The guitar's strong point? Versatility.
One of the coolest things about the guitar is how versatile it can be. When prospective students ask if it's too late to start the guitar the answer is almost always a resounding no. The determining factor is what kind of music you like, how much time you can devote to practice, and how realistic your goals are. A couple weeks ago I had a gentleman asking about guitar lessons, and it's one of the few times I've talked someone out of lessons. He had no musical background, no idea of what kind of music he wanted to play, and he was 87 years old. The age wouldn't have been as big a factor had he had one of the other ingredients. When I told him he needed to know what kind of music he liked, his response was that he could take golf lessons without having to be specific, so he just wanted "guitar lessons."
All of that aside, most people can play to at least some degree.
Playing the guitar can be enjoyable on so many different levels, deciding what you'd like to do is the first step. Some beginners are perfectly happy playing and strumming campfire songs, while others are eager to learn as much as they can about all aspects of playing. The guitar can be an accompaniment instrument, a solo instrument or part of an ensemble. How happy you are with your playing is determined by your interests and your satisfaction level. I've had students agonize over their lack of progress when they simply have no direction. How are you going to get somewhere if you're not sure where you want to go?
Take action now.
According to a recent poll, 85% of people who don't play an instrument wish they did! What's holding you back? Taking the first step and doing a little research is the most important way to get started. To me, and I know it sounds self serving, finding a good teacher is essential. While there are many courses, books, DVDs, CDs, and free lessons on the internet, nothing compares to the instant feedback you'll get from one on one lessons with a teacher. You can spend a long time learning something he or she could show you in a few minutes. You can be unaware of bad habits that are forming, and since a book or video can't watch you play, you could be facing the difficult task of breaking the habits.
One of the coolest things about the guitar is how versatile it can be. When prospective students ask if it's too late to start the guitar the answer is almost always a resounding no. The determining factor is what kind of music you like, how much time you can devote to practice, and how realistic your goals are. A couple weeks ago I had a gentleman asking about guitar lessons, and it's one of the few times I've talked someone out of lessons. He had no musical background, no idea of what kind of music he wanted to play, and he was 87 years old. The age wouldn't have been as big a factor had he had one of the other ingredients. When I told him he needed to know what kind of music he liked, his response was that he could take golf lessons without having to be specific, so he just wanted "guitar lessons."
All of that aside, most people can play to at least some degree.
Playing the guitar can be enjoyable on so many different levels, deciding what you'd like to do is the first step. Some beginners are perfectly happy playing and strumming campfire songs, while others are eager to learn as much as they can about all aspects of playing. The guitar can be an accompaniment instrument, a solo instrument or part of an ensemble. How happy you are with your playing is determined by your interests and your satisfaction level. I've had students agonize over their lack of progress when they simply have no direction. How are you going to get somewhere if you're not sure where you want to go?
Take action now.
According to a recent poll, 85% of people who don't play an instrument wish they did! What's holding you back? Taking the first step and doing a little research is the most important way to get started. To me, and I know it sounds self serving, finding a good teacher is essential. While there are many courses, books, DVDs, CDs, and free lessons on the internet, nothing compares to the instant feedback you'll get from one on one lessons with a teacher. You can spend a long time learning something he or she could show you in a few minutes. You can be unaware of bad habits that are forming, and since a book or video can't watch you play, you could be facing the difficult task of breaking the habits.
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