Beginning to Learn Acoustic Guitar. You’ve been thinking about it for a while: It might be fun to learn how to play the guitar. The timing could be good.  It’s Fall, you’re inside more than normal - you’ve got unhoped for free time. Maybe it’s the right time to shift from consideration to action. 

Re-examining how we spend our down time has become a hot topic of discussion online. People around the world have discovered unexpected pleasure doing simple things, some of them function as stress relievers too. Top of the list? Exercise.  Second is cleaning out the closet! Some emerging shopping trends reveal that we’re not just reassessing how we spend our time, but how we spend our money too. Jigsaw puzzle sales are up 370% year over year. RV sales and rentals have been hitting monthly records since April.  Purchases of pianos, electric and acoustic guitars are up 85 -100% all around the world. Even second hand instrument sales have skyrocketed. The BBC says that over the last eight months, people are looking for a hobby “they can get into” and playing guitar certainly fits into that category. Trying something new can be challenging, but the enjoyment of the reward is a big payoff - one that could last forever.

If this decision is a new one for you, explore the first steps a bit before taking them. You’ll learn many helpful tips and valuable guidance in this video from David Butler, the teacher of the ArtistWorks Beginner’s Guide to Acoustic Guitar.  

You may want to ask yourself  whether you should buy a brand new guitar or a second-hand one. For some, it’s a matter of brushing the dust off the guitar that’s been in its case for 15 years! It is not so important how a guitar gets into your hands. But David will explain how the playability of your guitar dramatically impacts the very first phase of your learning too.  If the guitar is hard to play, out of tune or malfunctioning in any way, your first steps could be unfulfilling and frustrating. If you start learning to play a guitar that is in poor condition, you may spend unnecessary effort fighting the shortcomings of the guitar. 

If you’re itching to nudge your creative side and put some music-making into your life, you may want to learn how to play the guitar. Take a few minutes to prepare some of the basics, so you can start your journey on the right musical note. You’ll appreciate getting some beginner guitar advice from a professional!

For free sample acoustic guitar lessons, try these that are specifically designed for adult beginner guitar players. 

Our next blog and video in this series will discuss “Starting to Play” and will provide helpful tips especially for beginner guitar players.