We’ve all been there before… at the beginning. We all asked the same questions. For example, what should be learned first? Should we learn guitar chords, guitar scales, or songs?
The answer to the questions posed above is, it depends! I know this sounds vague, but wait with me for a second or two.
You will need to build strength and stamina on the guitar. Trust me, without learning these guitar fundamentals, you could very well become an accountant, doctor, or lawyer (please, not a lawyer).
Most great guitarists started out by learning simple songs. With a little help from your friends (other guitar players), you’ll learn some of your favorite songs (riffs and all). This is a great (and very normal) way to start building strength and stamina on the guitar. Truth be told, this is what most of us did in the beginning…us log sheds! This is absolutely normal and natural.
Why would someone jump into an advanced guitar course as a beginner? Answer… not many! Advanced stuff could literally kill a beginner’s enthusiasm. Why? Too much theory, mechanical development and little FUN. That’s right… FUN! It is essential to have fun. The fun is learning to play songs that your peers play. Once one spends good quality FUN time, the rest (knowledge of theory, application, etc.), will eventually catch up (or not). The desire to progress as a player will either hit you like a ton of bricks or you will be satisfied as a person who knows a ton of songs and commercial licks. the choice is always yours.
The choice to excel on the guitar is as much a mental one as a physical one. Personally, I think the mental part is more important than the physical (at least in the beginning).
At first, have fun, have fun, have fun. That’s what it’s all about folks, fun!
Most professional guitarists will (hopefully) tell you that their good old days were spent on their front porch playing guitar with their friends (learning songs, figuring out solos, etc.). For those pursuing a professional career in music, the guitar becomes a way of life (very serious stuff folks). Why get ahead of yourself? Have fun in the early years.
I understand that you, along with most beginning guitarists, want to shred your guitar like a finely tuned chainsaw. However, remember that will without action equals fantasy. Do not fool yourself. Shredding is an art. It requires mechanical skill that develops over time. Hard work and practice is the answer. Ease on the guitar is everything!
In the initial stages of learning to play the guitar, it is important to start with the basic techniques. Learning to properly hold a guitar pick, developing hand and wrist strength, timing and tempo are all essentials. Learning simple songs will deliver those elements. Learning to play chords and chord progressions, in tempo, is another essential element in learning to play the guitar.
Whether one’s goal is to become an accomplished guitarist or just play a few songs, the common thread between the two types of guitarists is practice. If you commit to a quality practice, you will progress. It’s really that simple. Either way, it starts with one’s passion for the guitar.