, no matter what style you want to aspire to, is the same basic chords, and developing a sense of rhythm. Any serious guitarist in any style should know all of the things in this course. Often learning things in one style will help your playing in many other styles.
Even if you might think that a particular skill is not needed for what you want to do, you will often miss an important technique or 'a piece of the puzzle' that you will be searching for later!
My advice is to follow the course all the way through and then decide what things you might want to specialize in.
We don't learn much about rhythm in the first few stages. Why?
Learning to play good and consistent rhythm guitar is only possible when your strumming hand can move without stopping. This helps you get in the groove and keeps your timing solid. If you can't change chords fast enough, then you will keep putting little stops in your strumming and this is a very bad thing to learn. If you work on building up the speed of your chord changes first, you will start playing rhythm easily. People learn a lot faster this way: by mastering the individual elements first and then combining them.
Do I need to grow my fingernails?
It is very important that the fingernails on your fretting hand (the one that holds down the notes on the neck) are very short or they will make your hand go in a funny position. I have fake nails on my strumming hand because I play guitar all day, every day and natural nails just don't last long enough. They can help with fingerstyle playing but many great players use flesh and not nails, so you don't have to have fake fingernails. In fact, I don't recommend getting fake (acrylic) nails unless you want people giving you funny looks when you go out!
See more on this in lesson BC-184
Does it matter if I'm left-handed?
No! But you'll either need to buy a left-handed guitar, or string a right-hander upside down (like Jimi Hendrix). There's advice on the forum about being a left-handed player. In this book we've tried to use ‘fretting hand' and ‘strumming hand' to avoid dictating which hand you're using.
How do I know when to move onto the next stage?
Very common question this one, but the answer is a little vague I'm afraid. I have tried to give you as much advice as I can at the end of each stage about what to expect, but everyone has different goals, abilities, expectations and aspirations and all those things will come into play when you have to decide when to move on. My advice is "when you feel ready". As a self learner you will have to make that decision, but if you are confident in most of the skills from each stage and can use them in a song or two (just bumbling along, not concert level just yet!) then you are probably ready!
When should I start doing the Finger Gym and other Technique exercises?
I'm surprised to see this question on the forum so often - as a beginner you should not be worried about specialist technique exercises yet - just play and enjoy it! The Finger Gym is a hardcore exercise and certainly not for beginners, be like an unfit person deciding to get fit and wanting to run 20 miles on the second day. Just leave all that until you finish the Beginner's Course and know what special technique work you actually need!
LEARN GUITAR - Such postings Learn Guitar today with the title of the article about the Common Questions About Learning The Guitar may be useful, and please subscribe for free every time I post. In addition to the article entitled Common Questions About Learning The Guitar You can view the article Learn Guitar other, by looking at the menu on the right www.learnguitararticles.blogspot.com Blog. Thank you for visiting my blog.
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