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Starting To Play Guitar Has Nothing To Do With Music

It may seem surprising to you, but starting to play the guitar has nothing to do with music.

This is one of the first discoveries that every guitar beginner makes.

For most of the people who approach the guitar with the intention of making domestic use of it, it is a great relief to find out.

The “domestic use” of the guitar is a phrase that came to me recently in an email from a blog reader, and that perfectly defines all those who want to enjoy playing and singing popular songs in the family environment.

One of the great fears of many possible “home users” of the guitar, which is an obstacle to even starting to play guitar, is precisely the fact that they do not know music or be able to learn music and believe that it is essential.

If you are in this group of people …

!! Congratulations!!

Starting to play guitar has nothing to do with music.

So what is it like to start playing the guitar?

Well, it is something less artistic…

Less theoretical, …

Less mental, …

And more physical.

It is simply about developing new motor skills.

To teach your body to use muscles to perform precise movements in a specific way.

Learn to place your fingers in ways you don’t know.

To coordinate movements of the two hands.

Forget about:

  • read sheet music
  • understand complex musical concepts
  • know notes

And worry about:

  • hold the guitar well
  • adopt a correct posture
  • place fingers securely in place
  • wave your hand rhythmically
  • change finger poses fluidly

Nothing you can’t do without having any musical knowledge.

And music?

I’m talking about starting to play guitar.

Of course, if you manage to break your fear of trying and progress in your new motor skills, you will also learn music!

Without a doubt.

The one you need for the guitar level you are looking for.

Without doing any master’s degree.

Musical questions will arise, and looking for answers; you will enter the world of music theory at your own pace.

One answer will take you to another question and thus how far you want to go. (You would not be the first to start musical studies, having left the study period behind and never having considered it before in his life).

Starting to play guitar has nothing to do with music.

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Another Great Step To Play Guitar, Sing And Enjoy. Stop Looking At The Role Of Chords.

If you are learning, sooner or later, you are going to meet somewhere with a guitar and someone who knows that you are learning.

  • And that request that you fear will come.
  • “Hey, here’s a guitar, and you can play it!”
  • “Play a song on the guitar!”

The time has come, and you have no escape.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been playing the guitar for four days. Anyone who has never tried to play guitar thinks that you can play songs simply because you have been studying guitar for a while. And he is going to ask you.

You have two options:

  • Deny you. Making it understood that you are still not capable or excusing yourself with the first thing that comes to mind. Leaving a load of disappointment in the environment.
  • Willingly accept and stating how difficult it is to play and sing songs ask for their collaboration so that they accompany you singing that one song that you have managed to learn for now!

At the beginning and depending on how you are, it can be a relief to have that great excuse not to play, but over time, it is a bummer not being able to play the guitar, sing and enjoy that moment.

How to start to stop looking at the role of chords and lyrics

  • Chop the song into smaller parts. Usually, the songs have a refrain that is repeated in several places and a few verses. The chorus is usually the part we can sing because we know the tune and the lyrics by heart.
  • Learn the chord structure of the chorus by heart (the order in which they are played and the length of each). Taking advantage of the fact that you know the chorus, you have to look at the chords it uses.
  • Make sure with your practices that you are able to make the chord changes of the chorus with confidence. (No lyrics or tune).
  • Once achieved, enter the letter and notice the syllable in which the chord change occurs. It can also help to count the number of bars you play each chord before the change hits and to practice the entire length of the chorus by playing only the chords with the change in turn.
  • Next, you have to join the guitar and the melody. Sing and match the syllable of the change with the chord change. Play and sing only the chorus without looking at the paper. This step is not easy, and you will have to practice it over and over again. Do not despair.
  • When you have it, play and sing the entire song looking at the paper in the verses and stopping looking at the chorus! Make an effort to look away from the chorus. Do not cheat!.
  • Get comfortable doing it like this.
  • Repeat the process with the stanza part. Learn their chord structure, make changes, but the lyrics, and place the chord changes.
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Do I Have To Practice Guitar Every Day?

Will it be enough to dedicate the weekend to it for a while?

I’m not going to leave any doors open, so you can start “organizing” adapted practice calendars: “I’m going to practice on Tuesdays and then Saturday …”, “On Sunday morning, I can …”.

My answer is

YES!

You do have to practice guitar every day!

Because you want to start playing the guitar as soon as possible, right?

In that case, I will tell you what really works.

Practice guitar every day!

Stop playing for a while on weekends or one day yes and three no.

The main reason why you have to practice guitar every day

Because you are starting, you have everything to learn, and you need to develop very precise motor skills.

These motor skills refer to the fact that mainly your hands have to learn to perform a series of movements that they are not doing right now.

Well, they do perform them roughly.

But it is more about coordinating very precise micro-movements.

It may surprise you but what at first glance may seem simple, resting your fingers on some strings and strumming down to the top requires skills that you don’t have right now.

Your fingers are much clumsier than you think.

But they can be taught and trained to acquire that skill.

And it turns out that the best way to develop these capacities is through correct, constant, and conscious repetition of these movements.

It seems that the most efficient way to assimilate new motor skills is through short repetitions (a few minutes) with periods of total disconnection and performed frequently.

Translated to beginner guitar, it means:

  • That it is much more efficient to practice guitar every day.
  • That it is better to distribute the daily practices in small moments throughout the day. Better 3 times of 10 minutes than one of 30.

As simple as that!

Other reasons to practice the guitar every day

I have already told you the main reason to practice guitar every day, but there are other reasons why you are interested in doing it.

Take advantage of the extra desire you have to play your favorite songs, and that gives you the audacity to dare to face any effort.

You have to know that this extra motivation that you have now is temporary. Your guitar playing career will be a succession of highs and lows in your motivation to play it.

Get ripped now that you have energy!

Get results as soon as possible.

Within a month, you will be at a very different level if you play two hours every Saturday than if you practice twenty minutes every day, every day.

Checking that you’re safely starting to play your first few songs is the best way to keep yourself motivated to keep practicing.

It is also interesting to know that the guitar, like any musical instrument, is something that can keep you learning your whole life, or you can reach a suitable level for yourself and stop the study phase.

Anyway, the song goes on for a long time, and throughout your days, there are circumstances that occur, and that limit or even eliminate the time you can dedicate to the guitar. Take advantage now that you can do it.

Either way, it is interesting to reach a minimum level of mastery of the guitar as soon as possible to leave multiple options open to continue exploring if you feel like it.

I understand that this minimum level is to be able to accompany popular songs with the guitar in a basic way.

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