Part One was last week:
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/010402/5.shtml

So, you want to play. Where do you start?

Well, I recommend getting an inexpensive classical guitar to begin with just to get your feet (hands) wet. Since they use nylon strings, it will be a little easier on your fingers. In addition, they are pretty balanced in sound, easy to carry around, and you will not be out a lot of money if something happens to it. Please get a case for it, even if it is just a chipboard case, since this will offer it more protection than you think. Go ahead and get yourself a basic guitar book, which will give you some idea of basic care of the guitar, teach you the basic tuning of the instrument, and maybe even show you a few chords to begin with, so that you know it really does work. My own recommendation is to go ahead and order the "Classical Guitar Method by Carcassi"...it has all of that stuff in there, and a lot more. For less than ten bucks on the book, you can have a solid footing to begin.

How about a teacher? Well, I have known many players who more or less winged it on their own and can play fabulously. However, at some point, most of them at least consulted with other players all through their career, for tips or clarification on one musical issue or another. Again, books became a great aid, and of course, there are all kinds of videos out there proposing to teach guitar. I think for most people it is better to have a teacher. For one thing it establishes early on that music is about relationships...the relationship of the player to his instrument, the relationship of the player to his music, the realtionship of the music to those that would hear it, and the relationship of musician to musician...very important. A good teacher (meaning one that can communicate easily and make it fun as well as work) can make all the difference in the world.

I would not trade one minute of the times I had lessons with these people. It is a life enrichening experience, which cannot help but to enhance your music and your life. Sharing is the key word here. Yes, you may pay anwhere for $10-50/ hr. for lessons, but it is an investment in yourself that should not be ignored. A teacher can open up windows of knowledge that might otherwise take you years to accomplish on your own. How to find a good teacher? Go to all the guitar players you can find and ask them! I mean the guitar players you admire, or want to play like in the future. I know very few musicians that will purposely give you a bum steer, and besides, if you go to several, the liars will stick out like a sore thumb. This is all about learning, not only music, but also life in general. Music stores are sometimes a good resource for teachers in the area, also. You could probably even find some teachers in your area off the Internet. Talk to a potential teacher at some length before you agree to start paying him/her to make sure you are going to be comfortable communicating as you learn.

Okay, you have your guitar and case, your books, and your teacher together. How long is it going to take you to really start playing where it makes sense to you and to those listening to you? Here is where it is all up to you. Time is the buzzword here. I have known and taught a few students that were playing some things better than I was in 4-6 months. They just became engrossed in it, almost to the point of being fanatical. As a rule, if you can practice every day for an hour, you are going to see great results within a year or less. The key is to not get depressed if you think you are not progressing fast enough. Paying attention to the basics, and practice, practice, practice is what pays off at this point. If you get in a rut, go to someone, maybe your teacher or a player that you know and bounce it off them. They will always help (I hope).

If you are into it and have the capability, record yourself every once in a while to listen for yourself how you sound. Do not ever be afraid of constructive feedback on your technique or knowledge. All players have gone through this and continue to go through this, unless they are brain dead.

Another resource to use, which you probably used to get this paper, is the Internet. There are scores of music related sites out there, and many of them have pages devoted to helping you with your music. Use them. You can always send me an e-mail describing the problem, and if I can I will help, or least get you to some resource that can.

(© 2001 by Mark S. Moody)

For feedback or reference: marksmoody@uswest.net

Part One was last week:
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/010402/5.shtml