Tips For New Guitar Players 2

I’ve been playing guitar for over 40 years. Along the way I have received some great advice. I have also learned a lot of things the hard way and through experience. I would like to share some of that advice with you.

Play With Others

Nothing will improve your guitar playing quite like playing with other musicians. Whether it’s a guitar teacher, a friend who also plays guitar, starting a band with friends, being part of a jam session, playing at church, playing at school, or anything that involves playing with other real live musicians, it is good for you. You will invariably pick up ideas, riffs, chords, techniques, or just experience that will improve your playing and make you a better musician. The more people you can play with, the better. It’s good for your playing, good for your musical prospects, good of you as a person, and it’s incredibly fun. 

Don’t worry about not being “good enough.” Find some people with similar abilities and get together. Have fun. Make mistakes. Laugh. Have fun. Make mistakes. In the beginning it should all be about fun and learning. Leave the pressure and bickering to the pros. Focus on having fun and getting better. Along the way you will be making great friends and memories. 

In addition to helping you improve as a player, playing with others is also a very important aspect of being a successful musician. They call it “networking” now. A vast majority of gigs or band jobs come from recommendations or friends. The more people you have played with (and get along with - don’t be a jerk) the more chances one of them will recommend you or ask you to take part in something. I became a member of the band I play in now because one of its members knew me and recommended me.

You can play “only for my own enjoyment” and never leave your house. It is your choice. But you will missing out on a lot of friendships, fun, excitement, and memories if you do. It’s alright to be scared at first (I was), but almost everything good comes from taking risks. So my advice is what my parents used to say a lot when I was kid: “Go out and play.”