The Method You Choose to Learn to Play the Guitar Matters

What is the Best Way to Learn to Play the Guitar?

The best way to learn to do anything is to be taught by someone who is not only an expert in that area but is also a skilled teacher. A guitar teacher will be able to customize the guitar lessons to your needs and will also save you time by pinpointing your weaknesses and giving you tools such as scales and exercises to overcome them. It will do you know good to have a masterful guitar player try to teach you if he or she has no patience or teaching skills.

How to Find a Guitar Teacher

So how do you find a guitar teacher who will take the time to show you the basics, teach you at your own speed, and finally not drain your financial resources? One solution is to take a guitar class at your local college or university. If you are already attending college, just add the class to your schedule. Another way to find a good teacher is through community education programs. Finally, shop around for local private teachers and see if you can afford their rates. If the teacher's fees are expensive, try to work out a deal with them. If you absolutely can't find a teacher, the last resort is to teach yourself.

What to Look for in a Guitar Teacher

A good guitar teacher will have many years of experience. You need to find a guitar teacher who uses proper techniques and uses guitar method books to give structure to guitar lessons. Make sure the guitar teacher you find can play the style you want to learn.

Teaching Yourself to Play the Guitar

Whether you're going to take guitar lessons or teach yourself, you need to decide what style of guitar you want to play. Obvious styles are Rock and Electric Guitar, Country Guitar, Jazz Guitar and Classical Guitar. Just like going up a ladder, you need to start with the first step which is the basics of guitar. You should learn about basic guitar chords and practice chord transitions first.

Guitar Books, Videos, and Websites

Use this site to give you a quick grounding in guitar basics and music theory. Go through all the lessons and practice along with your guitar. Buying a method book is also recommended. If you are a visual learner, go to the library and rent a guitar lesson video. In just a couple of hours you'll be up to speed.

How effective is self–teaching?

If you want to save money and teach yourself how to play the guitar, it can be done. Go to Guitar Lesson 1 to start your adventure. Some of the best guitar players were self-taught. Teaching yourself will take more self discipline and patience than being taught by a teacher. The reason why self-teaching is so effective is that it is based upon the principle of going at your own pace and developing your style. Originality is usually what draws the crowds to guitarists because everyone likes to hear something new. Not everyone will benefit from self-teaching and not everyone will benefit from having a teacher, so the important thing is to give both methods a try and see what works best for you.