Basic check list for learning the guitar
Do you have what it takes?
Do you have what it takes to master an instrument such as this? To feel the power in your hands? Of course you do! I've been playing the guitar for over 15 years and I love to play just as much today as I did back then. And no, Guitar Hero or Rockband doesn't count. Although fun games to play, it's not as fun as the real thing. A lot of people dont pick up and learn the guitar because they don't know where to start. I've even seen a few times when some folks would have a guitar in the closet gathering dust! And when asked about it they just didn't know how to go about making it work and sound good. I've always like the saying on having 365 days in a year. And if you learned something for everyday on the guitar, you be a pretty skilled musician by the end of the year! But what this article is about is on getting your foot in the door for getting there.
Where to start
Finding a guitar.
Places to find a guitar to learn on is something we are going to look at. There are a few places you go to find an instrument to learn with. There a few different types of guitars. I'm not going to get into technical detail as far as each type of guitar. Electric and acoustic is about as much as I'll break down on types. But here is a list of places to find an instrument.
Music shop - usually the first place people look. Although it's easier getting an instrument from a music shop it's also pricey.
Pawn shop - pawn shops will usually carry guitars that are usually in working condition. Plus the price is usually reasonable.
Yard sales - I've come across so many good looking guitars at yard sales. And sometimes the deals are a steal for what they sell them for.
Acoustic or Electric guitar
So now your wondering about getting an acoustic guitar or an electric. I know the decision is hard on choosing what direction to go with what type of guitar. I'll talk a little about both to give you an idea for a decision. I play both types and love each one just about the same.
The acoustic guitar is a little more challenging to learn. Since we don't have an amplifier connected to it and putting out that extra sound. Yes we can purchase an acoustic with electric pick up. I find the acoustic more peacefull and a more natural sound. It's harder on the finders, but in the end if you ever pick up an electric guitar you'll see the work will pay off. Your fingers will hurt if you've never played any stringed instruments. But dont give up! If it was easy everyone would be doing it. And hey you are you and you are not everyone else. Even you reading this far shows that youu have a deep interest in learning this instrument.
The electric guitar is what most of us are use to watchig on TV and concerts. The power that you hold in your hand using an electric till your ears are ringing till the next day! I do warn you, protect your ears if you plan on playing loud. The electric I enjoy since you can almost make more sounds out of it. You can make it heavy or you can make it soft in sound. The electric is easy on the hands, even with heavy strings on it. The electric you can add footpedals to make more sounds and effects! The elecric will cost a little more in the long run. More money will be spent if you choose the path of the electric guitar.
Supplies needed
Here I would like to give a run through of some supplies you will need in using a guitar.
Guitar picks
There are so many kinds of guitar picks out there. Everything from bull horn picks to plastic. Picks come in different types. Find one that your comfortable with. Some are very loose as far as how thick they are. I usually collect guitar picks because there are all kinds. Oh and I think you too will notice. The picks will be sucked into a 3rd dimension that you can't find them. Like little elves come into you room at night and take them away to neverland. Yeah it's the weirdest thing! And then one day they decide to come back home to you little by little. But never all at once. Cause I'm still looking for half the guitar picks I've got. And I had over 50 picks, they just decided to up and walk away.
Guitar Strings
Guitar strings are a must. You will find that there are many different types of strings. Electric strings, acoustic strings, and classical stings. This is something that you will need to get specificlly for the type of guitar you have. This is something that you may want to ask the music shop about. You can take your guitar in and they should be able to point you in the right direction for getting stings for your instrument. If you go on Youtube you will find that depending on the type of guitar you have they will show you how to put on your strings.
Guitar tuner
The last thing I will recommend is a guitar tuner. Because how are you gonna learn the guitar if your instrument doesn't sound right? This is usually the main reason why people don't use thier insrument that is tucked away in the closed collecting dust. Tuning an instrument can be intimidating for some. But purchasing a simple tuner will help you solve that problem. I have even found some good smart phone apps that are guitar tuners. If you will look online for tuning a guitar you will see there are lots of resources for doing this. I would write it out here but I feel that is a whole article in its self.
So grab your axe and prepare for war.
So grab your axe and prepare for war with the silence. I hope you too will find that the guitar is a calming, rewarding, and fun instrument to learn and play. There are tons of sites on the web on how to play songs now. When I was growing up I had to buy the music or get a guitar magazine to learn the tabs. I am always learning something new. The learning will never stop one you start to learn this intrument. I hope this check list helps you in choosing or even finding a guitar for you to start with. And don't be afraid of learning this instrument. Yes it will be a little challenging at first but you'll find that it's easy to learn after you get the hang of it.
