Hello everyone, here is the first post of my weekly blog. Today I will be discussing in a two part post 10 common beginner guitar questions I hear from people of all ages.
1. What age is good to start guitar?
Due to the physical nature of guitar, the youngest someone should be is 5. Any younger, the physical challenges are just too numerous. However, people as young as 2 can start recognizing some MUSIC basics like simple rhythms and one or two note melodies. Just remember no matter what age, some musical abilities can be learned. Listening to music for enjoyment can start at any age however!
2. What do I need to start?
Well in the case of guitar lessons, a guitar of course! A nice electric or acoustic, doesn’t matter. What matters is the comfort for the player! Do not play on an instrument you find uncomfortable! Some other standard guitar items include picks, extra strings and a guitar strap. The other essential tool is a nice guitar tuner! Getting your guitar to sound good as a beginner is hard enough, do not make the challenge harder but playing out of tune! The other thing I recommend is bring a device to record your music lessons! This will help greatly in the learning process.
3. How often should I take a lesson?
If a complete beginner, I recommend 30 minutes or an hour a week! This is crucial so I can monitor the progress the growth of your basic fundamentals. Do not harm your progress but adopting bad habits! An intermediate player should take a lesson every week or every two weeks. Advanced players can usually afford to space their lessons out a bit more. Consistency in practice and regular lessons will help all players of all levels however!
4. How often should I practice?
Consistency is key here, I recommend at least a half hour a day for serious growth. . Think of playing music as the same as you would exercising, it must be done over the course of weeks consistently to see the results. Remember, if you do not practice, not even having Jimi Hendrix as your teacher will help you grow!
5. Does starting guitar hurt your fingers?
In the beginning it is very common for the fingers to be slightly sore, you are building muscles in your hand that you have never used before! Growing callouses on the playing hand can also be irritating for some people. However, these “growing pains” should subside very soon after starting playing regularly. With proper form and good habits, playing guitar should never cause severe pain or any permanent damage!
Thank you for reading everyone! Feel free to leave some comments or share with friends. I will be adding part 2 of 10 common beginner guitar questions next week. Until then, stay well and keep listening to music!
Travis Shelby
