Beginners advice
What kind of guitar should I buy?
I’m not going to dither about here. Buy either a cheap-ish classical (£50-100) or a reasonably cheap electric with amplifier and lead. (£100 -150). You just might not take to the guitar like you thought and you don’t want to lay out a lot of money for a quick fad! Also don’t be too afraid to buy second-hand. Electric guitars are not too prone to going wrong electrically and are usually cheaply fixed.
However; DO take along someone who knows what to look for if you can. The necks of guitars can warp if they have been left next to radiators or on the other temperature extreme, in the holds of aircraft (or have been abused in other ways.)
A guitar to avoid for beginners is the steel strung acoustic, unless it has been professionally set up. Nasty on fingers!
Oh yes, if the guitar is for a child (8-11 yrs) get a 3/4 size unless he /she is big!
How do I learn?
During your lesson we make sure that you have understood the tuition given in previous weeks by referring to at the start the lesson. You are given tasks to perform to enhance your dexterity, musical understanding and creativity usually in the form of short pieces of music emphasising a technique or theoretical element.
We start simple!
A few simple pieces to get your fingers going and then add other more advanced elements as you progress.
You will, within a few weeks, be playing songs that you enjoy whilst developing understanding and techniques that will serve you for the rest of your life.
How long should I practice?
You should practice, at first, about 10-15 minutes per day 3-4 times per week (If you can do more -great!)
You are becoming a guitarist and you have certain “rites of passage” to go through to familiarise yourself with the instrument. At first it seems ungainly and awkward to hold and near-on impossible to move your fingers independently. (When else do you do have to move your little finger up and your third finger down?)
Don’t give up!
We’ve all been there and I know it will work for you if you just persist! The first few weeks are the most troublesome but these are generally the weeks when the most progress is made; a good trade-off!
