Beginner

Never Too old

Mature guitar students often have a more difficult time learning the guitar than children because they over-think or are impatient with themselves to see progress immediately.

Here are a few of the techniques I've used to help mature beginners overcome problems they had learning to play basic scales and chords and riffs.

1. Get it into your head.

It becomes a whole lot easier to play things on the guitar if you can sing and tap them out first. Get the music and rhythm in your head before you try to play it - you'll see how much easier it is.

2. Close your eyes

Practising scales and chords at first can be tricky. If you find yourself staring at your hands while you play, try closing your eyes and doing it or looking away.This technique helps a lot of mature students overcome the limitations of over-thinking.

3. 'Too many mind'

If you've watched The Last Samurai this will make sense already. If you haven't, it comes down to this: whatever you are trying to play, you will learn better if you think about only one thing at a time. Most things you play on a guitar involve right hand and left hand and coordination between them. That is already 3 things (minds) that need individual attention.

4. Wait for it!

Be patient. Do the work - slowly - concentrate. Then go do something else. Give your brain time to process what you are doing and pack up all the new learning neatly into a new skill you can access. This doesn't happen in 10 minutes. Come back tomorrow and you'll sound better.

so, you wanna be a rock star?

What kind of guitar do I need? Why do I need lessons? Do I need an amp? How long before I get good? Why are Bar chords so hard? Why can't I play fast? Why do I sound like an amateur?

A good way to begin is by making up your mind what kind of guitarist you want to be. For example, you might want to...

strum songs around a campfire with friends
play some cool riffs from bands you like
Join a local rock band
play like your favourite guitarist
make a living playing guitar
become a famous guitarist
become a session musician
be a singer songwriter

Whatever your aim is, it will help determine how you begin and what motivates you to practise.

As a beginner, your learning curve is steep and rewarding, but it can be demoralising to come up against something that seems impossible to you.

There are 3 different approaches you can take to learning the guitar, depending on what your goals are.

1. one trick pony

Learn licks from youtube and get really good at them - you'll be able to wow your friends and look like you have some ninja skills. The problem with learning this way alone, is that you'll struggle to improvise or jam with friends and find it hard rapidly and systematically improve. This can lead to frustration at the Intermediate stages, where you might give up playing altogether.

2. Spoon FeEd

Lessons from experienced teacher to guide you through all the techniques and concepts you'll need to become a competent guitarist in the fastest time possible. Lessons can be designed to methodically teach you to play well every time and achieve many goals.

3. teach a man to fish..

Once you understand how to teach yourself you become self sufficient. Progress is then dependent on your ability to correctly and quickly identify weaknesses in your technique or musicality and design you own exercises to deal with them.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse