If you have a desire to learn the guitar, however, you currently do not even own a guitar yet; there are many things that you can learn about the guitar before you even begin to own and practice the guitar.
Obviously, at some point, you will want to go from the process of thinking about learning guitar, to actually buying and learning how to play your six string instrument.
Let's take a look at some simple steps that will help you to prepare for learning how to play guitar when you don't even own an instrument yet.
1. Watch: There are many great opportunities these days to watch some great guitar players play live. Whenever you have an opportunity to watch a great guitar player, look for the finer details as to how the player is utilizing their instrument. For example, take a look at how the musician is holding their guitar. Is the neck angled upwards, downwards? Watch how their left hand fingers are placed on the guitar. Try to look for similar finger positions that the guitar player is always playing. Chances are that the musician you are watching is playing similar chord or scale shapes that you can imitate once you own your own guitar.
2. Actively listen: Although it is fun to listen to music as a whole, when you are listening to your favourite guitar players, go beyond just passively listening for fun. When listening to your favourite six stringed hero, actively listen to what they are playing. For example, does the guitar player do a lot of lead work. Lead work is basically developing a guitar solo creating a melody unto its own within the entire body of the song that has been written. Listen to how the guitar player utilizes dynamics of sound with in the song being played. For example, the guitar at the beginning of the song might be really quiet, however, by the end of the song the guitar is super loud and passionate in how it is being played.
3. Play Guitar Hero: if you own a modern video game system, and you have anything related to the guitar hero phenomenon, then you're one step closer to learning how to play the guitar. The controllers used to play these music video games are based on a four button controller triggered system. One way you can look at this four button controller is that the controller represents a giant string. The four buttons represent four frets on the guitar. Playing music video games are also a great way to establish basic rhythm patterns that you will utilize when you learn to play the guitar for real.
4. Rent: If finances, or, or lack of knowing what kind of guitar to purchase is the issue preventing you from learning to play the guitar, then you will want to consider renting. Renting your instrument will allow you to try out different kinds of guitars without having to worry about being committed to buying just one guitar, or realizing later on that you have made the wrong kind of guitar purchase. Make sure if you decide to go the rental route to ask if there are any rent to own packages. Rent to own packages will allow you to rent an instrument while at the same time allowing some of your rental costs to go towards your final guitar purchase.
Interested in learning to play the guitar? Click here for: FREE GUITAR VIDEO LESSONS!
With a passion to teach guitar, Jeremiah La Follette helps beginner and intermediate guitar players unlock the secrets of learning guitar in a snap!
