Going down the path of becoming a musician is one of the best things an individual can do in their lifetime. Whether you’re aiming to become a pro, or whether you’re just planning to have fun with it, it doesn’t really matter – expressing yourself through an instrument is wonderful! And, of course, one of the most common choices is the guitar. Today’s article is on acoustic guitar tips.
In almost all cases, absolute beginners start with acoustic guitars rather than electric ones. At the end of the day, the choice comes down to every individual beginner, but going acoustic is usually more common. However, just like with any other instrument out there, even acoustic guitar comes with its own challenges. Of course, it’s far from an impossible one to learn, but there are some things that an absolute beginner should bear in mind.
With all this said, we’ve decided to help those young aspiring rock stars and share a few acoustic guitar tips for beginners. After covering some of these basics, you’ll have a much easier time figuring out the instrument and learning new things about it.
Watch Your Fretting Hand Grip
One of the most common mistakes among beginners is that they squeeze the neck and the fretboard too hard with their fretting hand. And sure, strings require a firm grip on the fretboard and it takes time to get the right amount of pressure on them. However, pressing them too hard won’t yield good results as it will not only mess with the pitch, but you’ll end up with a sore hand that won’t be able to perform for extended periods of time.
While it might be tricky for beginners, you should practice applying just the right amount of pressure on the fretboard. Whether it’s a chord or a single note, make sure to hold it just tight enough to get the right sound out of it, but not too tight so that your hand starts to hurt. Yeah, this is probably the most challenging aspect of playing the guitar, especially the acoustic guitar. However, it’s also what differentiates a novice from an experienced player.
Watch Your Fingering
Next up, we have yet another thing regarding the fretting hand. It’s not just about applying the right amount of pressure, but also about using the proper fingering for all the chords and scales. This way, you’ll be able to use the maximum potential and effortlessly switch between chords and individual notes. The main goal is to make things sound as smooth as possible, with the player transitioning from one part to another without breaking the flow.
In order to do this, you’ll always have to practice the correct fingerings. It will seem pretty difficult at first. But as time goes by, the whole process will feel natural to you. What’s more, as you get more and more experienced, you’ll start to see new options and ways to implement extensions to basic chords, all while keeping things running smoothly.
Acoustic guitar tips continue below…
Take Care of Your Picking Hand
Likewise, you should always take care of what your picking hand is doing, all in coordination with the fretting hand. And this goes for both fingerpicking and plectrum techniques. In fact, it’s recommended that you learn how to play with both of these techniques as each of them has its use in both modern and traditional music styles.
But it’s not all just about picking. The picking hand actually serves more than just that. The idea is that you should be able to additionally mute the strings and thus control the dynamics and sonic qualities of your playing. But what’s more, your picking hand will be in charge of all the rhythmics, as well as additional percussive effects.
Be Patient and Take Things Slowly
But aside from the technical and practical side of things, you should also be in touch with the philosophy of playing an instrument. Above all, you should be aware that things should be taken slowly, in every sense of that word. Firstly, you should be very patient with your progress. Don’t ever get discouraged because you’re feeling like your progress isn’t as fast as you’ve expected it to be. Secondly, when practicing anything, don’t start playing faster than you actually can. You should really take it slow, play everything note by note, chord by chord – until it sounds good. It’s only then that you can take things to a new level and play faster.
You Can’t Go Without a Metronome
And while we’re at it, it goes without saying that your practice routine just can’t go without a metronome. Yes, it’s one of the most annoying things a beginner musician can imagine. But after getting used to it, you’ll get a full sense of timing and rhythm. Additionally, it can help you practice things correctly at slower tempos until you’re able to reach the actual tempo of the piece, or an exercise, that you’re performing. And you’re in luck since there are plenty of metronome apps, cheap metronomes, and even metronomes within electronic tuners that you can use.
Learn Music Theory
Although some may think that learning music theory can be counterproductive, you should bear in mind that everything about music and guitar playing is about music theory. It goes without saying that you should cover all the basics and learn how intervals, chords, and scales work. “Armed” with this knowledge, you should be able to implement it to your respective instrument. In this case, the acoustic guitar. It will not only help you understand the music that you’re playing, and thus help learn everything faster, but will also enable you to express yourself and write your own music.
Acoustic Guitar Tips: Be Consistent and Practice Regularly
No matter the instrument that you’re playing, or any skill that you’re trying to become really good at – continuity and consistency are essential. Make sure to practice almost every day. And it doesn’t have to be multiple hours in one go, but just enough time to cover all the basics that you need in order to become a good guitar player.
This wraps up our top acoustic guitar tips for beginners. When you’re ready to take music lessons, check out Rock Out Loud!
