7 Things You Need to Know Before You Start Playing The Guitar

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Your first guitar is yours, and you play it for hours. Then the next day, you’re back with it again. It’s something we’ve all experienced.

However, no one can master the guitar in a month. I don’t mean to make you feel bad. It’s great that you have mastered the guitar since you got it. Your success will depend on your ability to see the big picture.

You don’t have to give up learning the guitar after playing for one month.

You realize that it takes time to learn, even after six months. So you continue honing your skills and draw inspiration from the things you’ve already learned.

This will keep you motivated and positive throughout your guitar learning process.

The Best Habit is a Habit.

Different habits make up our lives. We brush our teeth every morning (hopefully), brew coffee in the morning, and go to the gym after work.

This is the trick: you need to do the same thing with guitar playing. If practising every day is a natural part of our lives, then we’re onto something special.

This is a good idea: Keep your guitar visible and practice 15 minutes every day. Reward yourself once in a while for practising.

You can easily play for more than 15 minutes per day, but this is a good starting point and minimum goal. You will develop a great skill if you keep it for many years.

Bonus tip: Start with 15 minutes per day and increase it every 2 weeks. The results will multiply like mad!

The Most Misunderstood Sentences in Guitar History

Many variations of these …” You may have heard them all. “I practised for 8 hours every single day,” “I locked myself in my room and practised hours each day “…etc.”

Many people think the longest practice is the most important thing. It’s certainly important, don’t get me wrong. Do you know what’s even more important?

Consistently practising. Daily practice is what we should be focusing on. This is especially important when you are just starting. Every day, not how many hours you spend practising is the main focus.

Noting: If you are serious about mastering the guitar, you should practice as much as possible, but make sure you do it consistently. Your practice may be worthless if you only practice for four hours and then stop practising for a few weeks.

Teachers are not a must, but they can help a lot.

Get a teacher if you want to learn quickly. You can also invest in your education. This will make the process much faster and help you get things done right.

You can also learn this skill yourself if you are looking to save money or if you want to enjoy a hobby as a casual DIY hobby. It will take longer, and you’ll make more mistakes along the way.

Tip: Want to learn how to play the guitar for free? Get started fast and free!

The Guitar Matters

While I don’t recommend you spend a lot on your first guitar (or any other instrument), there are some things you might want to consider.

1. You should buy a guitar that lets you play the music you love

The electric guitar is the best choice if you like rock music. If country music is your thing, the Dreadnought Acoustic guitar is a great option. If you like flamenco or classical music, you can choose a nylon-stringed (classical) guitar.

You will have more fun playing the music you love if you have a guitar.

2. Get the best guitar that you can afford. 

Get the best guitar you can afford. Remember that the most expensive products may not be the best long term. You might find yourself replacing them with better/newer models.

Bonus tip: The Guitar buying guide can help you out!

Warm-up is a gamechanger.

Warm-up is important when muscles are involved. Your hands contain more than 30 muscles.

Warm-up a bit if you don’t want to feel frustrated and slow because your fingers aren’t getting the job done. Warm-up for at least two minutes. This video reveals some useful warm-up exercises.

Do what you love

Music was what kept me going when I started. I was able to learn some of my favourite songs on a guitar. It was great fun! I practised a lot.

Learn the theory and technique you need to make rapid progress.

Play the music that you love. Music will keep you playing for many years. You will become a master at playing the guitar!

Conclusion

These are the things I wish someone had said to me when I first started playing the guitar in 2009. Instead, I banged my head against a wall too often and stopped playing for almost 3 years.

This knowledge is yours, fortunately.

It’s a marathon. Choose a guitar that lets you play your favourite songs and practice every day. Before you start playing, warm up. These tips will help you get started on your guitar journey.

Have fun, my friend!