Learning Guitar – What Are the Possibilities

Learning the guitar takes time, effort, sweat and also, callused fingers. And the process can be a little less than endearing at times. For a lot of us, this sort of grim determination involved in the process is something that really can tire us out and have us questioning our ability to become the next Hendrix or Clapton.

However, there are easier ways to learn guitar. And we’re going to run through each and evaluate them to help you make an informed decision.

Get Lessons

When getting lessons, you are provided with a great foundation and expert advice on how to learn to play this instrument. Any issues, problems or questions can be answered quickly and easily, and it’s often a great way to learn. However, there are issues too. You may not like your teacher or they may not be the best instructor in the world. Plus, guitar lessons can be extremely expensive when compared to other means that may offer similar results.

DVD or YouTube

Learning via DVD is another option and there are plenty of great videos out there to learn from. If you decide to learn from YouTube or from the internet, it’s also free – something that can be a big factor for a lot of people. However, not all videos meet each and every need that a beginner is looking for. Some lack quality, while there are videos out there that just sell products instead of teaching you anything. In addition, you don’t receive feedback, get a hint at how good or bad you actually are or the areas you can improve on.

Guitarbots

Software such as Guitarbots provides users with a new alternative to learn guitar. Technology may not have been there in the past but today, Guitarbots offers a completely different way to learn. Users simply use the gaming software on the web and their own guitar to learn to play. The highly complex and sophisticated but easy to use program instructs and then uses your PC or laptop’s mic to evaluate your actions.

Users simply play a number of interactive games via their guitar and the results of your guitar playing is evaluated by the software. Then, you will receive feedback as you would with a teacher. The software includes tutorials, beginner exercises and a tuner. The better you get, the more complex the challenges get. It’s a great, fun and interactive way to learn and can really enhance the interest of beginners. And it provides the upwards learning curve needed to maintain and facilitate learning the guitar.

Teach Yourself

Teaching yourself is a great way to learn and as with any skill or talent. Learning from your mistakes is a big part of being successful. However, it can take a long time. Often, you make mistakes without really understanding what they are and as a result, it’s very easy to get bored. This means that you may end up placing the guitar in the back of the cupboard and leaving it there to gather dust – not always ideal.

In addition to this, by teaching yourself to play the guitar, you often only learn specific songs and never progress onto the more complex techniques. You may also limit your understanding of this great instrument, which can curtail your appreciation of the guitar.

Learning guitar can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a quite stressful and tedious exercise at first. Following the above tips and choosing the best way to suit your learning style will make success far more likely… And you’ll soon be riffing with the best.

David Ryan is a writer and a musician and has always enjoyed teaching and learning guitar. He loves playing music and has a band.