Question 1

Should I get guitar lessons or teach myself?

Accepted Answer

A good guitar teacher will keep you motivated by giving you a structure to learn music. Regular guitar lessons will not only give you something to look forward to but also something to prepare for. In your guitar lesson, the guitar instructor will hear you play and make recommendations as to the next technique or piece of music to learn. A good guitar teacher will also demonstrate good technique and sound production, which may inspire you to practice and therefore learn to play the guitar faster.

Question 2

Is it better to start learning on a classical guitar or acoustic guitar?

Accepted Answer

The fewer hurdles there are to the beginning of your musical journey, the better. Classical guitars are softer on fingers and therefore easier to play at first until you develop callouses on your fingers. You can also play pop and rock songs and classical music if you wish.

Question 3

What is the difference between a classical guitar and acoustic guitar?

Accepted Answer

The main difference is that classical guitar uses nylon strings, which are softer to the touch than the metal strings on acoustic guitars.  Classical instruments can be cheaper, lighter and easier to play for beginners than steel string guitars.

Question 4

Am I too old to learn guitar?

Accepted Answer

You are never too old to learn guitar! In fact, older people may learn more quickly than children because they are more committed to putting in the practice and have less distractions. If you've always wanted to learn guitar, but never had the time and money until now, you are going to get a lot of pleasure out of playing the guitar. The benefits to your adult brain are well-researched as are the benefits of playing music with other people.

Question 5

Do I need to read music to play guitar?

Accepted Answer

You can learn guitar without reading music, but why miss out on the benefits of being able to read music?  Learning to read music is easy if it is taught properly.  It is easier to learn musical notation than learning another language.  You'll  be able to play music you haven't heard before.  This means you'll be able to go on musical discoveries! You'll be able to play along with other musicians and singers;  you'll feel more motivated to improve your playing technique. If you work to improve your sight-reading, you'll be in demand at get-togethers.

Question 6

How much should I practise to learn guitar?

Accepted Answer

The key to learning the guitar fast is to, wait for it... play the guitar!  A good guitar teacher will help structure your learning and goals along the way.  "Practise" sounds boring, but it doesn't have to be! All practise is, is instructing your brain to wire itself in a certain way.  And there's a lot for it to learn:  from how to hold the guitar, to how to get a nice sound, to how to read music, to how to express yourself.  Practise needs to be regular, but it doesn't need to be long.  Beginners can achieve a lot in a week, if they put in 20 minutes a day.  Slow practice is the key to becoming a virtuoso!  Slow practice means you wire up your brain correctly first time.

Question 7

What are the benefits of learning guitar rather than ukulele?

Accepted Answer

Whilst the ukulele may be quicker for some people to learn, guitar is a much more flexible instrument and learning guitar first will make you a more flexibile musician.  For example, guitar has an enormous amount classical and pop repertoire, compared to the ukulele.  It's easier to learn the guitar first, then learn the ukulele than learn the ukulele first, then learn the guitar!

Alan Plummer Guitar

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Alan Plummer Guitar

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