Ever since I was a kid, I have loved music. More specifically, I have always loved rock and roll: U2, The Beatles, Radiohead, Metallica, Fleetwood Mac and many, many more. So, it is perhaps unsurprising that as I got older, I wanted to learn an instrument in order to make music like my favorite bands. I took piano and viola lessons for a while, but neither stuck with me. Eventually, I settled on guitar and that has been my instrument ever since.
There are a few things that no one tells you when you begin learning guitar. First off: it’s painful. Especially when I was just beginning, the tips of my fingers would start to hurt after a few minutes of play from fretting the metal strings (I now have distinct callouses on the fingers of my left hand). I have cut myself while changing strings and it takes quite a lot of stamina to play for any extended period of time. Secondly, and this mostly goes for electric guitar, but the number of cords required is absolutely insane. I start plugging things in and before I know it, I’m getting tangled up in cords and tripping the breakers in my house (yes, it’s true). Thirdly (and perhaps most importantly), guitars and gear are expensive. You can easily drop several thousand dollars on a high-quality instrument, not to mention strings, capo, travel bags and maintenance. Luckily, brands such as Epiphone and Squier provide high-quality instruments for a decent price, but still, the barrier of entry to learning guitar can be quite high.
But let’s suppose you want to learn. To learn guitar, you need… a guitar! Shocking, I know. As mentioned before, a good instrument can be expensive; but there are reasonably priced ones out there or alternatively, it is often possible to borrow a guitar from a friend or family member. Choosing the guitar is of great importance; in my opinion, it is best to start learning with a traditional six-string acoustic. Yes, electric guitar is often more fun, but the skills you learn on acoustic will translate to electric. Acoustic instruments are also more portable, as you don’t need to lug around an amplifier and cables to be able to hear what you’re playing. Picks, a tuner and a capo are pretty important as well when learning.
When you acquire an instrument, the first thing you need to do is set it up. Guitars often ship with misaligned bridges, requiring some maintenance in order to correctly play notes on the fretboard. Guitar shops such as Guitar Center will do set-ups, although they do charge for their services. Manually adjusting a bridge is finicky business, and I personally have never attempted it, so don’t sue me if you accidentally break something. Change the strings every few months– excess dirt and moisture will rust strings over time, weakening the sound and risking breakage.
Playing any instrument well takes a lot of dedication and practice. There is a seemingly infinite number of techniques to learn: from basic scales and chords to palm muting, tapping, harmonics, sweep picking, tremolo picking and much, much more. Luckily, there are many great guitar teachers out there, and the internet supplies a nigh-endless supply of tutorials and song tablature.
I love playing guitar. Yes, it can be difficult and yes, it can be a hassle, but it is so rewarding. Music is one of the great joys of life, and being able to perform it, even if just in the solace of my room, is wonderful. I learn to play songs that other artists have written, and sometimes I write my own. I am by no means a virtuoso or master of my instrument: I am an amateur, but that is ok. I play because I love.
