Hey, so I've heard you want to learn how to play the guitar?
I can't blame you.
The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments around, probably due to, I'm just guessing here, its high visibility in rock music. A lot of novice guitar players start out playing guitar because they want to be like and play like their guitar hero!
Well, I did and still do!
And this illusion is the drug that's feeds this craving to learn more and play even more! That's part of the magic that comes with playing this amazing instrument.
But mind you, it's not all fun and games. You should have lots and lots of patience and discipline in order to reach to level of playing that exceptional guitar players, such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Dimebag Darrell, Steve Vai, or whoever it is that you look up to when it comes to playing the guitar.
Let me emphasize that those guys I mentioned are absolute practice freaks! Their penchant for spending long hours with the guitar, practicing their chops, is the kind of stuff legends are made of.
In a Guitar World interview, when asked about how he went from playing his first open A-chord to “Eruption”, Eddie Van Halen said, “Practice. I used to sit on the edge of my bed with a six-pack of Schlitz Malt talls. My brother would go out at 7 p.m. to party and get laid, and when he'd come back at 3 a.m., I would still be sitting in the same place, playing guitar. I did that for years — I still do that.
Steve Vai is generally known to practice 10-12 hours a day! He even devised a 30-hour Guitar Workout for really serious guitar players to follow.
What these guitar heroes realized early on is that, as with all things in this world, PRACTICE makes skills and actions look easy after several, countless tries. That's why if you're not willing to put in the mileage on those fingers of yours then you're not going to get far, I'm telling you now.
I’m not discouraging you. In fact, I AM encouraging you to set this kind of mentality into your mind right from the start in order to fully enjoy the instrument that we love and begin this lifelong journey of music and guitar-playing!
Now that we've established the importance of practice, we now face the next question: What kind of stuff should we be practicing?
Well, that calls for another post! This one has become too lengthy for comfort :D
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Ten Random Tips for Guitar Beginners!
Here are some of the stuff I did when I started playing guitar and began learning new songs years ago, most of which mostly happened to me along the way unintentionally. As a matter of fact, it's only now that I was able put them into words.
1. Always give time to play guitar daily
Constant playing will make the player more accustomed to their instrument of choice. For the ardent guitarist however, one does not even make a conscious effort to put in the mileage on their guitar. It just happens. In my case, it's the most natural thing, almost instinctive, to go to my room and pick up the guitar.
2. Complete songs from the beginning to the end
It would be a memory practice and the same time, every completed song would be an addition to your repertoire whenever the need to play presents itself.
3. Learn to sing while playing guitar
An aspiring guitarist may not have the pipes that could be considered gifted, but that is a moot point. Being able to sing while playing is almost like a default function for a guitar player. It's definitely a desirable skill to acquire specially if your goal is to be in a band, but even if you desire only to play by your lonesome, singing along with your guitar playing can be an enjoyable experience as well.
4. Use a metronome
I've heard many play the guitar without correct timing. It may be a bit acceptable when you're playing solo with a free form kind of music but when your objective is play in a band, then you're in for a rough sailing. It is imperative for band members to play in synchronous fashion. Otherwise it will be a sonic disaster. Practicing with a metronome early on will aid in the development of getting the proper timing.
5. Hang out with like-minded and guitar (or musically)-inclined people
Even if you're not in a band with musician friends, just being with them is extremely helpful. You guys could be discussing theory, practice routines, exercises or just about your favorites bands, either way you're totally immersing yourself into guitar and music.
6. Try mentally dissecting songs
This might also be considered a part of "ear" training. Try hearing the segregation of the different musical instruments playing in a given song. It's fun once you get the hang of it!
7. Learn from the masters
Most of the stuff we hear are just recycled music from an older period, but given a touch of individuality by players considered as legends. Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Eric Clapton, these are all guitar heroes depending on which genre one is inclined to listen to. Hear what they have to offer, it's a lot for mere mortals like us.
8. Make small goals, one at a time, to cover a bigger goal
Sometimes a song you're practicing or a technique you're trying to learn may look daunting. But if you cut it into smaller bits, then focus on each small part, it won't look and feel as difficult. Each small target accomplished will get you one step closer to the bigger overall objective.
9. Keep listening to music
When you always listen to music, you tend to have more musical inputs in your mind. This broadens you tastes and makes you want to learn more styles and genres.
10. Join a band
There's no better way to practice while having a good time! No amount of backing tracks, even though how accurate and life-like it may sound, can measure up to the energy that a live jam session with a band generates. If you haven't tried it yet, then you're missing a lot!
I'm not saying all of these will work for everyone, as one man's wine could be another one's poison, but it worked for me in terms of my personal goals concerning guitar-playing. I'm still learning up to now, there's no end to learning stuff because as they say, the more you know, the more you know that you don't know!
Related Articles:
Ten Easy Rock Songs for Beginners
1. Always give time to play guitar daily
Constant playing will make the player more accustomed to their instrument of choice. For the ardent guitarist however, one does not even make a conscious effort to put in the mileage on their guitar. It just happens. In my case, it's the most natural thing, almost instinctive, to go to my room and pick up the guitar.
2. Complete songs from the beginning to the end
It would be a memory practice and the same time, every completed song would be an addition to your repertoire whenever the need to play presents itself.
3. Learn to sing while playing guitar
An aspiring guitarist may not have the pipes that could be considered gifted, but that is a moot point. Being able to sing while playing is almost like a default function for a guitar player. It's definitely a desirable skill to acquire specially if your goal is to be in a band, but even if you desire only to play by your lonesome, singing along with your guitar playing can be an enjoyable experience as well.
4. Use a metronome
I've heard many play the guitar without correct timing. It may be a bit acceptable when you're playing solo with a free form kind of music but when your objective is play in a band, then you're in for a rough sailing. It is imperative for band members to play in synchronous fashion. Otherwise it will be a sonic disaster. Practicing with a metronome early on will aid in the development of getting the proper timing.
5. Hang out with like-minded and guitar (or musically)-inclined people
Even if you're not in a band with musician friends, just being with them is extremely helpful. You guys could be discussing theory, practice routines, exercises or just about your favorites bands, either way you're totally immersing yourself into guitar and music.
6. Try mentally dissecting songs
This might also be considered a part of "ear" training. Try hearing the segregation of the different musical instruments playing in a given song. It's fun once you get the hang of it!
7. Learn from the masters
Most of the stuff we hear are just recycled music from an older period, but given a touch of individuality by players considered as legends. Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Eric Clapton, these are all guitar heroes depending on which genre one is inclined to listen to. Hear what they have to offer, it's a lot for mere mortals like us.
8. Make small goals, one at a time, to cover a bigger goal
Sometimes a song you're practicing or a technique you're trying to learn may look daunting. But if you cut it into smaller bits, then focus on each small part, it won't look and feel as difficult. Each small target accomplished will get you one step closer to the bigger overall objective.
9. Keep listening to music
When you always listen to music, you tend to have more musical inputs in your mind. This broadens you tastes and makes you want to learn more styles and genres.
10. Join a band
There's no better way to practice while having a good time! No amount of backing tracks, even though how accurate and life-like it may sound, can measure up to the energy that a live jam session with a band generates. If you haven't tried it yet, then you're missing a lot!
I'm not saying all of these will work for everyone, as one man's wine could be another one's poison, but it worked for me in terms of my personal goals concerning guitar-playing. I'm still learning up to now, there's no end to learning stuff because as they say, the more you know, the more you know that you don't know!
Related Articles:
Ten Easy Rock Songs for Beginners
Article source: This is My Mixed Niche Blog!
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