The Proper Way to Start Learning Guitar
One of the perks behind learning guitar is that the art of playing the chords and reading music sheets opens up new neural pathways for you. As you pave your way to becoming a guitarist, your brain starts a process of positive rewiring. This process can enhance your mental and physical health since music is therapeutic. Once you decide on learning the guitar, you have to choose the best guitar out there for you. There are many different types and forms to suit your preference, so grab one and start properly learning with these steps to guide you.
Choose Your Preferred Learning Method
There are two learning methods out there for you- either through online tutorials or by signing up with a tutor. In both cases, you’re going to end up with the same results. However, it all depends on your learning skills and preferences. From what has been mentioned by Music Grotto in the Guitar Tricks Review, many people find it difficult to commit to physical classes and so prefer online tutorials instead. So, depending on your learning skills and free time, you can get to choose your preferred learning method.
Learn the Strings
Starting anything from scratch is always a good idea. The first thing you need to know about your guitar would be the names and numbers of your strings. If you don’t know which string it is, then you would find it very difficult to start learning. Furthermore, knowing your strings is going to be your way of communication in the guitar world. As you start your tutorial sessions, whether you do it online or in a class, your language of communication will always consist of the names and numbers of your guitar strings. So, to do things right before you even begin taking your classes, you need to learn all about the language of guitar strings.
Set Your Fingers Right
Throughout the entire history of guitar playing, many experts have been figuring out the best way to play specific chords and scales. In other words, they have been developing the best way to set your fingers on the fretboard. Even though the correct fingering placement is out there for you to adapt to, you can still develop the right one based on your own fingers placement.
Start with the Basic Chords
One thing you must remember is that you must know your basic chords and keep on practicing them regardless of the genre that you will be playing. For the first week, you can start with the basic open and barre chords. Learning open chords teaches you to open one or more strings when you strum. In fact, many beginners find open chords easy to learn since you get to master a few fingers at a time. On the other hand, barre chords are relatively more challenging, since you have to “barre” the otherwise open chords with a finger. Once you pass through the barre chords phase, you can rest assured that you’ll have the grit to go all the way.
Stay Committed and Dedicated to Your Practice
Commitment is one of the keys to success. Nothing can beat your dedication to your guitar practice. This is why, in order to learn guitar properly, you need to be disciplined with your practicing time. The more you practice, the more you start mastering your playing skills and techniques. To make things easier for you, you can try thinking of your guitar practice as a part of your life rather than just the “guitar practice time.” Changing your perception of learning will help you become more committed and dedicated.
Surround Yourself with a Good Practice Environment
Your surrounding environment affects you by all means. Having a good practice environment can be achieved in different ways. For starters, you can try picking up your guitar every now and then while walking around the house. This way, you can motivate yourself to practice more often while being passionate about it. Another way to enhance your practice environment can be through having good company. You can try practicing with some friends or family members as a kind of motivation and enjoyment.
Learning how to play the guitar will add up to your cognitive benefits. No matter how old you are, you can always manage to become a guitarist. It has many social, personal, and professional benefits that can make your life more exciting. Apart from that, it boosts your mood and as a result, enhances your physical and mental health. With these learning tips, you will be able to retain your muscle memory even if you are committed to 10 minutes of practice per day.
