What you need to know before you begin your journey
Here, I will try to answer some FAQ's that most aspiring guitarists might have.
How long will I take to learn?
One of the first questions that I get asked by every one aspiring to start learning the guitar is, how long would it take me to learn the guitar?
I usually answer this question by likening it to learning a new language. It is simply a question of how many hours you put in speaking the language. The more you use the language the more adept you become at it. In this case the language being music.
Learning to play the guitar or any musical instrument is just like this. Let's say you spend 50 hours with your guitar, you will achieve a certain degree of skill. You spend 100 hours you will achieve an even greater level of skill with the instrument.
Now, make note that I never answer this question in terms of weeks, months or days but in terms of hours because that's what it really comes down to; the number of hours you give. Depending on your routine, studies, job/family commitments and more importantly your interest and patience, you can finish these milestone number of hours in maybe a year, in 6 months or even couple of weeks! So how you go about learning is up to you. The power is in your hands!
Do I need to take classes or can I learn on my own from the internet?
Information is more accessible now in the age of the internet than has ever been. You can probably build a rocket with information off the internet! (Fortunately, playing the guitar isn't rocket science). The question now however is, how do you make sense of all this over-abundance of information? How do you take this information and turn it into usable knowledge. This is where a teacher steps in. Yes, you could learn from the internet, there are a lot of amazing musicians out there who are self taught but, they have really put in the hours and the effort. If you really can't afford to give that kind of time, especially if you are having to juggle studies/day job/night job/taking care of the kids, it is probably a good idea to find a good tutor and that would make sure you learning the most you can in a given period of time. Some of the ways in which a tutor helps in cutting your learning time are:
a) Making sure you are using the correct techniques and methods right from day one. As opposed to having to unlearn incorrect techniques after years of "doing it wrong", which can be a major pain.
b) A teacher will also help you design a practice routine to get the most out of your practice time.
c) Your teacher can also double up as your jamming partner which is major fun for both you and the teacher, so you get a feel for what is like to perform with another musician.
d) S/he can most assuredly provide better assistance than google to all your musical questions, be it, "How do I play this song?" or "My guitar sounds weird. What happened to it?"
Do I immediately need to buy a guitar?
This is one very frequent questions I get from students/parents of students when they sign up for classes.
No, you don't have to immediately buy a guitar but, YES you will most definitely need to have a guitar at home to practice right from day 1. I say you don't have to buy one because if you ask around enough I'm sure you will find some one in your friends of family who has a guitar that they are not using much and you could just borrow it. This way when you do want purchase one, you would be in a better position to up pick up a guitar that would suit your needs.
Speaking of picking the right guitar...
Should I buy an Electric or an Acoustic guitar?
Firstly, what is the difference between the two. An electric guitar will almost always require a amplifier speaker in order to be played and to hear the guitar properly which means you will always need a power source at hand. It is a very sensitive instrument and requires a a lot of experienced care in both playing and maintaining the instrument so it is usually recommended that you buy one after earning some experience with an acoustic guitar.
An acoustic guitar does not require amplification and can be played just by itself. If you are beginner it is highly recommended that you pick up an acoustic guitar for the following reasons:
a) It is easy to maintain
b) If you do damage it, repairs are not too expensive
c) Does not require extra equipment to be bought like guitar cables and amplifiers which are also prone to getting damaged if not handled properly.
d) You can play acoustic guitars outdoors in parks, outings, etc.,(which is major fun!) without worrying about a power source.
But, if you have been playing the guitar for a quite sometime and the electric guitar gods are calling out to you, by all means go out there and pick one up. Just remember to keep the volume down and don't drive your family and the neighbours crazy!
Will I cut my fingers while playing the guitar?
NO, unlike chopping onions playing the guitar will neither make you cry (hopefully) nor will you run the risk of cutting your fingers. Good quality strings are not that sharp at all and you would not be applying so much pressure on the strings that would result in injury. Sure, your fingers will hurt if you have set out to do a marathon practice session but, cutting your fingers is highly unlikely.
And that's a wrap...
I hope this information has shed some light and busted some myths on the subject of learning the guitar. If you have any questions you'd like to ask me, you are welcome to drop a comment or write to me at the email address provided below
Email: raphael.swaran33@gmail.com
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If you'd like me to be your guide you can reach out for online guitar lessons with me at:
Email: raphael.guitar33@gmail.com
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