You need to have a guitar, of course, and the necessary accessories that you might need. Then, start with the basics. You can hire a guitar tutor or simply browse for guitar lessons online. You can also watch guitar tutorials on YouTube to help you get started.
Contents
Of Course, You Need a Guitar
You need to have a guitar where you can play and practice. While you may have a guitar app on your mobile phone, it’s different when you have a physical guitar. You can buy a cheap guitar for less than $200. Or, if you have the money, having a decent guitar between $200 to $800 will help you become motivated to play more.
But wait, there are tons of guitars in the market — acoustic and electric guitars. If you already know what music you want to play, then, have the guitar that is best for that kind of genre. However, if you’re totally clueless about what to play, it’s good to grab an acoustic guitar.
Some Accessories Needed
Though the guitar can play without any accessories, you might need them at some point. Among the needed small things are picks, tuner, extra strings, capo, and a metronome. A metronome isn’t vital for playing guitar, but, it’s useful to play with a rhythm, especially if your goal is to play with a band.
I Have a Guitar, Now What?
Start playing. Learn the basics. What are these? Well, the very basic is how to hold the guitar properly. You can play while you sit or stand. However, if you’re still new, play the guitar while you’re sitting.
It’s important to learn about the numbering system of the frets, your fingers, and the strings. Going from the nut towards the body of the guitar gives you the numbered frets from 1 to the total number of frets. For your fingers, 1 would be the index finger going to 4, your pinky. Lastly, the strings. The thinner string or the high E is usually numbered as the 1, while the thicker string or the low E is numbered as 6.
Oh, there’s too much to learn. Yes, and there’s still more — the chords, the strumming patterns, and chord progression. But, don’t be upset, it’ll be like that at first. If you really want solid progress, get serious with your learning.
Also Read: How to Play Electric Guitar Through Headphones
So, Do I Need a Guitar Tutor?
Not necessarily. With the internet, you’ll be able to access thousands of guitar video tutorials. You can access them for free through YouTube or enjoy the benefits of learning from the best guitarists in the world through paid guitar lessons.
Having a guitar tutor is amazing. You’ll have a practice partner and you have a mentor who will guide you through the process. The problem would be, the cost. They are more expensive and your skills will be limited to their knowledge, as well. That leaves you to YouTube and subscribing to online guitar lessons.
While YouTube is free, you tend to go astray. It doesn’t have a structure, like those paid online guitar lessons. However, YouTube’s free guitar tutorials give you much exposure to what’s gonna be like to play guitar. For a complete beginner, starting with YouTube is an advantage.
Conclusion
For you to start playing guitar, you should have a guitar first. It’s important to familiarize some accessories that you might need, including a tuner, capo and a metronome. If you have the tool, the next thing to know is the basics.
You can teach yourself guitar or have a guitar tutor. While it’s cool to have a teacher, it’s costly. So, why not maximize what YouTube offers? Then, if you want to get serious, it’s time to get a tutor or subscribe to online guitar lessons.