So you got inspired to play the guitar and you went out and bought a guitar. Or maybe you already have one laying around and want to learn how to play it or to get more serious about playing the guitar. So whats the next step?
Should you get a beginner guitar book and teach yourself? What about taking a few lessons from the local music store or perhaps search the Internet for some free beginner guitar lessons online.
These are most likely the first things that pop in your head when your looking for a beginner guitar learning method and they're all good ways to learn as well. Here are a few things to consider before you make a decision.
Lets start with getting a beginning guitar book and teaching yourself. This can be a good way to learn. Your first obstacle is to find the right book. These days there are so many books to choose from that it can become very overwhelming. One way to know which book will be right for you is to see the reviews from other people who have bought that book. Most Online stores have this option on their site for you.
You must be self motivated when using beginner guitar learning method books. A few other things to consider is that they usually take a long time to go through. Mostly because they have an overkill of instruction that is not always necessary. The book may start you out with confusing music theory that may be more than you want to get into at first, and they'll usually teach songs like Mary had a little lamb. On the other hand, you can also find books that will get you playing cool songs first and then you can learn more about what you are doing later.
Another popular way is to take beginner guitar lessons from your local music store. Taking private lessons at a store or with an instructor has it's obvious advantages. Your in real time. You see them and they see you. If your the type of person who likes to socialize and be around people, this can be a good option for you.
Some people are a little intimidated taking in person lessons. Some instructors can be very intimidating. They may start playing very impressive solos in front of a student, and this sometimes intimidates a student to the point where they get so nervous that they are afraid to play in front of the instructor.
On the other hand, it may inspire a student to want to learn. Beware also of the instructors that eat up the whole lesson on impressing you and very little on teaching you. A half hour goes by real fast.
The latest way to learn guitar that is fast becoming the most popular way is taking guitar lessons online. With online guitar lessons, your able to do it on your own time, get specific instruction on the type of music that you like, access many different instructors, and you won't have to start out with Mary had a little lamb..
The down side is that you may have to search and weed through a ton of junk ads and bad lessons in order to find what your looking for.
Many sites offer free lessons. Free online guitar lessons are good for students who want to see if they even have the ability to play a guitar before they invest any money. Some people just can't seem to get it and they get frustrated and quit.
Anyone can learn to play the guitar but not everyone finds it easy. Some will have a natural ability and some will struggle with it and may decide not to continue. It really doesn't matter if you want to play for a hobby or if you fantasize about becoming the next shredding rock god or something in between. Your first step is to just learn how to play the guitar. After that you can dig deeper into the more advanced techniques and styles of guitar playing if you want to.
Click here to see my recommended guitar learning methods.