How to Be a Good Guitar Player
Dedicate time to practice guitar every day., Spend time each day on the "boring" technical skills necessary for good guitar players., Try to teach yourself your favorite songs by ear., Learn to read tablature ("tab"), the most common written form of...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Dedicate time to practice guitar every day.
Study after study has shown that regular, consistent practice is far more effective than big chunks here and there.
If you want to be a good guitar player, you need to practice at least 6-7 days a week.That said, not all practice is created equally, and the following steps will help you make the most of your time each day you sit down.
Practice should always be focused.
That means all your mental energy is on guitar, not practicing with the TV in the background.
Don't try to learn five new techniques a day
-- it's much better to perfect 1-2 at a time.
The more time spent practicing, the better you'll be.
This is the most important thing you can do to be a good guitarist. -
Step 2: Spend time each day on the "boring" technical skills necessary for good guitar players.
Shredding an incredible solo is not some skill that is trained on its own.
It is the culmination of many technical exercises and hard practice.
Think of the following exercises like a painter mixing up her paints
-- these are the small but essential skills needed to create your art on stage.
Consider just 5 minutes of the following exercises each time you practice:
Running up and down through all of your scales.
Learning 1-2 new chords and strumming them to a metronome Repeated picking exercises (search online and find your favorites) Speed-picking practice (alternating picking, downstrokes only, and sweeping) , Learning by ear is when you teach yourself a song just by listening to it.
Before the internet, this was one of the only ways to learn a song, but there is more to the activity than just memorizing the notes.
Learning by ear trains you to understand the guitar intuitively
-- instead of thinking about what note needs to come up, you start to think about what notes will sound right before your even play it.
You ear and your fingers become synced up much more smoothly.
When learning by ear, work in small sections.
Get a few notes perfectly right, then slowly add more.
Trying to get chords right is difficult, but just work slowly.
Figure out all of the root notes first, then try to determine what types of chords fit into the song., Tablature, or guitar tab, is a simple and intuitive way to write out guitar parts.
You'll see six lines, much like a musical staff, with numbers on each line.
The six lines correspond to your six strings, with your heavy E string on the bottom and your thinnest e string on the top.
The numbers tell you which fret on that string to play, and you read from left to right.
Thus, the following tab would tell you to "play the 3rd string, 2nd fret, then play an A minor chord:" |e|--------|-------------| |B|--------|------1------| |G|------
-|------2------| |D|---2---|------2------| |A|--------|------0------| |E|--------|-------------| , Music theory may seem dull and boring, but it actually opens up thousands of new ideas, scales, and chords for you to use.
Think of it this way
-- would you rather have to memorize which chords and scales go with which, or would your rather of the blueprints to create any song you can imagine? Music theory, of course, is a huge field, but some good places to start include:
The circle of 5ths.
Major and Minor scale composition The use of "modes." Common chord progressions., While not nearly as important as technical practice and skills, good guitarists know that what they play is only part of the battle.
How your guitar actually sounds, whether acoustic or electric, will help shape your tone and personal style, so take some time to research and experiment with the guitar, amp, pedals, and strings that work for you.
String gauge is an easy way to change your tone
-- thicker strings sound deeper, with more bass, while thinner strings sound high and bright.
If you're an acoustic guitarist, the size of the guitar's body is the major factor in changing tone.
Luckily, most music shops will let you test any guitar you want before buying.
Electric guitarists have the most freedom, as you can tinker with effects pedals and amp combinations to perfectly refine your sound., Good music is good music no matter what genre it is, and the best guitarists know that inspiration can come from anywhere.
Different types of music use chords, scales, and rhythmic ideas that you may never think of, but can open up wholly new avenues as a guitarist:
Drop the pick and play with your fingers.
A pick may seem necessary, but guitar gods like Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck prove otherwise.
Cover a few songs in a genre you don't normally play
-- what does it sound like "converted" to your favorite style of music? Try to figure out the parts for other instruments, like trumpet solos or bass lines, to get a fresh perspective of melodic composition.
If you're a lead player, write some rhythm parts (or vice versa)., Take classes, get a book, watch an instructional video, or join one-on-one lessons
-- whatever teaching style you prefer, seek some outside guidance to kick-start your learning.
It seems obvious, but you cannot teach yourself what you don't know.
A dedicated teacher or set of lessons will help you improve much more quickly than you can on your own.
No matter what avenue you take, make sure you're still enjoying yourself.
A teacher is no good for your development if they take all of the fun away. -
Step 3: Try to teach yourself your favorite songs by ear.
-
Step 4: Learn to read tablature ("tab")
-
Step 5: the most common written form of guitar music.
-
Step 6: Supplement your practice with music theory to expand your range across the guitar.
-
Step 7: Refine the tone of your guitar to truly shine on stage.
-
Step 8: Push yourself to learn new styles and songs outside your comfort zone.
-
Step 9: Take lessons
-
Step 10: play with a more experienced guitarist
-
Step 11: or enroll in an online class.
Detailed Guide
Study after study has shown that regular, consistent practice is far more effective than big chunks here and there.
If you want to be a good guitar player, you need to practice at least 6-7 days a week.That said, not all practice is created equally, and the following steps will help you make the most of your time each day you sit down.
Practice should always be focused.
That means all your mental energy is on guitar, not practicing with the TV in the background.
Don't try to learn five new techniques a day
-- it's much better to perfect 1-2 at a time.
The more time spent practicing, the better you'll be.
This is the most important thing you can do to be a good guitarist.
Shredding an incredible solo is not some skill that is trained on its own.
It is the culmination of many technical exercises and hard practice.
Think of the following exercises like a painter mixing up her paints
-- these are the small but essential skills needed to create your art on stage.
Consider just 5 minutes of the following exercises each time you practice:
Running up and down through all of your scales.
Learning 1-2 new chords and strumming them to a metronome Repeated picking exercises (search online and find your favorites) Speed-picking practice (alternating picking, downstrokes only, and sweeping) , Learning by ear is when you teach yourself a song just by listening to it.
Before the internet, this was one of the only ways to learn a song, but there is more to the activity than just memorizing the notes.
Learning by ear trains you to understand the guitar intuitively
-- instead of thinking about what note needs to come up, you start to think about what notes will sound right before your even play it.
You ear and your fingers become synced up much more smoothly.
When learning by ear, work in small sections.
Get a few notes perfectly right, then slowly add more.
Trying to get chords right is difficult, but just work slowly.
Figure out all of the root notes first, then try to determine what types of chords fit into the song., Tablature, or guitar tab, is a simple and intuitive way to write out guitar parts.
You'll see six lines, much like a musical staff, with numbers on each line.
The six lines correspond to your six strings, with your heavy E string on the bottom and your thinnest e string on the top.
The numbers tell you which fret on that string to play, and you read from left to right.
Thus, the following tab would tell you to "play the 3rd string, 2nd fret, then play an A minor chord:" |e|--------|-------------| |B|--------|------1------| |G|------
-|------2------| |D|---2---|------2------| |A|--------|------0------| |E|--------|-------------| , Music theory may seem dull and boring, but it actually opens up thousands of new ideas, scales, and chords for you to use.
Think of it this way
-- would you rather have to memorize which chords and scales go with which, or would your rather of the blueprints to create any song you can imagine? Music theory, of course, is a huge field, but some good places to start include:
The circle of 5ths.
Major and Minor scale composition The use of "modes." Common chord progressions., While not nearly as important as technical practice and skills, good guitarists know that what they play is only part of the battle.
How your guitar actually sounds, whether acoustic or electric, will help shape your tone and personal style, so take some time to research and experiment with the guitar, amp, pedals, and strings that work for you.
String gauge is an easy way to change your tone
-- thicker strings sound deeper, with more bass, while thinner strings sound high and bright.
If you're an acoustic guitarist, the size of the guitar's body is the major factor in changing tone.
Luckily, most music shops will let you test any guitar you want before buying.
Electric guitarists have the most freedom, as you can tinker with effects pedals and amp combinations to perfectly refine your sound., Good music is good music no matter what genre it is, and the best guitarists know that inspiration can come from anywhere.
Different types of music use chords, scales, and rhythmic ideas that you may never think of, but can open up wholly new avenues as a guitarist:
Drop the pick and play with your fingers.
A pick may seem necessary, but guitar gods like Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck prove otherwise.
Cover a few songs in a genre you don't normally play
-- what does it sound like "converted" to your favorite style of music? Try to figure out the parts for other instruments, like trumpet solos or bass lines, to get a fresh perspective of melodic composition.
If you're a lead player, write some rhythm parts (or vice versa)., Take classes, get a book, watch an instructional video, or join one-on-one lessons
-- whatever teaching style you prefer, seek some outside guidance to kick-start your learning.
It seems obvious, but you cannot teach yourself what you don't know.
A dedicated teacher or set of lessons will help you improve much more quickly than you can on your own.
No matter what avenue you take, make sure you're still enjoying yourself.
A teacher is no good for your development if they take all of the fun away.
About the Author
Julie Ford
Committed to making hobbies accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: