If you are new to guitar, or you have been playing for a while, but are fustrated by your progress here are Five top tips that can help you make big improvments:
1) Is your guitar playable? You don't need to spend £1500 on a custom model signature guitar to get a good instrument to learn on. However it should be comfortable to play, sound good and stay in tune, and make you feel inspired to play it every time you look at it. I wrote an article a while back on finding a suitable instrument which you can find in the link Below:
http://southamptonguitaracademy.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/advice-on-buying-your-first-guitar.html
It's possible to get a good quality guitar/amp package these days for less that £250. That's still less than the price of a new Xbox games console and guitar hero games package.
2) Have a plan. Without direction you will not make much progress. Using a syllabus such as Rockschool or RGT will help you develop the skills to become a well rounded competent player. Setting small achievable goals that you update regularly will help you to make more progress than setting something Big that feels overwhelming.
3) Don't Believe The Lies. There are a lot of popular myths that seem to be perpetuated about natural talent or having 'natural ability'. Whilst it is true that some people may have an aptitude for learning some things quicker, it should be noted that practice and dedication will win over natural talent. You can learn about other common myths that may be holding you back in my free E-course 'Learn Guitar The Smart Way' which I have details on at the end of this article.
4) Train Your Ears. Tab sites have been especially popular over the last few years, however good ear training is often an overlooked and essential part to becoming a good well rounded guitar player. If you ever want to play with other musicians this is especially important. Contrary to popular myth this is actually a skill that can be developed, and will allow you to appreciate and enjoy the process of making music much more. There are some top quality products on the market today that can take you from beginner to very advanced level. The two programmes I've used are Earmaster Pro and Theta Music Trainer which are both excellent and highly recommended.
5) Learn From A Pro. Learning from a professional guitar teacher will save you months, probably even years of learning and minimize the frustration of not knowing if you are learning a particular song or technique correctly. This is something that you can never get from a magazine, Internet lesson or DVD instructional. The fact is that despite the recent wealth of free information and free lessons on the Internet, the demand for paid lessons with a tutor is as great as it has ever been, and doesn't look likely to become obsolete any time soon. The reason for this is that no matter how good all these other learning resources are, they are unable to give you feedback on your technique and progress, identify and solve potential problems, and help you to set realistic achievable goals. When searching for a suitable guitar teacher check out the following:
-Do they teach the style of music that you want to learn?
-What experience do they have teaching, and what results do their students tend to achieve?
-Do they have an organized syllabus of lesson material to move you towards your goals?
-Can they provide you with additional services & support between lessons, or do they leave you on your own until the next lesson?
-Are they CRB checked (if lessons are for your child)?
-Are they a member of a professional organization such as the 'Registry Of Guitar Tutors' and 'Musicians Union'?
-Do they offer a money back guarantee?
Pricing: As with most things you really do get what you pay for when it comes to music lessons. Whilst some high profile tutors can charge over £60 per hour, The standard hourly rate set by the MU for private lessons in the UK in 2015 is around £31 per hour for 1 on 1 lessons, though rates may vary slightly depending on location. This money pays for the tutors expertise as well as his/her time. Be wary of anyone who charges significantly less than this.
FREE LESSONS: Like all professionals I charge the market value for my time. If you are serious about becoming a better guitarist this is a great option, but not for everyone.
There are more people that want to learn guitar than I could possibly teach in my studio each week, so I created this free e-course to help those of you that are not able learn with me personally or that are still unsure about taking lessons.
Simply click link below or copy & paste into your browser to get full free access
https://www.facebook.com/GuitarLessonsSouthampton/app_123077107711598
Alternatively you can access this course by completing the sign-up form on the homepage of my website www.guitarlessonssouthampton.com
Marcus Richardson - Southampton Guitar Academy
Friendly Professional Guitar Lessons in Southampton
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Top 5 Tips for Becoming A Better Guitarist
2015-08-03T02:28:53.0Z