Learn to play the guitar. Be happy.

The first thing you need is… well… a guitar. The second thing you need is motivation. And believe me, it’s easier to be motivated with a good guitar than it is with a cheap one. So here’s your first “Do”: do yourself a big favor and get a decent guitar. If you buy a cheap one you’re likely to become frustrated end lose motivation. Better to spend a little extra and get yourself a decent instrument. The third thing you need is time, because the fourth thing you need is to practice! Set aside some time during the day when no one will bother you in a place with little distractions. If it’s hard to find a place like that, just do your best. Once you've done that, practice! (Go to Tom Hess' page for some tips on practicing)

 

Of course, there's a lot more to playing guitar than just buying a good instrument and practing. We'll try to help you with those...

 

If you’re a guitar novice, how do you know your guitar is in tune? Go to our Tools page (Sorry. Not yet for mobile users) and use the tuner there. If you’re going on the road though, do buy yourself a tuner. No need to get fancy. A simple pitch pipe will do, unless you want to show off, and that’s ok too(here's a fancy tuner for showing off).

 

Be good to yourself. Do buy a metronome! You may think that you don’t need one. I thought I didn’t need one either until a drummer friend of mine pointed out that I was speeding up as I played. I hadn’t noticed because I always played alone or with people who were not musicians. Also, if one of your goals is to play fast, a metronome is a must-have. If you already have your guitar and time to practice but not a metronome, you can go to our Tools page and find one there. 

 

I bet you could use some lessons too… Sure, you can probably teach yourself, but lessons will speed things up a bit. Do go to our Resources page and you’ll find links to free and paid online lessons. Perhaps you want to embark in a more formal study of the instrument? No problem! You’ll find links to guitar programs in some higher education institutions there too.

 

Soon to come: you’ll have access to chord charts, and fretboard charts in our Tools section; The Temple section, where you’ll find information on some of the best known guitarists across multiple music genres; whatever else we come up with that can make your journey easier!