Learning to play guitar is high on many people's lists of things to achieve. But most people give up because it's too hard, their fingers hurt, or it's just not fun. I quit a few times when I first started. It was so frustrating. But on my third attempt it finally clicked for me. I completely changed my approach to learning guitar, and now I've been playing for 20 years.
The learning process became fun and I progressed quickly. I wouldn't say learning guitar was easy, it was still a challenge, but the process was easy. I still had sore fingers for the first few weeks, but unfortunately that's inevitable. Not everything can be simple. The approach I used was to learn my favourite songs on guitar. I didn't get bogged down in theory, scales, and keys. That stuff can come later. But first you want it to be fun.
The Best Way To Learn Guitar
The best way to learn guitar is by playing your favourite songs. Once you have the easier songs worked out you can progress by playing more difficult songs. And there is one foolproof method for learning any song on guitar. You break it up into sections, learn each section separately, and then join the sections together. Here is my step by step method:
1. Listen to the song closely
Listen to the song closely at least 10 times. Really listen close. Turn off other distractions. Listen for the strumming patterns, the rhythm, the chord changes. Get a feel for what the other instruments are doing.
2. Break the song into sections
Write down the different sections to the song. For example:
Intro - V1 - Ch - V2 - Ch - Br - Ch
3. Learn the chord progressions
Write down the chord progressions for each section. If you can't do it by ear a simple Google search for "song name chords" should help.
4. Practice each section
Practice each section separately. Start with the intro. Don't go on to the next section until you've nailed the one before it.
5. Join the sections
Once you can play each section with error start joining them together. Play the first two sections first. Once you have that mastered add another section and so on until you're playing the whole song.
Start Practicing Today
Learning guitar doesn't have to be hard. And it doesn't have to be boring. By playing the guitar songs you love you'll never get bored. Sore fingers maybe, but it will be worth it.
The learning process became fun and I progressed quickly. I wouldn't say learning guitar was easy, it was still a challenge, but the process was easy. I still had sore fingers for the first few weeks, but unfortunately that's inevitable. Not everything can be simple. The approach I used was to learn my favourite songs on guitar. I didn't get bogged down in theory, scales, and keys. That stuff can come later. But first you want it to be fun.
The Best Way To Learn Guitar
The best way to learn guitar is by playing your favourite songs. Once you have the easier songs worked out you can progress by playing more difficult songs. And there is one foolproof method for learning any song on guitar. You break it up into sections, learn each section separately, and then join the sections together. Here is my step by step method:
1. Listen to the song closely
Listen to the song closely at least 10 times. Really listen close. Turn off other distractions. Listen for the strumming patterns, the rhythm, the chord changes. Get a feel for what the other instruments are doing.
2. Break the song into sections
Write down the different sections to the song. For example:
Intro - V1 - Ch - V2 - Ch - Br - Ch
3. Learn the chord progressions
Write down the chord progressions for each section. If you can't do it by ear a simple Google search for "song name chords" should help.
4. Practice each section
Practice each section separately. Start with the intro. Don't go on to the next section until you've nailed the one before it.
5. Join the sections
Once you can play each section with error start joining them together. Play the first two sections first. Once you have that mastered add another section and so on until you're playing the whole song.
Start Practicing Today
Learning guitar doesn't have to be hard. And it doesn't have to be boring. By playing the guitar songs you love you'll never get bored. Sore fingers maybe, but it will be worth it.
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