Do’s and Don’ts of Playing the Guitar for Beginners

Do’s of Playing the Guitar for Beginners:

Take it slow:

Things won’t happen quickly, especially when you are just starting out. Be patient, and take the time to learn things properly. Don’t cut corners just because you are getting impatient with yourself – that is the way to bad playing and a bad reputation. Even if you don’t know much, even if you can only play simply, without the bells and whistles of other players, take it slow. People recognise talent, and they can tell the difference between someone who knows their stuff, and someone who is covering up a lack of knowledge by using fancy footwork (so to speak). Take your time – it isn’t a contest or a race. You do you.

Read all about it:

https://trustyguitar.com/best-guitar-lessons-online/learn-on-your-own/ is one of the best sources for learning about how to play the guitar, but it isn’t the only one. Look around and see what’s out there – there will be something there that works for you, guaranteed. Learning on your own is good, but it can take some doing. It’s no shame to admit that you guidance, or help, or even some practical advice from time to time. 

Learning the guitar is a process, and it is something which requires the input from other people who have been through the same process. Nobody gives better advice than someone who has already been in that exact same position, and reading about their experiences will do wonders for your playing and execution overall.

Don’ts of Playing the Guitar for Beginners:

Give up:

It can be easy to become discouraged over time, and to think that you have no talent. But don’t give up. Giving up is the worst thing you can do. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the best way to build on that start is to not give up. If you try your hardest, you will get somewhere, even if it isn’t the place you thought you’d be. If you give up, you’ll never get there. You can get more lovely things at joesolo.com/the-5-pillars-of-music-coaching-success/

Perseverance is necessary – no one said that learning an instrument (particularly to a high degree of skill) was easy, after all. But perseverance will get you places, in life as well as in guitar learning. If you don’t try, you’ll never learn what you could do.

Listen to criticism:

Some criticism is valid, but not all of it. The key is to listen for what is valuable, and lose what isn’t. This can be difficult, and nobody is trying to say that it isn’t.

Not all criticism is worth listening to – some people just don’t like the idea that other people are learning new things, or moving away from them (as they perceive it). This might manifest in people giving unhelpful advice, or plain old criticism, in an attempt to stop what they see is happening. This can also extend to people who are already playing guitar; if the perceive a threat, they might take action in the form of putting people down with unfair criticism. Don’t take it to heart. You will soon learn what actual criticism is, and what is just spite.