Guitar How-To

People have been learning how to play the guitar for a long time, now. Throughout history the guitar has had an appeal for a wide cross section of music lovers. Watching and admiring guitar players of varying standards of virtuosity and expressiveness always seems to fascinate an audience, even if they do not understand the genre they are listening to. As a result people go out and buy guitars and try to learn how to play them. The guitar is the ideal instrument for the musician who wants to transfix his audience with his talent and sensitivity. This is an element of the psyche of young people. One minute they want to be Matt Damon, next Jimmy Page. Go figure.

What does learning how to play the guitar really do to enhance our lives. Are there any lasting benefits? If we push through the first barrier where the thrill has gone and we see how much hard work is involved, what do we get? The answer is there is a world of pleasure for the person who takes up the guitar as a career or as a hobby.

Everybody has talent of some kind. Everybody has finer feelings that can be expressed by painting, writing, playing music or acting. If you decide on taking up a musical instrument like the guitar, you will be widening the capacity of your motor skills. Your body’s response to your feelings is refined and enhanced so that it becomes able to communicate your feelings to other people via your guitar. This applies equally to Julian Bream and Curt Cobain. Same principle, different parts of the spectrum.

Playing the guitar as a physical activity is a great workout. If you learn how to play the guitar correctly your posture, breathing and movements are coordinated. Even a few minutes a day engaged in focused guitar practice will lift your level of fitness. For learning how to play guitar to be of physical benefit, you will need a good teacher. Someone who can show you how to sit or stand while playing your guitar.

Your brain also benefits from guitar practice. Interpreting a piece of music, even in a superficial kind of way, wakes up the part of our brains that is interested in solving problems and exploring possibilities. Establishing a guitar practice regime, organizing your life to fit in guitar practice and lessons, attending to the jobs of changing your guitar strings and keeping your instrument in tune make you a disciplined person. That’s a GOOD thing.

The changes that take place in your feelings when you take up the guitar may not be obvious, but they are there all the same. Usually we just sit and listen to music. Maybe do some dancing. That is okay but we are still just kind of in a dumb place in the universe. When you are actively working on interpreting and playing a piece of music, be it Asturias or Smoke On The Water, activates and brings together your smart parts. Try it and see!

The video shows you some of the fun in learning how to play and compose for the guitar . . .

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