Have you ever found yourself thinking "I want to learn to play guitar?" Well, you're not alone. Thousands start down the road to a very satisfying musical experience of guitar playing everyday. Here's what you need to know to be ahead of the pack.
Say I want to learn to play guitar. What is the best way to go about that? First off you have to decide which style you want to learn so you can get the proper guitar. Do you want to learn rock? Folk? Classical? Blues? Each style has its own type of guitar that is best for playing in that style.
Next you'll need to learn the basics of guitar playing. You need to learn how to tune a guitar, how to play chords, hold a pick, and different rhythms. You may be able to figure this out on your own, but I would suggest one or more of the methods mentioned next.
If you can afford a qualified teacher, this is probably the best route to take. A teacher can correct mistakes before they become bad habits, and a teacher can generally shorten the learning curve immensely.
If you can't afford a teacher, the next best thing is to get a hold of a method book or course either online or at a music store. Look for a method that contains material that you think you can handle. You may end up going through two or three before you find one that resonates with you. That's ok, everybody learns differently, and what works for one person may not work for you.
Once you get the basics down, I would stress that you get into some type of group setting, either a band, or youth group or something like that. When you play with others you'll find that your playing will improve quickly.
So if you find yourself thinking "I want to learn to play guitar, you have some deciding to do to figure out which way to turn.