How To Get Started Playing The Guitar The RIGHT Way

So, last week I blogged all about how important music was for a person's mind, body and soul.  But lets say someone asks you (maybe because you play guitar) how THEY can get started playing guitar.  I've been asked this question a thousand times ... often by parents wondering how best to launch their child into the wonderful world of musicianship.

_{Photo courtesy of Elsie Ecklund, check out her freaking awesome YouTube channel!}

And so I have came up with a simple Three-step answer!  Here it is:

1. Pick the RIGHT instrument for the newby.  If he or she only listens to modern/rock music and hates folk music like a cat hates taking a bath, then for God's sake, don't have them start out on an acoustic guitar, start with an appropriate electric guitar! [sidebar: my mom first made me take piano lessons on our broken out of tune piano (with mom as the teacher) before getting me a cheap acoustic guitar/finger torture device, and then and ONLY then did I earn my way to a decent electric guitar and amp (read this blog).  Moral: Don't be like my mom here!

2. Make sure the guitarist to be gets a QUALITY instrument that is 1) easy on the fingers 2) tunes and intonates well and 3) fits they players preferred musical style.

3. Help them locate an appropriate teacher.  One that is 1) trustworthy 2) dependable 3) competent and capable, and 4) knows how to teach what the student WANTS to play!

There ya have it!  Do all this and you will wind up with a guitar player fur sure!  Bada-bing, Bada-boom.  They will have so much fun, they won't even KNOW they are growing new neurons, grey matter, and pathways in the brain.

Cool, right?