Playing barre chords is one of the toughest parts of learning guitar. For beginners and even more experienced players they are a source of frustration and pain. I’m going to sound like a bit of a pompous ass now, so forgive me, but barre chords were something I didn’t really struggle with. There was still …
Learning the order of the guitar strings as well as their names and numbers is something you should have memorized as soon as possible. It might be boring but it’s a fundamental piece of knowledge that is only going to help with understanding the guitar. I took far longer than I should I have to …
Are you new to the guitar or thinking about whether to try playing? Almost everyone at the start wonders how long it takes to learn guitar. There’s no harm in admitting we want to get good at something as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it’s never that easy. So, how long does it really take to …
One of the fundamentals when learning to play the guitar is holding the pick correctly. While it’s not strictly necessary – you can play without one – most people play with a pick and it makes sense to learn how to do it properly. Getting the right technique early is helpful too. Some people go …
One thing those new to the guitar often worry about is hand size. Sometimes it’s because their hands are big and they have fat fingers. But mostly it’s concern their hands are too small to play guitar. So, can you play guitar with small hands? Yes, although there may be certain chords and stretches that …
When reading about the music you play on a guitar you might have come across the term ‘guitar lick’. It’s crops up a lot and you will read and hear other guitarists mentioning ‘licks’ all the time. But what is a guitar lick? Simply it’s a musical phrase consisting of a few notes that have …
If you’re new to playing the guitar or been self taught for a while you’ve probably considered getting a teacher or taking lessons. It can be overwhelming trying to teach yourself guitar. But are guitar lessons worth it? Well it depends on what you want to achieve and whether you can afford them. Overall though …
When thinking about taking up a musical instrument many people overlook everything that is involved. Some instruments you can just buy and get started straightaway. But others, like the electric guitar, require some extra accessories and bits and pieces before you can properly begin playing. So exactly what do you need for an electric guitar? …
Learning any new skill is difficult. Even more so when you have to do it on your own. So how hard is it to learn guitar by yourself? Back when I was 15 I got my first guitar. I had never picked up a musical instrument let alone attempted to play one. I was unbelievably …
You might be thinking of learning the guitar but worried you’re too old. ‘Am I too old to learn guitar’ is a common question those over 25 think consider before taking it up. Once we get past our teenage years we think learning a new skill like playing the guitar is beyond us. But that …