Want to learn how to play guitar? Some things to consider
"…that ain't workin', that's the way you do it. Play the guitar on the Mtv…"
- from Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
So you or someone you know has decided they want to learn how to play guitar. It looks easy enough. And believe it or not it's not as hard as some people would have you believe. You can learn how to play guitar very quickly if you are focused on learning and practice regularly.
Getting lessons from a qualified teacher is probably the best way of learning, but sometimes just finding a qualified teacher can be a daunting task. Be sure that the teacher has your best interest at heart and wants to teach you how to play guitar and not just take money from you.
Also, decide what you want to learn. Do you want to learn to strum some basic chords so you can sing around the campfire or in church? Maybe you want to learn music theory so you can write your own songs. Perhaps you want to learn to shred like Eddie Van Halen or Steve Vai. Whatever your motivation to learn how to play guitar, make sure the instructor you choose will help you achieve your goals.
Suppose you decide you want to save some money and teach your self how to play guitar. It can be done. Some of the best guitar players were self taught. There is a virtually endless list of resources available on the internet. A simple trip to your favorite search engine will attest to that.
So what is an aspiring guitar player to do? I would suggest visiting as many web sites as you can and see what type of instruction they have to offer. There are a lot of inadequate guitar oriented sites that want to teach you how to play guitar by simply selling you a cheesy piece of software and send you on your way. Before buying any instructional software check for testimonials or customer reviews.
Books are often the most economical way to teach yourself how to play guitar. Method books will get you up to speed quickly. I teach children how to play using the CAGED method. This works well because it gets them playing music quickly and not plunking out "Mary Had A Little Lamb" which keeps them interested in learning how to play guitar and possibly help them become a student of the guitar.
Whichever method you choose to use to learn how to play guitar, nothing will replace regular practicing. Remember, we are all born with the same musical skills. You have to decide to develop your skill set.
Classical Music - How I Was Magically Mesmerized
Copyright 2006 Tania French
Got the chills on Saturday while attending a grand event. Another performance on Sunday left me in the cold.
This is a tale of two performances, which took place less than 24 hours from each other but were light-years apart. One breathed life into me, while the other wallowed the afternoon away in blandness.
I'll give you some of the nitty gritty details from yesterday's classical music concert – in the form of a few tips for the performers.
Always, always share your gifts with your audience. Look them in the eyes, bare your soul and touch their hearts, or else you'll leave them hanging.
Never abruptly end a song. Let the last note sing – that's when the magic happens – in the silence following the final note.
Make eye contact with your fellow performers. If you don't relate to the people you're making music with, how on earth do you expect sparks to fly with your audience.
Take delight in your performance. Your joy will infect your listeners with the special magic that all of us crave.
Nothing compares to watching greatness in motion. Whether you're seeing it, hearing it or reading it. That's what happened Saturday evening. I was sitting just a few yards away from the brilliance on stage in front of me. Reveling in this spectacular rendition of Swan Lake, I realized once again how amazing we all are.
The dancers of the Russian National Ballet know how to put on a great show. They invited us into their world with effortless elegance. Joy and passion oozed from them as they physically told this timeless love story. Muscles rippled while the dancers stretched and whirled their finely tuned bodies around the stage.
Trained to embody one unit, these masters of dance moved around the stage breathing as one. It was mesmerizing.
Got shivers down my spine all evening. Facial expressions drew me in, while incredible feats of flexibility and balance enabled my heart and mind to soar. The audience, numbered in the thousands, was completely transfixed.
You could have heard a pin drop all evening.
One thing's clear. These dancers' bodies were totally centered and balanced. No matter which positions they flowed or jumped or twirled into, they exhibited great relaxation and balance at all times.
Just like Tchaikovsky's beautiful music. Its ingredients are greatness and beauty, strength and sensitivity, relaxation and rejuvenation. You cannot help but be swept away.
Imagine listening to music that creates those tingles every day. It's something all of us can use to bring our hectic lives into balance. Every one of us needs to recharge our mind, body and spirit during the day.
Take a time-out right now, get comfortable, and listen to some beautiful, uplifting classical music.
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Tania Gabrielle French is a composer who has enjoyed performances and radio broadcasts of her music worldwide. The Los Angeles Times raves, "one senses the composer's technical mastery—exhilarating…hypnotic… refreshing…engaging…immediately accessible…convincing." Her Relax and Rejuvenate CDs combine powerful words with uplifting classical music for the ultimate listening experience. Subscribe to her popular Art Abundance Newsletter at http://www.artabundance.com
© 2006 Tania Gabrielle French. All Rights Reserved.
Why learn how to play guitar?
So you've been debating whether or not to learn how to play guitar. Here are some reasons to go ahead and take the plunge:
When you learn how to play guitar you will be able to enertain yourself and others. For a little money you will accelerate your learning process.
When you learn how to play guitar you will be connected to the creativity of the universe. So why try to teach yourself and waste tons of time? Time is money - use a little money now, and save tons of time in the future.
If you want to learn how to play guitar, an amazing course can be taken online. Check this out: Jamorama
This highly recommended course, Jamorama, is an amazing online method that helps you to learn how to play guitar. What could be more convenient than audio and video instruction that you can learn from right at home? No hauling your guitar to your car and then driving in crazy traffic to a lesson in a damp room somewhere. This is definitely the way to learn. Highly Recommended - click the banner above...
To learn to learn how to play guitar you need to be focused. With focus comes definite goals, definite tasks, and definite and measurable progress. If you are trying to learn how to play guitar, but you aren't focused, you may learn a little here and there, but your progress will be scattered and slow. With attention to detail and a well thought out plan, you will be able to mark down goals and then do what needs to be done to realize those goals in minimum time. You'll be more efficient, and when you're more efficient, you'll have more fun and make quicker progress.
Taking these lessons to learn how to play guitar are fun because they give you a way to measure your progress. When you can see that you are making progress from week to week, you are naturally excited. This excitement is fuel to keep studying your lessons and practicing your guitar playing, and success will come that much quicker.
Another great reason to take instruction to learn how to play guitar is to learn how to play certain styles of music on guitar, or to learn how to play guitar like your rock guitar heroes. You could try for countless hours to imitate you favorite guitar god's playing style, but when you have ready instruction, you already have a map on how to get there, and you can put your effort into getting the style down. (By the way - the jamorama course at: Jamorama is great for learning how to play certain styles of guitar.)
I hope I have persuaded you that taking lessons to learn how to play guitar (even online) is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. Good luck with your guitar playing!
