How to Learn to Play Guitar

Part 4: Your Five-Point Checklist (Point 5)

This article is the last in a 4-part series for people who want to learn to play guitar and are complete beginners. So far we have covered points such as finding your dominant learning mode, whether self-study materials or a private guitar teacher would be better for you, the importance of being realistic about the time you can allocate to practice, if online courses and membership sites are worth your while, and a number of other points.

If you missed any of the previous articles or would like to review them, here they are:

In this article, we conclude the 5-Point Checklist...

Point 5: How good do actually you want to be?

Why do you really want to play guitar?

If learning how to play guitar is just a hobby for you, then you'll most likely be fine with whichever method you choose. But...

...not all hobbyists are the same. Do you want to play just because you've always been interested and no other special reason? Or do you want to play for friends and family? At parties and barbecues, at the beach, and around the fire?

If you (really, really, honest to goodness) just want to play for yourself, then you'll be fine. Obviously there's no big rush and there's no ego riding on it. Take your time and enjoy!

If you want to perform (yes, even around the fire is performing), then you'll obviously want to take things a little more seriously because it would be easy to look like a fool. (Believe me, I've witnessed it many, many times! In fact, I went to a gig just last night where the first performer had a smokin' Gibson guitar and couldn't even hold it correctly! Eek!).

Nonetheless, same advice: Take your time and enjoy things. Just treat it a little more seriously.

If, on the other hand, you want to start or join a band, or perform as a solo artist singing your own songs, you need to go back through all three parts of this article series and read everything again very carefully. Take notes and above all else be honest with yourself. There's nothing wrong, for example, with having a burning desire to play at Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden. But make sure you're clear with yourself about whether that's just the same fantasy most people have somewhere in the back of their heads or whether you can really see yourself there and hear the crowd.

If you can, realize that it's going to be an extremely serious undertaking and you'll want to learn from as many sources as possible. Just do it in the right way. So what's the right way?

Determine your dominant learning mode

Cover the basics. Get the fundamentals of guitar down cold

Choose your genre but cover the basic techniques common to all styles

Find more advanced resources that will help you get where you want to be faster

And maybe this point means investing in a guitar teacher. If you don't want or can't afford a tutor, make sure you get yourself around other, better guitarists! How? By forming a practice circle and/or joining an online site where you have access to different teachers and a place to share tips and help you overcome your sticking points.

Always be realistic.. but if this is what you really want, then give it everything you've got!

Remember, there's no particular reason to tell people your real reason for wanting to learn to play guitar. The sad fact is that we are often surrounded by people who are all too willing to tear us down and dash our dreams—either deliberately or without realizing it.

What this means is that if you tell your friends you're learning to play guitar because one day you're going to be onstage in front of thousands of screaming fans, then some of those people will be supportive and some will laugh in your face and tell you not to be so silly. Friends and family, alike. It's true, I'm afraid.

Support is good. Reassurance is great. But you definitely do not need this kind of negative reaction when you're starting out! It's just too darned easy to give up on your dreams if you listen to all the naysayers.

Instead, keep your purpose clear in your mind and every day (or as often as you can) do something to move you one step (even a teeny-weeny step) towards it.

You don't need to tell everyone. You just need to make a plan and follow it until you achieve what you want!

If you want to learn to play guitar—to any level you desire—you can. Now get out there and do it!

I hope you've enjoyed this series of learn how to play guitar articles and as I've said before:

Whatever it is that you would like playing guitar to bring into your life, I sincerely hope that it does! And I wish you all the best with it!

Absolutely Essential Guitar

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