I spend a lot of time with my Yamaha acoustic guitar in my hands but I’m not always focusing on learning or practicing. Most of the time I’m just playing stuff the pops into my head while I’m watching the TV.

The thing is I learn more in 20 minutes or a half hour of focused practice than I would learn in hours of just playing my guitar. The thing is concentration is needed when you want to really learn something.

Most Newbies Don’t Last Long

I really couldn’t tell you how many people I’ve seen start learning guitar only to give up shortly after and I’ve been playing for more than 10 years now. Most couldn’t handle their fingers hurting long enough to continue but the big killer is the mind. They tell themselves they can’t learn and they are usually right.

The thing is it’s not all learning all the time. It’s more about learning one thing and practicing it until you can do it without thinking about it. I practice while the TV is going, but only once I’ve learned first.

When I started learning guitar I was able to go to some guitar jams where I learned new things I could practice once I was back home again. Today we can use the Internet and specifically Youtube to learn things. I love seeing and hearing so I go for videos over books.

You can also learn through Jamorama and Jamplay.

I will learn a new lick on my guitar and focus on getting it right. Once I have the lick in my mind I then practice it any time I get the chance until it’s automatic. This usually means, like I said, in front of the TV.

Note that the time you spend really focused on learning something new on your guitar will make it easier when you begin practicing with less focus. As time goes on each new thing you learn becomes easier.

Playing Guitar For The Fun Of It

When I started learning guitar the plan wasn’t to spend my life learning, even though I still learn new things all the time. My goal was to be able to entertain myself and playing guitar with friends. So when I am practicing I focus on getting it right before I begin practicing without paying attention.

It’s like so many other things in life. The brain learns and after some time things you learn come together in the brain and actually makes it easier to learn easier in the future.

Find A Quiet Place To Practice Guitar

This is so important to me as I get easily distracted and distractions are what make a 20 minute quality practice time into a frustrating 2 hours. Also I only take on one thing to practice at a time. That’s when I’m actually in practice mode.

So keep in mind that it’s the quality of your practice time and not how long you practice.

Just Let It Go, For A Bit

It might sound strange but it’s a good idea to just stop practicing for a few days. I do this all the time when I’m learning something new. I practice it until I know it and then I might not practice that particular thing for a couple of day.

I have done this countless times in the 10 years I’ve been playing guitar and it always amazes me that I get better when I give myself a break.

Now I don’t mean don’t practice other things, just leave that new lesson you’re learning for a couple of days and come back to it. This really does work so be sure to give yourself the chance to see just how well it works.

Clear Your Might Before Practice

If you can clear your mind before you begin practicing as well as any distraction such as TV or family. It can take just a minute to go clear and put things out of your mind. For me a little meditation does the trick. I think about a great day of fishing actually and it works for me.

Even taking the time to close your eyes and slowly counting to ten can help clear your mind and help you focus. If there are any distraction you may have to start over, so try to find a placed to practice where there are no distractions.

When we were still living in an apartment I had to resort to practicing guitar in our bedroom and even then it was tough to train my son and wife to leave me alone but eventually they got the idea, but not before I had to put a big note on the door saying NOT to come in.

Incoming search terms:

• jamorama one day sale

It’s been almost 10 years since I learned how to play acoustic guitar and the only thing I regret is not learning earlier. I wanted to learn back when I was just 27 but was a bit too shy to even play with friends and soon just gave my guitar away.

Twenty years past and I constantly regretted giving up just because I was afraid others would make fun of me but that’s life and at least I didn’t go any longer before learning to play guitar. It was kind of funny because I became a computer instructor and it was one, well two, of my networking students that got me started.

Now that we have the Internet and especially Youtube I have no problem because I never have to play in front of people, if I don’t want to. I’m still as shy and nervous as I was way back in the 70s but still learned because of online help.

There is a bucket load of online sites one can learn from and many courses, a few of them I have taken myself, and they are very affordable. And I don’t have to have some jerk that feels he’s better than I am make me feel small.

I was using CB Engine this morning to see what I could find for ‘Guitar Lessons’ on the Clickbank marketplace and found a site specifically for helping those of us who aren’t 20 any more, learn how to play guitar. It’s called Adult Guitar Lessons.

Incoming search terms:

• acoustic guitar age

I didn’t learn how to play acoustic guitar to impress others. Instead I saw guitar as a great way to entertain myself and enjoy my favourite songs, even when the radio wasn’t available. I could head to my bedroom, pick up my acoustic guitar and play without bothering others in the family.

Today I play my acoustic guitar right in the living room while we’re watching TV and not really bother anyone. Note that I don’t bang on my guitar like some of my son’s friends do. That would bother anyone trying to do anything, in my opinion of course.

Learning From Tablatures AKA Tabs

When you look at a guitar tab you are looking at the neck of a six string guitar. If you look at the Happy Birthday tab below you’ll see that it’s marked on the left with the names of the six strings, E B G D A E.

If you flip your guitar over so the strings are facing you it’s easier to see how they match.

I don’t read music very well but I do find it pretty easy to read guitar tabs.

Most tabs I find today look very similar to the one I’ve shown above but these don’t give any timing, however I have found many tablatures that are broken into measures so it’s easier to get the timing right. Usually I have the song playing in the background while I’m learning the tabs, just so I have the right timing.

Finding Tablatures For The Songs You Like

When I am looking for song tabs I will do a simple search using Google. If I am looking for Margaritaville tabs by Jimmy Buffett I will type the following:

Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett tabs

Note: You will find that a lot of people will use the word tabs when posting songs lyrics and chords, just to get more traffic but it doesn’t mean that they will all have the tablatures. Most will be likely to have only the chords, so you may have to look through a few of the links in the listings.

Like the acoustic guitar tab above it most often gives you that distinctive melody that sticks in your head but isn’t always so easy to figure out. Usually when you play a riff like the Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville everyone recognizes it immediately. So it’s nice to know them to give a bit of an intro to the song.

I don’t do so well at learning by ear. I can get some of the chords but then get so frustrated with it. So when I want to learn a new song quickly I look for the guitar chords and to learn the intros or riffs in the song I look for guitar tabs.

There are literally thousands upon thousands of guitar tabs available and I’m still finding them for songs I know that I had forgotten about for years. So much fun learning how to play guitar using tablatures.

Incoming search terms:

• tablature happy birthday you guitare
• how to play happy birthday to you on guitar

One can learn many musical instruments, but when you learn to play acoustic guitar, it’s a completely different story. Something about the acoustic guitar makes it different from the rest. I believe it’s due, at least in part, to its versatility.

A Variety of Guitars

I’ve got a few friends who not only have an acoustic guitar but two have electric guitars and another has a bass guitars but by far it’s acoustic guitars that most start with. Unlike the solid electric guitar, the acoustic one has a hollow body and doesn’t make use of amplification to produce sound. Instead, it relies on natural sound produced by strings when its vibrations bounce around inside the guitar body’s hollow cavity.  So, there’s no need for an amplifier, well unless you own an acoustic electric guitar.

Most people who are trying to learn how to play acoustic guitar often end up frustrated. That may be because they fail to pay heed to things that could help make the lessons easier. That’s not to say that acoustic guitar lessons are difficult. It’s far from it.

Start Simple And Hang In There

Today, with the Internet at your fingertips there’s no reason learning to play guitar should be difficult. There are just too many places online for you to learn to play a guitar that there really is no excuse other than you really don’t have your heart in it. My experience is that most who give up do so because their fingers begin to hurt. We all went through that so just hang in there for another week or two and they will toughen up and it will all be behind you.

My recommendation for two site where you can’t go wrong are Jamorama and Jamplay. Both are well worth the membership fee. Then you can add Youtube and learn just about any song by searching for it as a cover tune. I have learned so many songs there but it all starts with the two sites I mentioned first so that you can a good solid learning background.

The key to your success at learning to play guitar is to stay focused while practicing and to find songs that match the chords and stage you’re at right now and for me that’s where Youtube really shines.

As much as possible, you need to start with a song that has a simple chord progression. When I first learned I started with easy chords like C, G Am and D, which makes hundreds of songs available to learn.

I use Google to search for songs I like so I can find them with the chords included. That way I can download them to my computer and then follow along as I play the song on Youtube or from my collection of songs. But I do prefer Youtube over just having the song because so many people do covers for songs and use their acoustic guitars.

Keep Your Guitar Tuned Properly

The first thing you want to do before you ever start playing guitar is buy a guitar tuner. This way you can be sure the guitar is tuned so that you are producing the right notes, otherwise something will not sound right. When a song doesn’t sound right it’s discouraging as well as frustrating because most people thing they are doing something wrong when it’s only the guitar not tuned correctly.

Example: Just yesterday the high temperatures and high humidity broke so the temp dropped and the humidity was gone. Almost immediately my acoustic guitar started to sound different. It had gone out of tune in just one hour and needed tuning.

Incoming search terms:

• acoustic electric guitar
• acoustic/ electric guitar

Why do some people prefer acoustic guitars to other instruments like the piano, for instance? One reason is the versatility and portability of an acoustic guitar.

Just the fact an acoustic guitar is portable means you can play it whenever you like and wherever you are, without the need for amps or trucks.

Some people learn how to play through books while others scour the Internet for online lessons at places like Jamorama.com, JamPlay.com and I wouldn’t want to leave out my favourite place which is Youtube.com.

An Acoustic Guitar And A Place To Learn

Using the three sites I mentioned above you can go from knowing nothing to learning how to play acoustic guitar like a pro. I started with pop and rock but now my interests have moved into blues and bluegrass as well. All on my trusty Yamaha acoustic guitar.

If you really want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar, you need to have self-discipline. This involves setting up a system for learning that you will dedicate yourself to following. Just as it is with everything, you need to have focus, discipline, and the determination when learning how to play the acoustic guitar.

I set aside time every day it’s possible, for practicing what I’m learning. If you’re practicing in the house, choose a favourite spot where you can lay all your guitar books and chords open as you play.

I am one of those people would tries to practice at least an hour or more every day, again when possible. I will allow myself to miss a practice if I just have to go fishing. By the time I get back home I usually don’t have the energy to pick up the guitar.

If you don’t practice you’re likely NOT to go far so give yourself at least a half hour of dedicated practice, while you’re learning how to play your acoustic guitar. This way you will be less likely to give up like so many of my friends have done.

Every guitar player I’ve known has been impatient and want to play songs before they are ready to. I’m one of them as well, so it’s not uncommon at all.

It’s just such a cool thing to be able to sit down and play a song you love. For me it’s a great stress reliever, although at the beginning, well I’m not so sure that it wasn’t a stress builder.

You don’t have to actually master the basic chords in a song to play it but it sure sounds better when you do. All those I know who were beginners started the same way. They were at a jam, got interested, learned how to form a few basic chords and then went out and bought a guitar.

That’s exactly what happened to me, although a friend loaned me an extra guitar from his collection until I had one of my own, but I learned a few simple chords. I think they were C, G and D. Then they played songs using those chords for most of the night. It was great fun and I was hooked.

Both my guitars have been used Yamaha acoustic guitars that were within my budget but now I think I’m ready for a brand new Yamaha acoustic guitar.

Playing Guitar Is Addictive

I would have to say that playing guitar is a little like taking a drug that’s addictive. You have to continually get that fix or something just doesn’t feel right. I play guitar, even if it’s just to strum chords and practice finger positioning, every single day.

Well almost every day, there are exceptions like when I had a heart attack and was in hospital for a week and later when I had to be taken to Saint John so they could find the problem. Another time was just the other day when I came home from a day of fishing. I was so hot and exhausted I could hardly think and went to bed without playing guitar.

I have been playing guitar now for just over 10 years and have only ever missed a handful of days, it’s that addictive.

Blessed To Have Friends Who Play Guitar

Not everyone is blessed like I have been to have friends who play guitar. Years ago when I was in my early 20s I had the opportunity to learn to play guitar from friends but I was far too shy back then.

So if you are just too shy to learn in front of others I totally understand and for you I recommend two places you can learn without the need for human interaction. The first is Jamorama.com and the second is Jamplay.com

I have been so blessed to have friends who play and have learned so much from them. The thing is I have actually passed the playing level of most of my friends because I started using the guitar sites I just recommended and learned some pretty cool stuff.

I learned new chords that allowed me to learn even more songs. Today I think I have a few hundred songs I can play. I can’t play them all from memory so it’s great that I have them all on my laptop.

For times when my guitar friends aren’t around or perhaps for those songs they can’t play yet I like Youtube. I can usually find someone playing a cover tune while playing guitar so I can learn these songs even faster.

A Big Pain In The Behind

I’ll have to admit that I became a bit fanatical and called my friends way too much. I just couldn’t get enough and would stay up night and day. All I could think about was learning more and more. So I had to apologize to a few for being such a pain. They were polite of course but I know I was pushing the limits. I was decreasing my stress but increasing theirs.

If you turn your nose up at the thought of buying a used guitar, you really need to rethink things a bit.  There is no better way to stretch your dollars and get more guitar for your money.

When I was learning to play guitar, about 10 years ago, I bought a used guitar from a friend buying a new guitar. She learned on a used and was ready for that new one giving me the opportunity to get a good guitar, although used, for just $75.00.

Then it was a matter of money for me but even my second guitar was a used one and at that time I didn’t have money issues. I have been more than happy with them.

So, here are some reasons why a used guitar might turn out to be a better option that a new one in some cases.

Reason #1 – Really the design of the guitar hasn’t changed much over the past few decades so unlike computers or electronics which seem to be updated yearly.

Reason #2 – For The Price.  This is probably the biggest and best difference.  A used guitar be as much as 50% cheaper than the same model new and there are many used guitars that show so little wear or marks that you’d swear it was brand new.

Reason #3 – Guitars are made of wood and wood ages over time changing the sound.  This is especially true with acoustic guitars if you offered me a 30 year old Martin or Gibson acoustic in good condition or said I could have a brand new one for the same price, I’d take the old used guitar every time.

Now I’m not saying that ALL old acoustic guitars are a great buy.  The aging of the wood causes changes in the humidity.  If the guitar has been subject to drastic changes in humidity and/or temperature it could crack. 

Reason #4 – Bringing a used guitar to life and making it your own is very rewarding.  You bring the guitar home, remove the strings, clean the fretboard and vacuum the inside of the body out (if it’s acoustic), oil the neck, restring it and polish it and now it’s as good as new and it has some of your personality added to it.

Reason #5 – Many used guitars have actually seen very little use in the first place.  They get bought and then strummed every now and then before the owner decides they don’t use it enough and wants to sell it off.  This is where you swoop in and get a great guitar for a great price.

Reason #6 – Some older guitars are built from woods that either do not get used as much anymore or simply cost a lot more.  Wood such as Brazilian rosewood and bubinga are beautiful woods that create a rich and full sound but they are more rare these days so your best bet of getting a guitar built with them is to buy used.

Reason #7 – Construction techniques have become automated.  Some older guitars were handmade and there was a lot more attention to detail.  That’s not to say that there aren’t companies today using automation and building great instruments, it just that your chances of getting something unique are very low.

The days of a luthier hand selecting each guitar top based on the one it produced when he tapped it and listened to the wood are over for production line guitars and reserved only for the high and or custom handmade guitars.

In conclusion I really feel buying a used guitar is the way to go for those of us on budgets. I learned to play guitar from friends, Youtube and Jamorama and Jamplay. Take a look at them if you want to learn to play guitar.

For a lot of years I have heard the practice makes perfect. Great so what if you’re learning bad habits on guitar which may be holding you back. Now you’d be practicing those bad habits until they were engrained on your brain which will most likely keep you from achieving the speed you desire.

I have friends who play guitar pretty well and for a long time they were way ahead of me. They learned to play many years ago but learned a few bad habits that have kept them at the level of playing they are at.

What happened, as far as I can tell, is that they learned from others who taught them the bad habits that had where I learned mostly from books and online because I was too shy to play in front of people for a long time.

Of course we have very fun guitar jams but their limitations keeps us from playing many many songs we all love.

Below are a few ways to practice effectively as well as efficiently so you can move to that next level:

Find A Good Plan And Follow It

I never had a plan for my life or anything in it, for about the first 30 years. Well actually the plan was to party hard. I tried to learn guitar way back in the 70s as I’ve mentioned in a few other posts but life got in the way.

If you want to be a quality guitar player you need commitment and a plan that will take you step by step through learning guitar.

Keep A Practice Schedule And Keep It

Now that you have a plan to learn to play guitar you need to practice the things you are learning. I practice every single day, unless I am not home, which isn’t often. I most likely practice guitar about 325 days a year.

I practice at least an hour a day and many days longer. It’s great having a work from home business. I am my own boss, other than my wife of course, and can stop what I’m doing if I get the urge to take a guitar practice break.

Learn And Practice Multiple Genres of Music

There are many styles of guitar playing in a variety of genres so don’t limit your playing and practicing to just the one you like the most. For me it’s country, rock, bluegrass and blues. It’s a great way to add some coolness to your guitar playing. I love it when I learn a new lick I can use at guitar jams.

Practice Where You Won’t Be Interrupted

I have a hard time concentrating on my guitar practice if others are around, so for me, again, it’s great I have a work from home office I can hide in to practice practice practice.

Before we bought our current home I didn’t have an office so I just used our bedroom. It’s just that in the bedroom we don’t have a computer so I would have to print out what I wanted to practice because I wasn’t hauling my computer up and down the stairs for practice.

Today I have a laptop that travels with me pretty much everywhere so I can have access to the Internet, Youtube, Jamorama and Jamplay. No matter where I am, as long as I can get a connection.

My Fingers Don’t Work So Well

I have arthritis so it can be tough getting started in the morning and without warning the arthritis can flare up and make it tough but with a few fingering exercises they loosen up so I can get on with my guitar practice or lessons.

I remember the early days when my fingers felt like they were going to bleed but I would suck it up and start practicing anyways. After a few minutes of tender fingers they started feeling better so don’t let sore fingers stop you from practicing.

Find yourself a group you can play guitar with and you will learn so much faster. I love going to jams where there are new players. I always seem to learn something new each time. Learning one new thing can take you to brand new levels of guitar.

I mentions Jamorama and Jamplay as two sites I belong to. They are worth the investment, so pick one and check it out today and get practicing.

I would have to say there are two things I had a real problem with when I started learning to play guitar, other than not being able to sing. One was not using a pick right from the start and second I continually watched my chording hand.

Watching your chording hand is okay when you are learning to form chords but once you can form the chords and switch between chords you need to take your eyes off the chording hand and get used to finding the right chord and fret without looking.

When I was learning to play my Yamaha acoustic guitar I started with the easiest chords first. Once I was able to play my first three chords, C, G and D I started learning all the songs I liked that used those three chords.

I played and practiced those chords every day, even while I was watching TV and learned a new chords every day or two. Next I started looking for more songs I like and then started learning the chords for those songs which included bar chords like Bm and F#m.

I thought I was doing great until the first guitar jam that was outside in the dark. That’s when I found out I had been watching my chording hand too much. I could form the chords and hit them right on, as long as I was looking at the fret board.

So glad my guitar buddies don’t play many songs with bar chords because I was feeling pretty uncomfortable right about then.

Trust me, from that moment on I started practicing NOT looking at my hands while I play guitar. I have also started using a guitar pick and have improved considerably.

If you are looking for a couple of good places to learn how to play guitar I would recommend Jamorama.com and Jamplay.com

I let my son cut my hair. Do I look like a rock star now??

If you’re human it’s likely you have to learn things from the basic level first. We aren’t born with all the knowledge and skills we will need through life and that comes to learning to play guitar. Yes, some seem to be born with specific talents and seem like they’ve known since birth, but that’s rare.

I am one who has to struggle and work hard to learn pretty anything in life. Nothing seems to come easy but I have interest and desire which helps me through the learning curve. Learning to play acoustic guitar didn’t come easy at all.

I tried to learn from others many years ago, before the Internet, but was too shy and soon gave up. Well I quit really and didn’t bother with it again for more than 20 years. That’s when the Internet became available to me.

Learned How To Play Guitar Online

In those years of NOT learning guitar I did learn about computers and became a computer instructor. Long story short I met two students who played guitar and my interest was active again. Another student traded a guitar for a computer scanner. So I got a Yamaha acoustic guitar for about $40.

Between my two new guitar playing friends, one country, the other rock, along with the Internet and I learned how to play guitar. I found tons of great beginner stuff online and learned many songs from my past as well as new songs. It was so exciting.

It didn’t take me long, with all the resources, to catch up to their level of playing but I didn’t want to stop there and found a couple of paid guitar learning sites which have helped me to move from beginner to intermediate. I hope to continue and move into the advanced levels.

It takes me a little longer than most as I’m 59 and only started learning when I was 47.

The places I would recommend for learning how to play guitar, acoustic or electric are Jamorama.com or JamPlay.com.

But for the beginner, if money is an issue like it was for me when I started, don’t miss up the learning opportunities on Youtube. I use Youtube almost daily to learn new things like cool licks, riffs and songs.

Using Youtube To Learn To Play Guitar

Money has been an issue for me for many years as I’m not an educated man and for that reason have had a lot of jobs that didn’t pay too well and kept us on a tight budget. So I feel for those who live pay check to pay check.

Jamorama.com or JamPlay.com would be my first choice for learning to play guitar today as I learned a lot of bad habits from friends and free lessons online, however I still learned a lot and eventually learned about and broke the bad habits.

For me it’s a daily thing to go to Youtube and look up a song I want to learn that’s on the radio right now. When I am looking I always add acoustic guitar to the search term plus the word cover. So a search on Youtube might look something like:

something bout a truck cover acoustic guitar

The song is ‘something bout a truck’ I want someone who is playing it as cover tune and I like to add ‘acoustic guitar’ because then I can see their finger action. Just that simple and usually I find what I’m looking for. Then it just a matter of finding the person that does it the best.