It doesn’t matter whether it’s a brand spanking new model from the store, or even a rescued orphan from the pawnshop – your new guitar comes with a feeling of glamour and dignity that is undeniable! Buying your first guitar is an emotional experience – it’s common to get it home and marvel over it!

You will probably take your new guitar home and then admire it. You will more than likely take out all of the various accompaniments that come with it – the spare strings, the plectrums, the exciting guidebook that promises to make you an expert within a week. Then, you will probably pick up the guitar and begin to realize that you really don’t have a clue where to start!

The wonderful fantasy of playing on stage at Madison Square Garden in front of an audience of thousands of fans chanting your name will evaporate quickly! Believe me, you are not alone! Learning to play the guitar properly and well takes time, effort and determination – the glamorous image of the guitar making you into a rock and roll hero overnight is a common one, but it’s not quite as easy as that.

If you are in the position of owning a new guitar, but are not sure where you should start along the road to becoming a famous star, then the following are all points that you should be thinking about.

Get to know your guitar
You need to understand your instrument before you even begin to play a note. Get familiar with all the parts and their various names. Examine the strings closely – learn about their names and their capabilities. You also need to understand what type of guitar you have and what it is designed to play.

Know yourself
Think about the type of music that you like to listen to, and also the type of music that you wish to play. What standard are you ideally looking to reach? For example, are you aiming to just be able to play simple songs and enjoy yourself, or are you looking to take it a little more seriously and considering playing in a band or professionally? All of these factors will affect the way that you learn and where you should start.

What is a great way of learning for one person may not be so effective for another. The reason for this is that, just as we all play differently, we all learn in different ways too. Many people get frustrated when they start to flip through the accompanying instruction manual that came with the purchase of their guitar. It sometimes seem like it was written in a foreign language.

The generic book that accompanies most new guitar purchases is often written to please as many people as possible – by trying to do this it usually means that it is not as effective for most of them! If this is the case for you, you should seriously look into the possibility of getting proper lessons.

There are thousands of guitar schools all over the country, and it shouldn’t take long to find one near to your home. If you bought your guitar from the local store, it may well be worth asking there about lessons – many stores these days have someone who will actually operate through the store and give lessons, if not, they are more likely to know someone in the area who can help you. There are also countless programs available online, many of which are very good for all levels of student.

Remember the way you felt when you bought the guitar – remember that sense of elation at just having formed a relationship with a new instrument – get it right and that relationship can only go from strength to strength. Whatever happens, don’t get downhearted!

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson (Stage Guitarist)

Learn Guitar Lessons – How to play More Than Words – Guitar Lessons – Easy Beginner Guitar Songs

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