| I have the treasured secret for all aspiring | | | | being willing to part with some hard-earned |
| beginner guitar players out there who want to | | | | money will make the process much easier. |
| learn to play guitar in 30 days or | | | | One-on-one lessons with a qualified guitar |
| less...FREE OF CHARGE!!And the answer | | | | instructor is an excellent resource you can |
| is...(drumroll, please...)You can't. At least | | | | use to "jump-start" yourself into guitar |
| not to the extent that you may think.Playing | | | | playing. Be prepared, though, to spend as |
| guitar (or any musical instrument for that | | | | much as $15-20 dollars for a half-hour |
| matter) can be the same as learning a | | | | lesson!With the advent of the beloved PC |
| different language. It is not the type of | | | | (ok...and Mac) learning how to play can most |
| thing that can be learned and developed in a | | | | definitely be done in the confines of your |
| 30 day time frame and be totally understood.I | | | | home. Excellent software packages exist, and |
| remember when I started to play. I had to | | | | there are many online lessons that are |
| spend a LOT of time just trying to figure out | | | | available that can help you in your |
| and get comfortable holding the darn thing! | | | | "quest".The intent here is not to scare you |
| In addition, learning all of the basic | | | | off. Learning to play guitar is a wonderful |
| mechanics needed to properly play (such as | | | | thing that you can share with others and have |
| putting your fingers in the right place for a | | | | great enjoyment for yourself. There is a |
| given note or chord, getting comfortable | | | | personal frustration I have with the fact |
| holding and using a pick, hitting only the | | | | that there are many offerings out there that |
| strings you are supposed to hit) are not | | | | may make a beginning guitarist think that |
| physical skills that can be developed | | | | they can be a Van Halen, Hendrix, Danny |
| overnight.PRACTICE TIME IS THE KEY!!Let me | | | | Gatton, John McLaughin, Al DiMeola, Andres |
| clarify this, however...Yes - you can get | | | | Segovia, (insert your favorite guitarist |
| books and lessons and guitar tablature and | | | | here) within a very short time frame.As with |
| sound files and video shots and so on. You | | | | many articles located at it boils down to |
| will even be able to learn simple songs at | | | | where you want to go...what is your goal? Do |
| first...I risk sounding extremely negative | | | | you wish to learn the latest songs that will |
| here, but that is not the intention. The | | | | impress your friends? Do you want to be in a |
| point is that learning to play is a process | | | | band? Do you want to write your own music? To |
| that takes TIME. You have to develop the | | | | what extent do your want to go?!? That alone |
| physical skills first.For a beginning | | | | will tell you to what extent you will have to |
| guitarist, topics such as basic music theory | | | | explore this "new world".For me, playing |
| can be pretty much looked over at the start. | | | | guitar has been a wonderful release. It is |
| Heck, most people wanting to learn how to | | | | really easy to get frustrated as first, but |
| play don't even know that such a thing as | | | | the time you spend with it can develop into a |
| music theory even EXISTS. The elemental | | | | wonderful "thing" in your life.Jerry Mathis |
| mechanics of learning HOW to play chords, | | | | has 25 years of guitar experience - playing, |
| scales, and such is much more important at | | | | teaching, recording and performing live. |
| this early stage.Learning to play guitar | | | | Visit his website to get all of your guitar |
| successfully CAN be done on your own. | | | | tablatures, articles, reviews, accessories |
| However, as with anything (in all honesty), | | | | and more all in one place! |