What is the easiest way to get used to playing guitar?

Question

no kidding practice, and i plan to....i just want to make things as easy as possible, i have little to no experience...should i just hire an instructor somewhere...i've been trying to learn off youtube.com and websites but idk...im determined to play, i can read tabs and i can like memorize chords and stuff....but when it comes to playin or making an actual song....my fingers get lost, i want to look down to see, my pick hits where its not supposed to or its not even in the right place....what are soem drills or practice techniques to getting me used to actual note playing and like song progression

Answer 1

Well don't get too frustrated yet.  It takes time to play fluently and make things sound good.  That's why you get so many people who quit the guitar.  It's not an easy gig and the reward takes time to reach.  

A realistic goal is 9 months - 12 months to play a few songs fluently and that's if you are practicing a few hours a day.  

The best things you can do right now, is always practice with a metronome, everything I list is something you need to do with a metronome.  Tone and Timing make a good guitar player.  Timing is more than half the battle and that's where a metronome will help you get better a lot quicker.  

1) Scales - practice scales all the time with a metronome.  You always play to a beat and some type of tempo.  Don't ever just randomly hit notes, or your not helping yourself.  Start with a slow tempo you can keep up with (e.g. 75BPM) and slowly make your way faster.  

Why do scales?  Scales will work on your individual string picking.  It will also help you learn how to alternate pick (up / down).  Basically you down strum on the beat, and you up strum for off-beats (in between the beats).  This keeps you in tempo.

2) Songs - yes it takes time to learn songs.  But by reading tabs and just grinding through it you eventually get better.  But make sure you listen to the song, and figure out what the tempo is.  The best thing to do, is buy some sheet music (cost like $3 a song) and it will list the Beat Per Minute on the sheet music.  You can get that here:

http://www.musicnotes.com

Why practice songs?  Since you already know what it sounds like, it will help you devolop rhythm with a mixture of chords and single string picking.  As well as help you learn common chord progressions and different chords.  

3) Chord Switches - Again pull out the metronome and set it at a reasonable speed (e.g. 75BPM) and switch on the beat, or every 2 beats, or every 4 beats between all the chords that you already know.  You should learn all the open chords because they are common on guitar.  Power Chords and Barr Chords only have a few formations so learn those too.  

Why do chord switches?  Well playing songs are all about switching between chords.  Get comfortable switching between any chord staying in tempo, and well you will eventually be able to play any song.  Songs are just chords and notes, so this is good practice for that.  Again keeping in tempo and using a metronome is key.  

4) Music Theory - sometimes learning the guitar, doesn't have to involve the guitar.  If you learn music theory, then you are learning the language of music.  This helps in composing, soloing, and learning other instruments.  If you understand music theory you can apply that to any instruments:  piano, bass guitar, mandolin, violin, whatever.  

Why music theory? - Music theory actually teaches you why things so good, and why things don't so good.  This takes the trial and error method out of guitar.  You already know what's good and what's not, because music is based around guidelines.  You can learn music theory here:

http://www.musictheory.net/

Good Luck Man!!

Answer 2

I would get a reputable instructor to start with; that way they can correct your mistakes before they become habit and they can give you tips to play smoother.  Also, for your fingers I would make sure your strings are all metal not the nylon strings;  the nylon they say for beginners, but then you just have to wear in your fingers twice; better to do it all at once.  Good luck and stick with it.

Answer 3

Get private one-on-one lessons. They will help you GREATLY!! I take lessons and it's the best investment I've made.

Do a little searching: go down to your local music store and ask if they give lessons (majority will). Remember that you get (or don't get) what you pay for. I had to go through two teachers to get the one I have now. If you really want to take lessons, you won't stop searching until you find a good one. You might be lucky and find the one on your first try, and that's great!

Again, lessons will help you.

Answer 4

As long as you are looking for a shortcut, you will never get anywhere with any musical instrument. Even concert musicians do boring scales exercises daily. If you are considering learning to play any instrument , even passably, then you must be prepared to put the work in. No one is born with the ability to immediately become a musician. Some have a little more aptitude than others, I think that is called talent, but the one thing everyone, regardless of 'talent' needs to have is a God given work ethic. The harder you work, the better you become. I know this answer sounds boring but believe me it is the only way to go.

Answer 5

Just Play It. :)

Answer 6

yeah its true on a guitar its not really good to look for shortcuts. i play the hardest chords and hardest rhythms and stuff like that. that what made me such a best at guitar in just 1 year. im so good that i was elegable to play at church. one thing try to get a teacher it really helps. sometimes you feel like giving up but dont it will pay off. even when you feel its not worth or you just feel like u dont like the guitar any more just play untill u love it like me!

Answer 7

hi, maybe i can help. learning guitar can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. if you want to start really simple, my best advice go buy a chord chart poster from somewhere like walmart and hang it somewhere you can see when you play. start by learning solid chords like abcdefg and using them together to make your own jam sessions. if you play acoustic, get a capo for even more options. if you wanna try some fairly simple lessons try this link, http://www.guitarprofessor.org/c/3/Lesso...  . i hope i helped, good luck!

Answer 8

Use a method book.

Never move from an exercise or piece until you can play it perfectly 4 times in a row. If it is short maybe even more

When you start practicing go back to something you feel comfortable with.

Don't get in a hurry.

Even if you do not pay for instruction, you must learn from others.

The people who say "they never had a lesson" mean they never paid for one.

video's etc. are good but nothing can replace live help.

Enjoy

Answer 9

This sounds stupid but play the guitar hero game because it loosens your fingers and gets you on the rythem but then we play guitar and try to play guitar here you might suck I do because I am so used to real strings but if i gets used to it again I can play the h**l out of it so just try it might work lol I hate the game though ( just a fact)