Johnny Hiland Band

If you’re reading this it’s because you want to learn to play the acoustic guitar. This instrument has a melodic sound and the ability to provoke a great deal of emotion, in the right hands.

The Basics Of Acoustic Guitar

It doesn’t matter if you have decided to learn simply because you want a hobby or if it’s to try and start a band. There are many great benefits that you can get from knowing how to play.

Personally, I think that the acoustic guitar sounds better than an electric guitar. Why you ask? Well, it’s because of the more natural sounds that you get from it. You can make it either loud or soft like an electric guitar, but you will always be able to hear the vocals over it and you can use the acoustic guitar for any kind of music. It’s also a lot easier to move around with you seeing as though you don’t need an amp to make it work.

Learning to play acoustic guitar can be a bit tricky at first, but it does get easier the more you practice. If you work at it steadily for a couple of years you will be playing like a pro.

It’s really not that hard, I promise. Just follow these five basic acoustic guitar lessons:

First: Find a guitar that feels right. There are different sizes so make sure you are comfortable with the one you have. Also, it does not have to be expensive. Actually, I recommend getting a cheaper one to learn on and then get a better one later.

Second: Make a schedule. You should practice for at least a half hour to an hour (no more) at least 5 to 7 days a week. If you practice for more then an hour at a time that is when you will start to pick up bad habits.

Third: Don’t try to start out playing chords right away. You need to get comfortable with holding the guitar and also learn how each string sounds. So, start out by simply holding the guitar the correct way and pluck each string up and down the guitar until you are familiar with each sound.

Fourth: Once you’ve gotten stringing the strings without having to look at them, move onto the neck Now you can practice playing actual notes. Make sure that you keep your left hand in the right position and listen to how each note sounds.

Fifth: Now that you have all that you can start playing chords. Start out with the easy ones first. These would be “E Minor”, “A Minor”, and “D Minor”. Once you have these down then you can move onto the harder ones to learn.

Many people choose to take beginner acoustic guitar instruction through a private instructor, but I don’t feel as though this is necessary. I’m not saying it’s a bad way to go, I just think you can easily learn on your own.

The thing with private acoustic guitar lessons is they can get to be quite expensive and they take up extra time when you consider the travel time to and from the lesson.

The good thing about an instructor is they work directly with you in a one on one setting. There is one down fall though and that is some times you run into someone that is more interested in getting paid then actually helping you learn to play the acoustic guitar. Also, there is a chance that you might run into a teacher that has an excess in students and is not quite as personable as you would like them to be due to the overload of work.

Some people don’t like to learn new things with an audience, regardless of the size and find it difficult to play in front of another person, especially one that is more experienced. Many prefer to learn to play in a private area where no one is around to see them,

When I first took an interest in the acoustic guitar I looked into getting an instructor, but found it to be very expensive. I mean it was $150 a month and you only got 2 lessons a week. I couldn’t really justify paying that so I decided to learn on my own. On issue with this is sometimes you can’t quite grasp the fundamentals without a little assistance. This is mainly because you don’t know enough about the techniques or even the guitar.

The good thing is in today’s society we have this handy little thing called a computer and the Internet. On there you can find some really great online acoustic guitar lessons. I used Jamorama Acoustic, which was very helpful. This is a video download course that provides you with all the material, techniques, tricks and lessons that you need in order to get started playing.

The nice thing about the online course is that it teaches you everything you need to know without having to go outside of your house to get it. Another great thing about this course is it’s a one time only fee rather then a month to month one, and you fit it into your schedule instead of fitting your schedule around an instructor. This makes it much easier to stick with and you have the power of being able to rewind if you don’t quite get something or even fast forward if you already know a part of the lesson.

If you are going to start playing the acoustic guitar I would definitely recommend getting a course that you can learn from home. This is a personal preference though and not everyone will think the same way. When it really comes down to it, it depends on the individual and what they are comfortable with, and how much you want to invest in learning to play the acoustic guitar.

Copyright Liam Gibson (Guitar Teacher)

So, you want to learn to play the acoustic guitar?

First off, congratulations! There are so many benefits of guitar playing. It can serve as an enjoyable hobby or even evolve into a full time job of playing in a band. Some people prefer the acoustic guitar over the electric. Why? Because the feel and the sound is perfect for any setting and doesn’t drain the vocals out. It’s also easier to handle and transport.

Learning to play is a bit difficult at first, but it will become much easier in time. After a couple of years of regular practice, you’ll be playing with ease!

It’s not hard. Just follow these 5 acoustic guitar instruction steps:

1.    Get yourself an acoustic guitar that is comfortable. You can start out with an inexpensive one and buy a more expensive one after you become more experienced.

2.    Pick a certain time of day to play. You need to set aside a half hour in which you do nothing but play. Don’t play for any longer than an hour since it is easy to pick up bad habits. You should play 5-7 days a week.

3.    Grab your guitar, place it in the proper position, and allow yourself to become comfortable with the strings. Pay attention to how each string sounds. Strike one at a time, working your way down individually and then back up.

4.    As you learn acoustic guitar basics and become more comfortable with each string, shift your attention to the acoustic guitar’s neck. Practice playing the notes individually. Check that your left hand is positioned correctly and pay attention to how the note sounds.

5.    Gradually evolve into playing the chords individually. Start with simple 2 or 3 fingered chords and go from there. The “D Minor”, “A Minor”, and “E Minor” chords are the best place to start.
Beginners often seek further advice by consulting with an instructor and engaging in a lesson or two every week. However, there are some downsides to this. For one, private lessons are rather costly and time consuming. You will have to set aside two to five days a week to travel and meet with your instructor. Then you’ll need to set extra time aside to practice with an instructor.

The instructor will work with you personally during your acoustic guitar lessons, which is great, but many of them care more about money than anything else. Also, they work with many different beginning players and aren’t quite as “personal” as you would expect them to be. It can vary between teachers.

Some newbies also struggle learning and playing in front of someone else, especially when that person is more advanced. They would prefer playing on their own and alone. Plus, playing the acoustic guitar with a private teacher can be rather expensive—$150+ a month or so, for only two lessons a week! Still, trying to learn on your own can be extremely difficult.

This is where print and online acoustic guitar lessons can come in handy. You can a great deal from Jamorama Acoustic. It’s a video course that provides all the techniques, material, tricks, and lessons for getting started.

The nice thing about these private courses is that it teaches you all you would learn from a private teacher, anyway.  They also only cost a one-time fee, and you can use and practice with the course on your own time.  The result is a much more time and cost effective lesson plan which is just as strong as what you would get from a more expensive private lesson. Plus, you’ll be able to rewind and fast-forward!

You should definitely invest in a home study course, rather than spend $15 or more per lesson. Although not everyone will agree with this, beginner acoustic guitar lessons on the web are the best. If you think you’d be comfortable learning with instruction videos and exercises to practice with, then a home study course may be the perfect choice for you!

In conclusion, it all depends on how much money and time you’re willing to invest in learning the acoustic guitar.

Copyright Liam Gibson (Pro Guitarist)