Have you ever daydreamt of fronting a rock band, standing in front of thousands of fans chanting your name? Maybe your aspirations are much more modest: no need for fame as long as you can serenade your closest friends around the fire. Whether you revel in the limelight or prefer an intimate session, it all starts the exact same way. You’ll need to improve your skills as a guitarist until you can play as comfortably in front of others as you do in your own home.
Every guitarist before you has done the exact same thing. Even your guitar heroes who make it look as easy as breathing didn’t come out of the womb with the ability to shred. They put in considerable time to turn their fumbling chords into the rock anthems you know and love. But there are ways to cut down on the amount of time you need to devote to your new hobby. Keep reading to learn the top 4 techniques to learning the guitar.
Make It A Habit
There’s a reason why the saying practice makes perfect is so popular. It’s because it’s true! According to some experts, you need to put in 10,000 hours of deliberate practice before you can say you’re an expert at any skill. Set aside some time each day away from noise and other responsibilities, so it’s just you and your guitar. Whether you’re starting your 1st or 101st hour behind the fret, it’s important that you have your head in the game. Don’t just put in the time and expect to sound like Jimmy Page. You need to be thoughtful of your time learning fingering, techniques, and songs. When your mind starts to wander or when you start to worry about the clock, you won’t be getting the most out of your practice.
Get Advice
In this day and age, learning a new skill on your own is a lot easier than it ever was in the past. Online resources like YouTube and Guitar Tabs Universe offer you 24/7 access to information. While it’s certainly the most convenient, it’s not always the best way to improve your skills. Nothing beats having a trained professional you can speak with in real time. Unlike videos and static pages made for a generic audience, they’ll be able to tailor their instruction to your unique problems and learning style. They’ll be able to give you immediate feedback about your fingering, posture, and other issues with your methods during a lesson.
Choose a Clear Target
Saying you want to be better at the guitar is all well and good, but as goals go, it’s a particularly vague ambition. You can’t quantify what better means without going into specifics. If you keep your ambitions unclear like this, then you’re less likely to achieve something new and exciting with your instrument. Spend a few minutes brainstorming the exact objective you want to reach in the next week, month, or even year. Once you identify the techniques and songs you want to master, you can tweak your practice to achieve these faster.
New Guitar, New You
Sometimes all you need in order to light a fire within you is a brand new toy. A new guitar can bring a sense of novelty to both old and new practices. You can’t help but find time in your day in order to eke out the sounds from your axe. It can be as modest or as fancy as your budget allows. If you live in a large city like Toronto, then you’ll have your pick of instruments, as the city is home to music stores such as Long & McQuade. At the Long & McQuade Toronto location, there’s a variety of brands and models that satisfy every budget. From signature Gibsons to inexpensive Squiers, there’s something for everyone. A simple visit will reveal which model will inject enthusiasm for your practice.
When you tick off all four of these techniques, the chances of your success behind the fret skyrocket. See how much you can learn about your instrument by signing up for beginner guitar lessons with a brand new guitar, and don’t forget to practise with a clear goal in mind. Eventually you’ll surprise yourself with your skills.
