We've all heard the expression, "Practice makes perfect". But, as I once heard, "Practice makes permanent." Ingrained bad habits can be very hard to break. When you learn to play acoustic guitar, this is especially true. So, if you are practicing incorrectly, you are spending a lot of time not getting where you want to go!
Let's take a look at some common mistakes and pitfalls people make when they learn acoustic guitar.
Don't give up too soon. Many people fine that learning to play the guitar often isn't as easy as as they thought it would be. Nearly everyone has difficulty when it comes to learning guitar chords. In the beginning, your fingers will hurt! Until you've built up some toughness on your fingertips, it can be downright painful when first starting to play the acoustic guitar. In this way, playing electric guitar is easier.
Start with playing easy chords. If you are making chord practice too difficult initially, you will get frustrated and quit. Choose easy chords like G to A, E to A, and D to G. And practice 2 or 3 chords at a time. This helps you learn the finger placements when moving from one chord to the next.
Don't watch your hands too much. You may do this some when first learning to play, but ultimately relying on your eyes to make sure you are playing the right chord can hinder you more than it helps. Eventually you will get the feel for it and won't have to look at your hands at all.
Don't neglect the importance of visualization. Visualize where your fingers need to go and how to create that chord. You must stay focused on each chord you play and visualize moving on to the next. Eventually you can get to the point where your hands are on "auto pilot" and you don't even have to think about playing, but that won't happen immediately unless you are a musical genius. And if you are, I doubt you'd be reading this article!
Learn the root or bass note of each chord. This determines which string you should start from when playing that chord.
Our brains learn in many different ways, so experience a chord from every angle. See it on paper so you can get the right finger position. Watch someone play it in a video so you can see how someone else gets their fingers into position. There are many guitar instruction DVDs or online lessons where you can watch a guitar instructor play while you learn. Listen to the sound that the chord makes. This gives your brain the opportunity to learn it on more than one level. This gives you the best chance to learn guitar in the shortest amount of time and actually "own" it.
So learn to play acoustic guitar the right way from the start by avoiding these common mistakes and pitfalls when you learn acoustic guitar. You'll improve faster, have less frustration, and more fun.
Author Resource:
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