5 Useful Tips to Learn the Electric Guitar

Article by Matt Saunders







Are you a beginner guitarist looking for some help in taming your brand new electric axe? If so I have compiled a list of 5 solid and useful tips for the beginner that will help you get used to your new instrument and eventually master it.

1. Keep your nails trimmed

First and foremost, before you even take the guitar out of the box; you should cut your nails. You will not be able to hold down the strings properly if you have long finger nails, and this is because the string will slip beneath the nail meaning it is not pressed onto the fret board correctly. This causes vibrations when the string is struck, making the sound unclear.

2. Prepare yourself for some pain

They say no gain without pain and this is true when learning the guitar. The skin on your fingers will hurt at first as it adjusts to constantly holding down the strings of the guitar. This is less painful on the electric guitar because the strings tend to be softer. If you play regularly, the skin should toughen up within weeks meaning you will have to endure this pain for a little while at first!

3. When playing use your fingertips

This is an odd one and hard to explain, but many beginner players cover too much of the fret board with the palm of their hand causing the strings to buzz. To aid this, hold the strings down with your fingers at a 90 degrees angle so that your palm is clear of the strings.

4. Listen and learn

A lot of learning can be had from simply listening. Listen to your favourite songs; try to understand their structure and the strumming patterns of the guitar. If you adopt this into your subconscious you will progress a lot more naturally than if you try to force it.

5. Take care of your guitar

A lot of people lose interest in their new instrument not long after they buy it. Whatever you do, don’t let it gather dust in a cupboard somewhere; look after your guitar and this will keep you motivated for playing it. Even if you decide that you no longer want to learn, you should keep it in good condition so that you may sell it at a later date.

Learning the guitar is reasonably easy if you can get past the first few weeks. Starting out is always the toughest part but once you learn how to play recognisable songs; you will grow to love it!



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