Are You Ready to get Serious About Learning Guitar?

Have you decided you're ready to learn guitar?

If you're ready to start learning guitar and if you're serious, there are some important decisions to make. Do you own a guitar yet? One of the first considerations is your budget. Most beginning students try to spend as little as possible when purchasing a guitar because "if I lose interest I won't have spent a bunch of money." The problem with that thinking is the negativity that's already started. Do you really want to play guitar? Is investing a reasonable amount a good thing? There are a couple of solutions. One way to avoid the problem is to rent a guitar before purchasing. At our studio we highly recommend renting to parents of students as well as to adults who know little or nothing about the differences between guitars. The other solution is to do as much research as possible, ask any friends or relatives who play guitar, figure out how much you want to spend and then make your purchase.

Don't be the Lone Ranger, get help

Is it possible to teach yourself? Yes it is, but keep in mind that a good teacher can answer questions, keep you on track, and help you set goals. There are many good free lessons online, there are lots of good books, CDs and Videos, but the big drawback is that you can't ask them questions. You also need lots of self discipline to teach yourself because you'll have no one to answer to.


Buy the essentials to give yourself the best path to success

Don't save a few bucks by not buying a metronome, electronic tuner, or the other accessories I talked about in an earlier post. While some of these don't need to be added right now, the more tools you have the better off you'll be.

How long is this going to take?

I used to always avoid that question. I'd hem and haw and talk about how long you can practice, natural ability, your previous music experience and what you want to play. After years of teaching I've finally gotten some rough guidelines down. Here they are:

• 6 to 8 Months to get off of the complete beginner stage. After that time you should be able to play some common chords, play a couple songs and move around on the guitar.

•  1 to 2 Years to reach an advanced beginner to lower intermediate player. After that amount of time you should be able to make the transition from one chord to another, play some scales and maybe be starting on barre chords. Lots of students try to learn too fast and end up having to go back and re-learn techniques they haven't given enough attention to.

• 3 Years to be an intermediate player. After this amount of time you should be honing your skills, playing fairly difficult songs, and be learning some of the more advanced concepts. 

Keep in mind that these are estimates, not exact timetables. The nice thing about the guitar is its versatility. While it may take 2 or 3 years to be an intermediate player it doesn't mean it can't be rewarding or fun. So whatever level you're on, enjoy the journey. There are great songs to play at all levels.