Beginner Guitarist’s FAQs: Basic Guitar Lessons

Every newbie guitarist has a plethora of questions before he begins to start learning guitar. It’s human nature to be curious and question stuff. This post has highlighted the most frequently asked questions by the beginners.

You too might have some of the questions in your mind, some such doubts which keep you from starting your musical odyssey towards happiness that guitars give you.

In this post, I’ll blast all your doubts so that you can start afresh with a new zeal. Let’s see what common questions guitar students usually ask:

1. How much time does it take to learn guitar? I’ve heard this question for like umpteen times. This is probably the single most asked question by the newbies. The answer is simple: I can’t tell you. Yes, you might pick it up in a few days or it may take your entire life to figure out this thing, and that largely depends on a number of factors:
   • Who is your teacher?
   • How much practice you put in?
   • Do you play any other instrument?
   • How much music do you listen to?
   • And many more…
   • The KEY here is that you find a good teacher first, and you stick with him/her. It maybe that you prefer learning on your own, instead of taking individual classes, but that requires discipline. It’s very much like losing weight. Some people don’t need a personal trainer to do that coz they are driven from the inside, whereas some cannot function without a push and have to be dragged to the gym. Find out who you are and how you learn best. Follow that.
   • Then, you practice 4 hours every day. Have no qualms about that. I haven’t seen a rock star who hasn’t put in at least 10,000 hours of practicing their craft. If that scares you, guitar is not your thing. But you don’t have to panic, my brother. You don’t have to practice 4 hours on the very first day. Start with 15 min a day in the beginning and as you get better, spend more time with the guitar.
   • Then, you start building your music theoretical knowledge and keep updating it. There’s so much to music theory that the learning never ends. But don’t freak out. In order to play decently you don’t have to learn all of the maths upfront. Eat the elephant one bite at a time, and you’ll be fine.
   • And most important, keep listening to quality music to train your ears. If you have a great ear for good music, you don’t have to worry that much. I’m lucky to have one and it’s developed by listening to music since early childhood. You can do the same by starting NOW! Listen to each and every song you find anywhere. Observe the MUSIC. You’ll learn so much just by listening.
   • If you do all this, and you do it right, you’ll be a rock star in no time, and I’ll see you on the stage, my friend.
2. Am I too young or too old to learn guitar? NO. When Mr. Forthright can start a YouTube channel at the age of 85, why can’t you learn the guitar no matter what your age is. And I’ve taught guitar to children as little as 2 years. Let me tell you, they all pick it up pretty fast. So have no doubts in your mind about age. There is no age to live a great life and be happy. Guitaring is living life king size for the amount of happiness it gets you. Begin today!
3. Should I start learning on an electric guitar or an acoustic one? We will talk about this in detail when we discuss which guitar should you buy as a beginner. Right now, I’d just suggest you to pick up whatever option you have available immediately. For example, as I’m learning to play keyboard these days, I haven’t bought a new one. I’m learning on an old one that my mom used to play. There are a few keys which don’t produce sound but it doesn’t matter much as I’m just beginning to make my way forward. As a beginner, I always advise to make sure you don’t spend much as you are learning. Spend on advanced skills when you have already learned the basics. That’ll be more fruitful. So find a friend who has a guitar he never plays, and ask him to lend it to you for a few months. You’re good to go.
4. Where to buy a guitar? This is a subjective question. It basically depends on where you live. There are musical instruments markets everywhere. But these days, the best way is to order it online, but make sure there is a return option with it coz sometimes the product doesn’t come in as good condition as is seen in the image online. If you are in India, buy from Amazon.in or Flipkart.com. If you are in Delhi specifically and can invest some time and energy, go to the Daryaganj market, where you’ll find number of guitar shops and plenty of options. It’s also advisable to go along with a friend or somebody who has a bit of knowledge about guitars, so that you don’t buy a defective piece.
5. Should I learn guitar songs or music theory first? Both go hand in hand. Too much theory can put you off and too many songs in the beginning will leave you clueless about how it all works. So you must go slow and steady and keep a balance.
6. Will the guitar hurt my fingers? Answer: Yes, it will, but only in the beginning, as it will get easier with time, so it’s important to keep patience by your side.

Rest of the commonly asked questions, like correct way to hold the guitar, how to tune the guitar, which strings to use, how to change the strings of the guitar, etc. shall be answered in the course as and when the topic turns up. So get ready, guys, we are going to dive in the course NOW! Happy learning! 🙂