Are You Using Your Practice Time Wisely?

Many beginning students confuse playing the guitar with practicing the guitar. Here are some proven ways to make sure you're spending your time wisely.

1. Setting aside time to practice. A specific time of day is a good way to get yourself into a practice routine. A lot of my students, especially the adults, devote whatever time is left in the day to practice. This is usually after working, fixing dinner, cleaning house and whatever else is part of their normal day. It's much better to have a time set aside for practicing.
2. The practice space should be quiet, clean and private. I hear complaints all the time about the distractions that take place when trying to focus on music. Kids who come in and ask questions, spouses who interrupt or feel compelled to comment and/or criticize, music or tv playing in the other room, and the list goes on. I know it's hard, but try to get the rest of the family to understand that your music needs your undivided attention.
3. Getting the most out of the time you have. Having the guitar in your hands for 30 minutes isn't the same as practicing for 30 minutes! "Running through the songs" is a good way to warm up, but are you improving or just playing? After a thorough warmup, work on improving something about the song. You do warm up, don't you?
4. Have something in mind. I have many students who complain about not getting any better, but they don't seem to be doing anything to get better once we talk about their practice time. Work on one thing that will improve the performance of the piece. Record your playing so you can hear what it sounds like. A frequent comment is how they played the song perfectly at home last night, but now it's awful. Remember, recordings don't lie. 
5. Know when to quit. No, not quitting the guitar, ending the practice session. Sometimes it doesn't go that well and the harder you try the worse it seems to get. When that happens, either take a break or pick it up again tomorrow. 
6. Relax, don't put undue pressure on yourself. You will make steady progress if you practice, but sometimes it won't feel like it. We all have plateaus that make us wonder if we'll ever be any better or if this is as good as we'll ever get! Don't think it's something that just happens to beginners or amateurs, it's common and it happens to everyone. 

So hang in there, work at getting better, and keep on pickin'.

Avoiding Tension and Sore Muscles

Are you supposed to be in pain when you play?

I get that question a lot, and while your fingers may get sore and your hands may be tired in the beginning, being in pain usually has to do with a mechanical problem. Let's look at some of the reasons you could be experiencing unnecessary pain or soreness.

Where do you practice, and where is your music?

I've had students tell me they practice in a recliner, sitting on the edge of the bed, or on a nice, comfy couch. So where do you put the music? "On the floor, on the coffee table, or on the side of the bed." A basic music stand costs about $15, go get one now! Set it up where there's plenty of light, get yourself a nice chair with no arms, and practice in a room where there are no distractions. One banjo student even told me he practiced with the radio on the background, tuned to a station that had nothing to do with banjos or bluegrass music.

Relax your picking hand.

Beginning guitar students tend to hold the pick tightly so they don't drop it. You need to hold it tight enough so that it doesn't wriggle around, but no so it feels like you're making a fist or squeezing it. A medium gauge pick is probably a good choice, but picks are cheap, buy some different thicknesses, sizes and shapes. I use Jim Dunlop nylon picks with little bumps on them to keep them from spinning around or feeling slick. This is really important if you play outside in hot, humid conditions.

The fretting hand can relax as well.

When you first start learning you do have to hold the strings down using a lot of pressure, but as your fingers toughen up you don't have to push so hard. My students tell me it doesn't look like I'm pushing that hard and that's because I'm not. Yes, there are certain chords and fingerings that require more pressure, but it's not as bad as you think.

Sit up straight and hold the guitar correctly.

Again, this eases tension and makes it less difficult to get nice, clear notes and chords. If you're not sure how to sit, there are pictures and descriptions in almost any guitar instruction book or on the internet. Have your guitar teacher help you sit and hold the guitar correctly, you'll be amazed at what a difference it makes.

How to Keep Getting Better on Guitar

Making steady progress.

Everyone wants to make steady progress on the guitar, but be prepared for times when it doesn't seem to get any better. We all reach plateaus, and sometimes it can be very frustrating. A plateau is just a temporary setback, so try to accept it as that. When I was first learning guitar and later banjo, I remember sitting there wondering if I just ran out of talent or skill, and that was as good a player as I was capable of being. Over the years many students have told me "I think I'm getting worse instead of better." Here are some ways to help you get off the plateau and back to making progress.

Work out the details.

Whether you're a beginning guitar player, an intermediate player, or even a guitar teacher, there are times when it's easier to play what you know and not work on the hard parts! I'm as guilty as anyone, with a list of songs that I've never finished for whatever reason. Sometimes it's a physical problem, sometimes it's mental, and be honest with yourself, sometimes you just don't like the song well enough to finish it.

Physical problems.

I've had students who will complain about not being able to execute a particular fingering, complaining that either their fingers aren't long enough or that the pinky doesn't work. Before giving up, you can try using different fingerings or playing the passage on a different part of the fingerboard. The nice thing about the stringed instruments is that you can play the same note in different places. Maybe you can find the same notes higher up the neck where the frets are closer together. Most students don't take the time to strengthen the pinky, they just chalk it up as not being able to get it to work. Practice some stretching and strengthening exercises and you just might be surprised at the difference.

Mental problems, or, don't think.

Self-fulfilling prophecy time. Here comes that part I can't play. I always screw this part up. I can never get this part to sound right. Sound familiar? Almost any one of those problems can be solved by not over thinking the problem, thereby building self confidence. Guitar is a lot like sports. While talent is important to some extent, the ability to play the part perfectly has a lot more to do with how you perceive it. Get rid of those negative thoughts. If you think the part doesn't sound right, listen to recordings, get your teacher to help you make it sound right, then move along. I have students who can play passage perfectly, but they still come in convinced it "just doesn't sound right when I play it."

What's Your Excuse?

Having trouble finding time to practice?

We all have busy schedules, but those that really want to learn guitar simply find the time! I've heard enough excuses that I've toyed with the idea of writing "The Beginning Guitarist's Excuse Book.) Kids, family, work, vacations, you name it, there's a never ending list of excuses.

Get up earlier? Are you kidding me?

Learning to play guitar, or any other instrument, requires commitment and time to practice. Too many people are content with practicing 15 to 20 minutes a few days a week, then upset because they don't see much progress. I go through their typical day, and if it seems like there's not a spare minute, they look at me like I'm a space alien when I suggest staying up later or getting up earlier.

"I haven't practiced, should I come to my lesson anyway?"

Another pet peeve. You should absolutely come to your guitar lesson anyway, we can still teach you something. Skipping the lesson is like skipping the gym, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Your guitar teacher can find lots of ways to fill the time even if you haven't picked up the guitar all week. You can work on theory, rhythm,  scales, finger exercises, or just spend the lesson doing what you should have done all week, practice.

"I'm going to take a short hiatus."

Again, bad idea. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the vast majority don't come back, or at least not in a short time frame. Usually it's a couple years later, accompanied with lamenting about how they should have stuck with it.

The bottom line.

The bottom line is that if you're going to pursue anything, playing music, writing a book, learning a skill or a hobby, you have to commit yourself to it. My theory is that if you really, truly want to do it, you'll find the time.

Guitar Players That Have Influenced Me the Most

Today I thought I'd name a few of the guitarists I listened to when I started playing.

This is by no means a complete list.

Doc Watson. I discovered Doc on a trip to our local library's record collection. It was a 33rpm album simply titled "Doc Watson".  Back then the albums described the artist as well as the songs on the record. I read that he played fiddle tunes on guitar, with a pick, and when I heard him do that I was amazed! There were very few bluegrass guitar players doing that in the 1960s. He also plays country blues using his fingers instead of a pick, and it was my first introduction to open tunings. I had no idea as a beginning guitar player that anyone tuned to a chord. If you're not familiar with Doc, check him out. Even though he's in his 80s now, he's still an awesome guitar player!

Chet Atkins. I heard his name time and again, and finally checked him out. I was under the impression that he was mostly a country guitar player, so was quite surprised at the many types of songs he had on his albums. He was a fingerstyle player, with a solid, alternating bass line going while the fingers played the melody and some harmony to the songs. You would swear that you were hearing more than one guitar. In fact, John Fahey, an accomplished guitarist in his own right, said in a Guitar Player Magazine interview that he was sure there was "no way that's just one guitar." Chet made albums with a diverse group of his contemporaries including Jerry Reed, Les Paul, Mark Knopfler and others. Again, if you're not familiar with Chet or his music, there's still plenty of it available.

Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Paul Simon.

Peter and Paul are the ones from the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. I was absolutely a fanatic about fingerpicked, acoustic guitar and these guys were my favorites. I'd say I learned most of what I played by listening to these 3. Paul Simon got me hooked when he recorded Anji, a guitar instrumental that I still play. All of these guys demonstrate the 3 Ts of music: Timing, Tone and Taste.

Still crazy about guitar after all these years.

While that hardly scratches the surface, I think it demonstrates how other players can shape your playing. I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and I can honestly say that I still love it. So if you're just beginning guitar, find a good teacher, immerse yourself in the kind of music you enjoy, and open your eyes and ears to as many types of music as you can. I've always felt that I could learn something from everyone, even those that play music that's not necessarily what I like. I've learned and added songs, licks and tricks from all kinds of artists, guitarist or not.

Getting Your Money's Worth From Lessons

Are your lessons worth the money?

With all of the materials out there, is it worth paying for guitar lessons? I'd argue that the answer is yes for several reasons, even though it sounds self serving. The biggest reason is that you have someone to ask questions of, give you honest feedback and keep you on the correct path. As more and more information becomes available, and this isn't limited to music lessons, people become confused about what's important, where they should focus, and how much time they should spend on learning the concepts they've discovered. A beginning guitar student needs to forget about how overwhelming everything seems to be and to concentrate on one area at a time.

Getting your money's worth.

Your guitar teacher needs to know what you like, how you feel about your progress, and how you practice. These are some of the things you need to be clear about to get the most for your money. I've had students work on songs for weeks and then finally tell me they don't like that song. There are many others that will teach the same concepts, but I can't give you a different song unless I know you're unhappy.  Most beginning guitar students don't see much progress, so if you're in doubt about how you're doing, have your teacher give you an honest evaluation. Guitar is very slow going at first and it can be discouraging to say the least. If you're unhappy with your where you are, talk over ways to improve how you practice. Too many guitar students aren't really practicing, but they're just playing songs over and over. You need to have a specific goal for that practice session. Whether it's learning a new song, smoothing out trouble spots or improving the whole song, focus on what needs the most improvement.

Challenge Yourself!

Need to get off the plateau? 

Sometimes it seems like progress has come to a stop and you'll wonder if you'll ever get better. Relax, it's something that we all go through. I've had band practices where we just couldn't seem to do anything right and it was everyone in the group. When that happens, you just take a break and try again tomorrow. How to explain it? Could be you're not in the mood to play or practice, you've got other things on your mind, you're tired or there are more pressing problems.

Crank up the intensity and the challenge level.

After properly warming up, (you do warm up, don't you?), isolate the problem or problems and spend extra time on those. Set your metronome to a speed where you can play the passage comfortably, and then play through without a mistake several times. Don't increase the speed until you're sure you can get through the trouble spot perfectly. This builds confidence and makes you feel like you can play the difficult part with ease. If you catch yourself giving up and playing something you already know it just makes things worse. Issue a challenge to yourself and make it a game. Beginning guitar students tend to avoid the problem instead of working through it. Play so slowly you can't make a mistake and then build from there. The advantage of using a metronome is that you can increase speed in tiny increments so that you hardly feel like you're playing faster. Balance the intensity with the playfulness and you'll get off the plateau and on your way to playing and sounding better.

Not Happy With Your Progress on Guitar?

What may be holding you back and what to do about it.

Lately I've been getting more and more calls from beginning guitar students frustrated with their perceived lack of progress. Learning guitar is an ongoing process, and unfortunately it's one that you can't speed up very much. Here are some observations I've made recently as well as some helpful hints to improve your progress.

Expecting too much too soon.

I can't stress enough how important it is to learn, understand, and be able to execute a technique or concept. Beginning guitar players tend to rush through things so they can play the songs they want to play. Like learning math, guitar depends on your building a solid foundation. Being patient in the early stages is extremely difficult, but it's what will make you a better musician in the long run. Well meaning friends will try to tell you to learn barre chords, scales, alternate picking and other techniques that you may not be ready for. This is where having a live, caring teacher comes in. Your guitar teacher can guide you and make sure you're learning things in a logical order. I'll sometimes get a theory question from a student and the answer will be that you really don't want to ask that question right now!

Information overload.

The internet is a great invention, but again, I'm seeing and hearing from more and more frustrated guitar players. The best way to avoid information overload is to take small steps and to be sure that you're ready for the next concept. Go slow and absorb all the things you've learned. Ignore the wild claims that convince you that you'll learn the "secrets" of playing guitar. Do you want to know the secret to learning guitar? Commit time and effort, know what your goals are and practice. And no, you're not going to be the second coming of Jimi Hendrix in one weekend! Sorry, you have to put in the time.


Realize how important small signs of progress can be.

Minor breakthroughs are very important. If you've been working on a song and can now play it flawlessly and up to speed, it doesn't matter if it's Yankee Doodle, it's a breakthrough. Savor it and use the positive feelings to encourage you and to help you advance to the next level.

Push yourself, but don't pressure yourself.

Trying to improve, working hard, and spending time practicing are all worthy goals, but you don't need undue pressure. The value of taking private, one on one guitar lessons is that there is no competition and therefore, no pressure. Learning guitar is tough enough without adding the burden of expecting more than you're capable of playing. 

More Finger Stretchers and Warm-ups

How to warm up before playing songs

It's always a good idea to do some finger stretching and strengthening exercises before you start to play. I give my students a series of exercises to start with, and when I ask if they've been using them, the reply most of the time is a sheepish "I know I should do them more." So here's a sample of how you could get ready to practice by warming up.

• Spend at least the first 5 minutes doing finger exercises. You can do finger stretchers, play some chords, a few scales, or a combination of those things. To stretch out and warm up the fingers, put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the 1st string. Without removing that finger, play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 4th fret, 4th finger, (yes, the pinky), then 2nd fret, 2nd finger. Do as many strings as you can do comfortably, remembering to always leave the 1st finger down. Use different combinations of fingers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, etc.
• Play some chords. Work on changing chords, getting crisp, clear notes and strumming evenly. Put your fingers on the chord, then play the strings one at a time to make sure they're all sounding. Buzzing or vibrations are caused by not holding the string down tight enough, playing too far away from the fret, or letting the pressure off. Muffled or deadened strings are almost always the result of something being in the way. Another finger, a sleeve, or fingernails that are too long are the prime suspects. They will also be muffled if you actually have your finger on the fret.
• Slowly and deliberately play through some songs. Again, work on playing slow and getting the notes clear.
• Don't forget the right hand. If you play with your fingers, try some arpeggio patterns, if you use a pick, try playing scales while you use up and down picking.

Try these tips and you'll hear your playing improve, guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions and What You Should Ask.

The most frequently asked questions:

1. How much are lessons? Probably the top question and the one that should be much lower on the list. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for. Do you really want to take lessons or have your child learn from the cheapest teacher? While price is no guarantee of quality it's certainly wise to be leery of someone with ridiculously low prices. 
2. At what age should my child start guitar lessons? Most guitar teachers will start a beginner at age 7 or 8. There are some programs, Child Bloom and Kindermusic that start them younger. The critical decision here is how you as a parent will react when your new student doesn't practice as much as you think they should. The most important part of learning guitar at this age is for the child to enjoy the lessons. Nagging, reminding, and scolding them does much more harm than good. 
3. Am I too old to learn guitar? In most cases, no. As long as you have desire and time to practice, you'll do fine. Setting realistic goals, being patient and finding time are the biggest obstacles adults face. 
4. What guitar method do you use? Most teachers will start you off with a book of some sort, get you moving around on the guitar, and then gear the lessons more to the style of music you'd like to play. Be wary of the teacher that uses the same approach whether you're 7, 17 or 70. 

What questions should you ask?

1. What kind of music do you play? Lots of teachers advertise that they can teach you any style of music you'd like, but be aware that it doesn't mean they're equally good at all types of music. This is most important if you have a specific style of music in mind. While there is some overlap, there are different techniques, licks, (small musical phrases), and sounds that define the music.
2. Have you worked with children before? Some teachers can't or don't want to teach younger students, so be sure you ask if you have a young child. 
3. Are you comfortable or qualified teaching my special needs child? There have been many instances where we've had parents register their child and then almost as an afterthought mention that they have ADD, a learning disability of some sort, or an emotional problem that we'll have to deal with. It's very awkward for the teacher to find this out after the fact.
4. What qualifications do you have? While a college degree is nice, it shouldn't be the only consideration. When I hire a teacher I look for a combination of education, teaching, performing experience and a genuine interest in teaching. Our students trust that we know what we're doing and we can't let them down.

Do You REALLY Think You Can Learn Guitar in 7 Days?

Right now on Amazon: Master the Guitar in 7 Days  $.099

Seriously? Wow, why the heck has it taken others so long? And we're talking Mastering the guitar, not just playing it. Here's a dose of reality, it's not going to happen! Yes, you can learn a 2 chord song in 7 days. Will you have it mastered? Doubtful. Is it a song you'd be proud to show your friends? Hey, you guys want to jam on Skip to my Lou? Google play guitar in 7 days and you'll be shocked and amazed at how many courses there are. Here's the hot tip of the day, save your money. Beginning guitar, getting better at guitar, mastering the guitar is a long term investment of time and money. If it were possible in a short time, there would be a lot more great guitar players.

OK, how long does it take?

The guitar is a very versatile instrument. I've had students who took lessons for years, and I've had students who were happy with knowing enough chords to strum and sing some songs. Remember, it's not how long you've played, it's how many hours you put in. I can tell you that it won't be a week or even a month. The big secret is that like every other worthwhile skill it takes time, dedication and practice. Getting by the total beginner stage in about 6 months is a good goal. The most important consideration is how good to you want to be?

Are these courses any good at all?

Surprisingly, I'm going to say yes. I just can't imagine advertising something in that way when I'm sure they all know it's not going to happen. There's good material in a lot of the lessons, there's even good stuff available for free. The problem is in making outrageous claims. Playing and learning guitar without a teacher involves lots of self discipline, the ability to decide if you're doing things correctly, and being able to not want or need any feedback. You can't ask a DVD, a CD or a book a question. Without being able to actually watch a student it's very difficult to help solve problems. So, do you want to save a few bucks and be a do it yourselfer? Or, are you willing to make the sacrifice and spend the time and money to get started the right way?

How Many Chords Are There?

Guitar chords posters and wall charts.

In the studio I have a guitar chords poster and am frequently asked if that's all the chords. When I say no, they ask how many chords are there? 1000s! Then they ask how many I know.....1000s. How often do I use that many? Never. Once you have an understanding of music theory and how it relates to the guitar fingerboard, you can not only play lots of chords you can even make up your own. The number of chords you learn isn't nearly as important as knowing what to do with them.

The number of chords you use depends on the style of music you play.

A lot of beginning guitar students as well as more advanced players really only use a relatively small number of chords. For instance, if you play and sing, your chord playing will be somewhat limited by your vocal range. If you like Americana, Folk, Bluegrass or Irish music you'll be able to play using a handful of chords most of the time. Jazz, ragtime, classical and some rock music styles require more chords. I have students who play in jazz band in high school and they are usually pretty much shocked by how many different chords they have to know.

How many chords should you learn then?

Everyone should learn the basic, open position chords. There are many places to find them and that's really the first step. Being able to play major, minor and seventh chords is a good place to start. Buy yourself a chord book and experiment. Just because a particular style uses more of one type of chord it doesn't mean other styles won't use them sometimes as well. There are jazz chords that fit well in different types of music, so you just might want to play a few of them and see what you think. 

How Do I Know if I'm Still a Beginner?

What makes a guitar student a beginner?

I was teaching the other day and a guitar student of mine, after having played for 6 months, told me he felt like he was still a beginner. My reply? You ARE still a beginner. One of the hardest things to accept about learning an instrument is that you can't speed the process up very much. Yes, you can practice more, take more lessons, do research on the internet and buy books, but your muscle memory has to catch up. So, what does indicate that you're a beginner? If your chords are still sloppy, you have trouble changing from one to the other, your fingers don't move very quickly and you can only play a couple songs all the way through, you're still in the beginning stage.


How do you make the jump?

First and foremost, take a deep breath, relax, and understand that everyone makes progress at a different rate. If you've never played guitar or any other instrument, haven't had a musical background, your parents or siblings don't play, you'll just have to go slow and learn at your own pace. With the wealth of information out there today, sometimes it does more harm than good. More and more lately I have students asking about theory and techniques that really aren't going to be useful at this point. They want to learn songs that they're not capable of playing, and that just makes it more frustrating. The ability to focus, go slow, and really learn a song, concept or technique is where the emphasis should be placed. Getting to the next level requires basic skills, at least an elementary understanding of the music you're trying to play and the ability to play it well.

Don't be tempted to multitask.


Having a clear goal in mind and concentrating on one thing at a time is the best way to make steady progress. Don't worry about trying to master chords, notes, scales, or intervals all at once. Your guitar teacher can help you decide what to learn first. How you start learning guitar depends on what kind of music you like, whether or not you're going to sing and how much of a musical background you have. So work with your teacher on finding what will help you get where you want to go with music.

When Should I Start Learning Barre Chords?

What is a barre chord?

A lot of times you'll see an advanced guitar player placing one finger across five or six strings and forming a chord with the rest of the fingers. That's a barre chord. When you remove open strings, (strings that have no fingers on them), everything on the guitar can be moved. This enables you to play the same notes, chords or songs in different sections of the fingerboard.


When do I start learning them?

Many students try to learn too many things too fast, leading to frustration and confusion. I try to get my beginning guitar students to wait until they've learned the basic chords, can change smoothly and can make them sound nice and clear. Learning guitar is difficult enough in the beginning without making it even harder by trying to play things you're just not ready for.

What's the difference between barre chords and power chords?

The main difference is that power chords are really not chords at all, but rather what we call intervals. A chord needs to be made up of 3 or more different notes.  Power chords are what you hear in the background of many popular rock songs.

So the take away from today's post is to remember that learning guitar is going to take time. You definitely don't want to have to try learning something only to find out that you weren't ready for it.

I Hate to Practice!

What's causing you to dislike practice?

Practice makes perfect, you need to practice every day, not until you practice, we've all heard it before. So, what does make you not want to practice? A lot of my adult students tell me they don't have time or  they didn't realize how hard it would be to find time. If this describes you, maybe you should question why you've decided to learn guitar in the first place. Sit down in a nice, quiet spot and examine what motivated you to start. Write down a list of your favorite songs, artists, or type of music that you really want to play. Now, realistically decide if you're that serious. It sounds harsh, but like the old saying goes, if it was easy, everyone would do it.

With younger students, it's more about nagging or lack of it, feeling it's too much like school or feeling like it's cutting into play time. A younger guitar student needs to be encouraged and handled with care. The worst case is when a parent is living through his or her child and expects an 8 year old to dedicate unreasonable amounts of practice time. Yes, you and I know what it takes, but if you kill the fun, you kill the interest. My goal as a teacher is to make the experience as enjoyable and upbeat as  possible. Do you honestly think a young student is going to dedicate 30 minutes a day? Getting them to get the guitar out at all is a big accomplishment!

The songs don't sound good slow.

There's one we hear all the time. I'm well aware of that, but guess what? If you can't play it slow you can't play it fast. Muscle memory is what it's all about and if you learn wrong it's much harder to re-learn a song.

I hate that song, that song's boring.

Usually that can be translated as meaning the song's too hard. I'm the first to admit that the songs in most guitar method books leave a lot to be desired. The problem is that the songs in almost every book 1 are the same thing. It's like the authors spy on each other and think "if Amazing Grace is in their book then it better be in mine too." The solution is to ask your guitar teacher if there is another song that's more fun that teaches the same thing.

I want to play real songs by people I like.

We want to have you play those songs too, but you need some basic skills. A couple years ago I had a 10 year old boy, no prior experience, who after a month declared he wanted to learn Crazy Train. When I told him he wasn't ready, he told me how hard he'd practice every day and that he was sure he could play it. While I would love to have had that work out I think we all know how the story ends. No, he wasn't able to play it since he had no skills.

What's the answer then?

Decide to commit yourself to guitar. Make the time to practice even if you're not in the mood. Don't be afraid of new songs, just be realistic. Ask your guitar teacher if you're ready for a particular song or artist, then let him or her decide. Learning to play the guitar or any other instrument is a time art. You just can't speed the process up a whole lot, believe me, I tried.

Learning the Fingerboard......Where to Start?

Ah yes, the guitar fingerboard. All those notes, all those frets, I'm confused!

Yes, the fingerboard can be very confusing. As a beginning guitar student it's even more daunting. When I first started playing guitar, it just didn't make sense. Unlike the piano or a keyboard, you can play the same notes in several different places. On the piano, there's only one middle C for example. Even though there are other notes with that name, that's the only one with that sound. On the guitar you can play the same note with the same pitch in as many as 6 different places. It's no wonder you're confused. Most guitar teachers, if they're teaching notes at all, start with what we call the 1st position. These are the notes in the first 4 frets and you make the C major scale from those. In addition, there are other scales you can also play using that same position. The best way to learn and understand all of this is to not try to learn too many concepts at once. The whole idea of position playing on guitar is using one finger per fret and not going out of position by more than one fret in either direction.

Position markers. Dots, snowflakes or other designs.

The way to learn to find your way around the fingerboard is to learn what the dots, aka position markers are for. Basically it's to keep you from having to count the frets and to help you jump right to the correct or fret or position. Plain or fancy, they serve the same purpose. Most guitars have them inlaid in the fingerboard as well as having dots on the side of the neck.

When does it all start to make sense, or does it?

It starts to make sense after you've been playing for a while and learn about how logical the fingerboard really is. The key is to learn to visualize the fingerboard and what notes reside there. Once you start to see patterns it becomes a lot easier. There are many good websites that go into great detail, but I recommend sticking to the basics at first and trusting your guitar teacher. A common problem that a beginning guitar student has is trying to figure out too much at once. This is especially true when you're trying to teach yourself. Don't worry about barre chords, pentatonic scales or other scale forms until you've built a good foundation of knowledge.

Are You Worrying Too Much About Your Progress?

Does everyone experience the same thing when they start guitar?


If you've gotten off of the total beginner stage and you're starting to be able to play along with recordings, there are a few points to remember about your progress.

• Some chords are more difficult than others. Many times my students will agonize over their inability to play C, F, Bminor, B7 or some other chord that has awkward fingering. It can be discouraging when you can play all but that one chord and it makes you feel like you're not getting anywhere. The advice I give everyone is to just keep going and force your chord hand to catch up.
• "It doesn't sound like the song." The art of rhythm guitar is something that comes from practicing, listening and trying to make it sound like the song. The problem is you only have one guitar, you most likely don't have thousands of dollars' worth of equipment, and you're still in the early stages of learning guitar. Again, don't agonize over the fact that you can't make it sound exactly like the recording. You may be listening to someone who's been playing for years and you can't expect to duplicate that sound at this point.
• Multi-tasking is overrated. Trying to do too much is a sure way to slow your progress. The more I teach, the slower I try to get my students to play. When we learn a new song, my first goal is to get the guitar student to simply strum a chord once when it changes. This develops your ear and helps you anticipate when the chords will change. The next step is to strum a couple of times, but give yourself ample time to get ready for the next chord. 
• Keeping your strumming hand moving will make the chord hand go faster. Whenever you practice chords, try to keep strumming so that you don't lose time. You don't want to get in the habit of stopping between chords.

• Invest in something to slow songs down. At our teaching studio I use RiffMaster Pro (affiliate link), which is an excellent program to slow songs down without changing the pitch. This way you can practice at a slower speed but you're still learning the correct rhythm.

Everybody Needs Somebody That They Can Talk To (and Pick With)

Do you want to speed up your progress?

I was always interested in learning to play guitar, in fact I had my first guitar lesson when I was 5 years old. Unfortunately, that was my last one until I was in high school. I didn't have a guitar and remember sitting on the floor, guitar book next to me, pretending I was strumming. I'm sure my parents and the music school were just humoring me since I never got to go back. When I did start to play guitar, it kind of happened by accident. A friend and I were at a high school basketball game and started up a conversation with a guy we thought we knew. As it turned out, we didn't know him, but we became friends. He had a guitar, an old Kay archtop he was learning on, and I would play it when I went to his house. Soon after that, another friend at school told me his dad had a guitar he wanted to sell. We went and looked at it and since he didn't want much for it, I was the proud owner of a new guitar.

Practice + A little friendly competition = PROGRESS!

Since my friend Rich and I both knew people who played guitar, it was fun to learn something new and then show it off the next time we got together. However, you'd only be able to be better for one day since the person that you were showing off to would immediately go home and learn what you'd played! In addition, I found a guitar teacher so it helped both of us learn more quickly.

Finding someone to practice with can really help.

There are several advantages to having a practice partner. It's a lot less frustrating to know that you're not alone in the beginning stages and that there are other people struggling to improve. If you find someone with similar taste in music you can have fun trying to learn new songs. Things tend to go faster when you have a little friendly competition. It tends to make you practice more.

How to find someone.

Not knowing someone can be a deterrent, but there are lots of ways to solve the problem. The first resource would be your guitar teacher or the place where you take lessons. We offer controlled jam sessions and have had several friendships develop in the classes. Not taking lessons? Try going to an open mic or a jam session. In our area there are several open jams and open mics. You don't have to play at first, maybe just listen and see if there's someone at your level. While it's ideal to have someone that plays better than you, if they're too advanced they may not be interested. Good luck and I hope you find someone to pick with. It really does make an enjoyable hobby even better.

Are You Putting Too Much Pressure on Yourself?

The race to be an awesome guitarist

Are you trying too hard to play guitar in the shortest time possible? Have you read too much beginner guitar player hype about how you can learn the guitar in a weekend, 7 days, play every song with little or no practice? Let me pop the bubble for you. Anyone that tells you that is being totally dishonest. Ask any accomplished guitar player or guitar teacher and you'll be told the same thing. Learn in a weekend? Sure, I can teach to play in a weekend as long as you're trying to play the first few notes of Smoke on the Water.

It's all about muscle memory, practice and passion

Believe me, when I first started playing guitar I was sure, (or at least hopeful), that if I practiced enough I'd get good really quickly. I practiced guitar several hours a day, tried to play music with my best friend Rich, hung around other guitarists who were better than me, and studied out of lots of books. My conclusion? You can't speed the process up too much. Yes, you may be able to play a song in a relatively short amount of time, but your fingers and your brain have to be trained to remember all of it. If you put in the time you'll get there, but you can't do it without a commitment to practice. Ask yourself how much you want to be able to play the guitar. Do you have a real passion for music or does it seem like this quaint idea.

Get help, get motivated and get involved

If you don't have a guitar teacher or mentor, get one! A good teacher can help you figure out what you want to play, what you're capable of playing at each stage, and be a guide for your musical journey. To get motivated you need to listen to lots of music, challenge yourself when you practice, and have your teacher give you feedback and pay attention to it. I love when I suggest something to a student and he or she replies "that might be a good idea." No, it IS a good idea. I've devoted my entire adult like to teaching and I can guarantee you that what I'm telling you works. Getting involved means supporting live music, participating in jam sessions, and finding out what the music scene is like in your area.

Remember: It's not how many years you've been playing, it's how many hours you've put in.

Are You Losing Interest in Guitar?

Maintaining your momentum is hard sometimes

Just like with exercise, beginning guitar lessons can bring the inevitable plateau. Sometimes it seems the harder you try, the worse you get. When this happens it's time to take action! You need to jump start your playing and your interest, here are some suggestions.

• Listen to some good guitar players. Inspiration can take many forms. One way to regain your focus is to listen to some great guitar music to remind you of why you started learning guitar in the first place.
• Find a new piece of music that you'd like to play. Ask your guitar teacher to give you something that you'd enjoy playing or give him or her your idea of what you like. Make a list of songs that you listen to and enjoy and see which ones you're ready for.
• Get a "practice buddy." If you're off of the total beginner stage, or even if you're not, find someone you can practice with. It's more fun to work on songs if you can play them with others. A little friendly competition or at least not wanting to look like you didn't put in the effort will help you get going.
• If you're not taking guitar lessons, finding a teacher can be a good move. Getting stuck in a rut and not feeling like you're getting out of it can be difference between going on with guitar or quitting.
• Have fun! Try to play along with recordings, get a metronome and try to play faster and smoother, see how many times you can play a chord progression or scale in a given amount of time. 

With a little effort and the suggestions above you can get over the hump and on to the next stage of learning.