Guitar Musician News

Deciding to take up the acoustic guitar means that there will be more investments than just your first guitar purchase. Even casual players will find that they have certain types of accessories that they need on a regular basis in order to enhance their playing abilities. These acoustic guitar accessories can be divided up into a few different categories; for this article, we are using performance and maintenance categories. Performance items, of course, are for people who play or plan to play up in front of people, whether at a coffee shop or on a bigger stage. Maintenance accessories are the things that any guitar player will find they need from time to time in order to keep their instrument performing at the highest level.

Performance

When you are performing, you want to sound your best. The first step is choosing a good brand of guitar known for its sound audio qualities, such as those made by Yamaha or Washburn.

The type of guitar you use for performance will depend on the place in which you play. Smaller areas will not require any systems of sound broadcast, as the music will resonate throughout the space. For larger areas, though, or if you will be playing while leading singing or while accompanied by a band, you will want to be sure that you choose a good style from the many varieties of acoustic guitar pickups. Many guitars are sold with pickups already installed, but it is possible to buy an acoustic guitar pickup separately and have it put in, or to buy one that does not need installation and can be slipped into the sound hole. Both types of acoustic guitar pickups work well with all acoustic guitar amps.

Make sure, as well, that when you are performing you have an extra set of acoustic guitar strings with you. If your strings have just been changed, you should have no problem on a set. However, if it has been a couple of weeks and you have been playing steadily, the chances are good that you will break a string. You don’t want to be caught without backup!

Maintenance

All guitar players need to make sure that they protect the investment they made with the purchase of an acoustic guitar. Proper storage is one of the key steps in making sure that your Yamaha or other type of acoustic guitar stays healthy. Select a good case to keep your guitar in during transport; there are both soft and hard acoustic guitar cases, and the harder the case, the safer your instrument is. Hard shell acoustic guitar cases also provide more reliable protection in household storage.

You might also want to leave your acoustic guitar out. This is a good option for people who play their guitars several times a day. In this case, acoustic guitar stands are ideal. The best acoustic guitar stands are those that allow the guitar to remain upright, hanging by the neck just where it meets the headstock.

Acoustic guitars require a little bit more in the way of maintenance than electric guitars, speaking generally. The open box which contributes to the sound of acoustic guitars, as well as their construction, are the reasons for this.

It doesn’t matter if you’re wanting to become the next famous guitar player or you just want to be able to entertain your family and friends around the campfire, there are many sources available to you. A “learn to play guitar video” is probably one of the best places to start.  The reason for this is you can actually see the steps necessary as opposed to reading a book which can sometimes be confusing if you are in the beginner stages of learning the guitar.  Just like any instrument, the guitar requires a great deal of patience and practice unless you are one of the few gifted guitar players.  And even the gifted players do a certain amount of practicing to get there chops to where they like them.

A learn to play guitar video takes the guess work out of many of the aspects of learning by showing you exactly where to place your fingers.  It can also show you techniques rather than try to explain them on paper.  Another important aspect of a learn to play guitar video is that you can actually here the sounds and compare them to the sounds that you are making. This shows you if you’re playing it correctly or not. Its like having a guitar instructor right there in the same room with you.  However, it takes discipline on your part to follow through with suggestions that are made on the video and for some this can be trying.  Noone is going to check your progress the next time you sit down to a lesson.  It requires you to be responsible enough to follow through on your own.  You know what they say ‘no pain, no gain’!  And we all know that sometimes practice can be painful. (ouch on those fingertips)

For younger people, one on one lessons can be an important ingredient to learning to play the guitar but once they have a few of the basics under their belt and have proven their interest and dedication to guitar, they will enthusiastically learn.  Players who have a passion for the guitar don’t consider it work at all but pure pleasure.  I remember as a kid, that I couldn’t wait to get home to my guitar so I could start making music. You didn’t have to nag me to do it.  In fact more times than not, I had to be told to put my guitar down and do my homework.

Today with the internet there are numerous resources to find a  learn to play guitar video online and from your home computer.  Searching via google or yahoo can probably find you what you’re looking for but even better if you know a friend who has what you’re looking for and is happy with his or her results, ask them if they would mind sharing the source with you.  You could even get together and learn as a group.  Its always more fun to share your knowledge and licks with someone who has the same thirst for music as you do.  Learning to play the guitar to a very high level can take years but the satisfaction you gain from finally playing a song from beginning to end is indescribable.

The most valuable advice I could give someone learning to play the guitar is to be patient, find some type of course or dvd (there are many online) so you avoid making long-term mistakes, and learn a new song every now and then.  This is important as it keeps your interest level up and you don’t get bored with the same old song time and again.

A learn to play guitar video will implement a structured lesson plan, and keep you honest in your practice time and habits.  Good practice habits are absolutely essential in learning the guitar properly.