I often get asked by students where to start when learning guitar.
Picture this…
You have been given a secret training mission for MI5.
You are to rescue a hostage from the 100th floor of a murky skyscraper.
On each floor, you will have to battle your way past a bunch of evil baddies hell-bent on your destruction.
You have a choice.
Start on floor 1, 10 or 20.
Most people would choose to start on floor 20, but…
On floor 1, there is a powerful Beretta M9 pistol with a silencer, locked and loaded.
On floor 10, you find a catapult, and on floor 20, comically, is a pea shooter.
Now you know this, which floor will you chose?
Obviously, floor 1, I’m guessing, as with the pistol, you can work your way up steadily one floor at a time, annihilating the bad guys strategically until you reach the top…
Good, because floor 1 is where you should start with your guitar playing too.
Most people never do.
They try to skip the basics and rush ahead, but just like in this Die Hard, Dirty Harry, and James Bond-inspired scenario…
Starting off from the bottom floor and working your way up steadily when learning guitar is far better, especially since skipping the basics nearly always leads to bad results and frustrating playing.
So, where should you start when learning guitar, in other words, what is the best way to start off from the ground floor up in terms of your playing?
In my experience, it is by ensuring you have absolutely rock-solid technique.
Pretty much everything else is built upon good technique.
After all, there is no point knowing lots of theory, dozens of chords and scales, and tonnes of songs if…
Notes are constantly buzzing, your chord changes are slow, your fingers are sore, or the music is jerky and awkward.
I have been working on good basic technique for a long time with students, and although it took me longer than I hoped to create, it is here now …
A simple and easy to follow guide of 19 short chapters on improving your technique…
Each of which is no more than two or three pages long (and they come with images and tab/notation for clarity).
It is called Essential Guitar Technique.
For now, it is only available as a freebie in my book bundle on the link below…
Guitar Domination Super eBook bundle
Check it out if technique is something you are keen on improving.
There is a lot more useful stuff in the bundle too, such as how to improve your chord changes, barre chords, theory, strumming, etc.
Remember, technique is critical level 1 stuff, so keep that in mind as you practise.
Then you can improve your playing seamlessly and make better progress, which is the equivalent of travelling to the top floor and saving the hostage.
Have a great day!
Dan Thorpe
Guitar Domination
P.S. I know, I think I probably watched too many hostage movies growing up!
P.P.S. This post was originally taken from Dan Thorpe’s private email list. To get blog posts like this sent to you which are full of great tips to make fingerpicking, strumming, and learning guitar more enjoyable (especially if you are over 40) join Dan’s list. It’s 100% free, HERE.
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