Learning to play the guitar isn’t as difficult as many people think. Although it takes some time and effort, it is possible to teach yourself basic guitar skills in just a few weeks. If you want to learn to play the guitar quickly and well, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Buy a Good Guitar

First, it is crucial that you have the right guitar to start with. There are huge differences when it comes to guitars and having the wrong type of guitar can put you off from playing altogether.

The Andertons Music Co. has a great article regarding beginner guitars. Whether you are looking for electric guitars or acoustic guitars the buying guide on the website can be helpful in making sure you go with the right model.

Learn to Read Notes

Before you start jamming, you should get a hang off reading musical notes. Most guitar music is written in tabs and understanding tabs is a great way to learn to play guitar. You’ll soon be able to catch notes by just listening to songs, but at the start, the ability to read notes can help your learning process a lot.

You should just focus on the basic chords first and then move on to harder ones as you progress. Finding guitar tabs online is simple, as websites like Tabulous.co.uk provide you plenty of songs to play with.

Play Regularly

Once you have the basic chords under control, you can start playing simple songs. Songs like Pearl Jam’s ‘Last Kiss’ or Bob Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Doors’ are great beginner songs. The key thing is to play and practice regularly. You would ideally want to play at least 20 minutes each day. This might sound like a lot, but don’t let it fool you. You can learn to play guitar even while you watch TV or hang out with friends! You could even play while you browse the web. The key thing is to practice the chord positions regularly, so that your fingers get used to the positions. Finger exercises and regular playing is crucial for mastering the guitar.

Do keep in mind that you shouldn’t pick too many songs to your repertoire right from the start. It can get confusing and you won’t progress as quickly, if you just keep jumping from one song to another.

Consider Guitar Lessons

Naturally, you can also boost your learning experience with online guitar lessons and books about guitar playing. You can find guitar lessons for complete beginners or you can take lessons to improve your guitar playing skills.

Through guitar lessons, you are also able to immerse yourself into different genres of music. You shouldn’t just stick to one genre, as understanding different styles can enhance your playing a lot. For instance, if you want to be a great metal guitarist, you want to know how blues guitar works.

The above tips will help you teach yourself guitar in no time. The key is to just stick to playing regularly, even if you feel like you aren’t progressing! As long as you keep practicing, you’ll soon play notes and even songs without having to pay that much attention to what you are doing.