Are you just getting started learning guitar?
I’ve been playing for over 20 years, and have learned a lot of lessons the hard way. One of my favorite things to do is to help guitarists not go through the same pitfalls I encountered early on.
Here are three mistakes you should avoid:
- You Get Overwhelmed By Learning Songs
Here’s the thing - you don’t have to learn entire songs each and every time. If there’s a chord, lick or technique you want to learn, just learn that. Then, once you learn that idea, incorporate it into your playing as fast as possible in a musical context. Don’t get hung up thinking you have to learn entire songs all the time. No one is keeping track of what you’re learning!
- You're Not Paying Enough Attention to Your Fretting Hand
Record yourself on your phone - watch it back and also listen for wonkiness. Remember, finger in the middle of the frets, push down, but not too hard. Make sure each note can ring out on its own, and if it isn’t, adjust your fretting hand. If you’re struggling, send me the video and I’ll help out.
- You're Practicing the Same Things Over and Over
Once you learn something and can use it in a musical context, move on to something new, or build upon what you just learned. You won’t make progress practicing the same things over and over. Vary what your practice on and combine concepts on different days. Linking ideas will help cement them in your mind.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be writing about helpful guitar tips.
Join me on this journey — and let me know if you have any questions along the way!