10 Tips Helping You Play Guitar Now

1. Finding time to practice is a problem for everyone. But what many people don’t fully understand is that you will learn better if practicing in spurts. Let me explain. While you are watching TV, have your guitar nearby. When a commercial comes on, fit mute, and practice your chords, scales are a song until the show comes back on. If you watch 1-2 hours of TV a night the amount of practice time becomes significant.

2. Learn a song in stages. Stage 1: The basic version: Identify and play the chords of the song rhythm is now you important. Do not move on until mastered.

3. Learn a song in stages. Stage 2: The Intermediate Version: Learn the Rhythm of the chords being played. Do not move on until mastered.

4. Learn a song in stages. Stage 3: The Advanced version: Learn the Intro, Solo, riffs and Licks. Do not move on until mastered.

5. Learn a song in stages. Stage 4: The Real Version: Play what is played on the album.

6. Online Guitar Lessons, Sheet Music and Tablatures are more useful when accompanied with audio and or video.

7. Purchase your own blank sheet music/tablature books and transcribe your own guitar lesson book. Write down information you have learned, and all the songs you have learned. It is great practice to go back to the beginning and refresh. Once we learn a song or a lesson, and we move on to the next, then the next and so on. We often forget some of those earlier songs/lessons.

8. Learn to play the C major scale on the 8th fret and the Dm Pentatonic scale on the 10th fret. Be able to play those scales front ways (6th string to 1st) and back (1st string to 6th), without skipping a beat. It is amazing how many popular riffs, solos and licks come from these scales.

9. Being realistic: It is true that A beginner guitar player can play any song he or she wants. But they need to be realistic. A beginner guitar player can play any Basic Version of a song. A basic version consists of playing the chords of that song, at least one chord per measure.

10. The best tool to have when learning the play the guitar is a friend. Connect with others that play guitar. Sharing each others, knowledge and enthusiasm helps push you to succeed.

Written by Jeffrey Grossi