Questions to ask your guitar teacher

Once you decide to learn to play guitar, you may still have some questions.  Of course, when you take guitar lessons in Philadelphia you can ask your guitar teacher, David Joel, many of these questions.  But, knowing the questions to ask may seem a bit daunting.  We have compiled a few questions to keep in mind before you start your guitar journey.

How should I choose which kind of guitar to play?

The main consideration is whether you are going to play acoustic or electric guitar.  Though the feel is different depending on which you play, and the strings are harder to play on an acoustic guitar, the actual positions of your fingers won’t be different.  You can make a decision of which guitar you want to purchase based on the genre and style you would most prefer.

I am struggling to learn one style, should I just move on to another?

There is always a learning curve.  If you are trying to learn metal and have started to struggle, then it might be worth stripping it back and learning rock.  If you are trying to learn some simple pop and rock songs and are struggling with changing chord positions or with finger strength, this is just a part of learning guitar.  It will be the same whichever genre you opt for.  There is no style of guitar that can be learned overnight, and a little frustration is inevitable.

Should I just learn the music I like?

There is definitely an argument for this.  Learning songs you can actually enjoy and listen to can help you to stay motivated.  The reward of eventually being able to play songs you love is great. You may have to choose some simple songs along the way to ensure you build the foundations of your knowledge.

Are there any styles I should avoid?

The early stages are all about the basics.  Learning your hand position, finger position, even things like how to hold a guitar.  You will then want to learn chords and scales.  There is no right or wrong! If you try to learn experimental songs in weird time signatures, you may not be learning chords and rhythms that are going to be helpful in other types of music.  Never try to learn things that are overly complex as a starting point.

Should I avoid faster styles?

A lot of styles such as bluegrass can be difficult to keep to the speed of which they are played, and the speed a lot of the fingerpicking takes place.  Remember that there is nothing wrong with learning a song slower until you have the ability to speed things up a bit.  We all start learning guitar by going slowly.  The only issue with faster styles is that it may take a little longer to be able to play a song comfortable.  If you try to play too quickly, mistakes are far more likely.

Decide what genre is right for you and then start taking guitar lessons in Philadelphia.  It’s ok if you still aren’t sure where to start, you will find that genre that suits you soon enough.

For guitar lessons in Philadelphia, contact the David Joel Guitar Studio today!

Phone: (215) 831-8640

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