So you want to learn to play the guitar, but for whatever reason, seeing a private teacher isn't an option for you? Don't worry – it's perfectly possible to become a great guitarist by learning at home. If you choose to go this route, here are some tips to consider:
Choose Your Instruction Carefully
People teach themselves to play the guitar using a variety of methods. All can be effective (at least to some degree), and you'll need to choose the one that is best suited to your personality and resources. The basic options are:
Playing Along With Music You Like
Many guitarists have picked up their skills by playing along to their favourite records. Playing by ear is a very valuable skill to have, and this type of practice should always be part of your routine. But if you really want to develop into a well-rounded guitarist, you'll also need some more formal instruction, so you can learn scales and other technical exercises, music theory etc. This could come from tutor books and/or from online lessons.
Guitar Tutor Books & DVDs
Go to Amazon or any music store and you'll find a bewildering array of guitar instruction books and DVDs. These can be a great way to learn – you can go at your own pace, and the good ones will provide thorough explanations of all of the concepts you need to learn, along with clear diagrams/photos, and exercises and tunes to play through. Many books also include CDs which help you hear how the music should be played, and which you can jam along with. On the plus side, books are usually relatively inexpensive, and can cover a lot of ground. On the other hand, some people find it difficult to learn from a book, and do better with video or other modalities.
Online Guitar Lessons
In recent years online guitar instruction has become increasingly popular, and today there is a wide variety of sites offering instruction in the form of videos, written material, audio recordings and software. These online lessons can be a great way to learn, as the choice of media can really help to present the material in a more useful way than books alone. Some of the course providers charge a fee (generally a one-time payment for lifetime access), whereas others are free. Among both types, the quality is very variable, so if you opt to go this route, make sure that the person doing the teaching is both a skilled guitarist and a competent teacher, and that their materials are well put together. If you have a course in mind, it's always a good idea to Google for reviews, so you can read about other peoples experiences with it before investing your time and maybe money too.
So as you can see, there are lots of different options available to those wishing to teach themselves to play guitar, and whatever your circumstances and personal preferences, you're sure to find one to suit! |
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