| Most guitar players desire to become a better | | | | C. Knows how to help you reach your goals. |
| guitar player. | | | | 2. Listen to more music. This is really something |
| Guitarist ask me quite often why they are not at | | | | that helpedme. There is a lot of music out there |
| thelevel that they desire and what can they do. In | | | | that you have not heard. |
| the past | | | | I am sure you can find something you really like |
| I have asked myself the very same question. | | | | and thatwould inspire you. Look on the internet if |
| Soon I beganto understand the answers. | | | | you can not find iton the conventional radio. Check |
| Just as you have probably done, I have read a lot | | | | out internet radio. You cancustomize what you |
| of howto play guitar interviews and articles from | | | | hear based on your preferences; its a greattool! |
| great guitarplayers. I often found it frustrating | | | | Check out web sites that you know feature a lot |
| whenever the subjectof learn to play guitar came | | | | of themusic in the style you like. Listen to the |
| up or when advice was offeredon improving | | | | guitarist in thebackground. Listen to the strum |
| someone's playing. With a few exceptions,little | | | | patterns, picking or anythingelse the guitarist is |
| time and space was ever devoted on this. | | | | doing. |
| It is not uncommon to see a guitar player give | | | | 3. Turn your musical frustrations into an asset in |
| advise tolearn to play the guitar summed up in as | | | | the formof a motivating force. I used to get |
| little as threewords: Practice! Practice!! Practice!!! | | | | frustrated when I wastrying to learn how to play |
| I remember when I first was learning how to play | | | | guitar. I would use thisfrustration to motivate me |
| guitar Iwould practice on some days so long that | | | | to play the next day and thenthe next day and all |
| the ends of myfingers would be tender to the | | | | afternoon sometimes. |
| touch and hurt for days. | | | | 4. Believe in yourself. You have probably heard |
| We all know that practicing is the main ingredient. | | | | that phrasemany times before. It's sad how |
| Doesa football player practice a few times and | | | | many people don't believein their beliefs or |
| then is ableto play up to the caliber of an NFL | | | | themselves. If you don't believe inyourself, you will |
| football player? | | | | not grow as a guitarist. I always inmy mind say, "I |
| Rarely are we told anything more than on how to | | | | can do it; I know I can." This can bea driving |
| play theguitar then to just practice. In my long | | | | force no matter what you want to accomplish |
| quest to becomean excellent player I carefully | | | | inlife. If you start something and never thought |
| took note of what workedand what did not - | | | | you couldaccomplish it in the first place than you |
| which parts conventional wisdom areaccurate and | | | | probably willnot. |
| which parts are (at least in my opinion)are not. I | | | | 5. Understand that becoming a better guitarist |
| believe the following twenty tips have provento | | | | means becominga better musician as well. When |
| bring great results to those who use them: | | | | developing your musical skills,make sure to think |
| 1. Educate yourself! It doesn't matter what | | | | beyond the skills that are specific toguitar. You will |
| current levelyou at can and should always learn | | | | be working on many guitar skills - variousguitar |
| guitar more. If you arecurrently in a position to | | | | techniques, chords, scales, soloing, etc., - but |
| learn guitar online, studyinga home guitar study | | | | don'tneglect other skills that are not guitar specific |
| course, or have a teacher for you tolearn how to | | | | like eartraining (also called aural skills and very |
| play guitar then your on the right track. | | | | important),songwriting, improvising, creativity, |
| If you are not doing this (or if you feel that your | | | | reading,music theory, etc. When I was learning |
| currenthome study course is not helping you | | | | how to play guitar Iwould work with a pianist |
| enough in reachingyour goals) I strongly | | | | once or twice a week with eartraining, creativity, |
| recommend looking for a new one. | | | | and even music theory.Don't limityourself. |
| I can not stress enough how important it is to | | | | Each of us has some natural ability of some kind. |
| finda good home study course that is right for | | | | You mayalready know what yours is or you may |
| you! Your homestudy course (or teacher) should | | | | not yet discovered it. |
| always be Goal Orientated. | | | | If being a better musician is not coming easy for |
| If its not look for another course or teacher to | | | | you thatsimply means you are like the rest of us. |
| study with! | | | | I have continued the next five tips of 20 tips to |
| You don't need a home study course or teacher | | | | part IIof how to play guitar - discover 20 tips to |
| to simplygive you information or things to practice | | | | play like a pro. |
| - youcan get those things anywhere, what you | | | | The next tip I will be discussing is "Surround |
| need is astudy course or teacher who: | | | | yourselfwith better guitar players" Be sure to get |
| A. Knows what your goals are. | | | | part II withthe next 5 tips. |
| B. Cares about helping you reach your goals. | | | | |