Guitar is one of the most popular and versatile instruments in the world. You can play almost any style of music on it, from rock to classical to jazz. Learning guitar can be challenging but rewarding, as you develop new skills and discover new sounds. Whether you want to play for yourself or for others, guitar can be a great hobby that enriches your life.
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Playing the Guitar
as a hobby
A guitar is more than just a sound box… it is part of your soul.
Manuel Velazquez
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Helpful content to get started
We curated content to familiarize you with playing the guitar as a hobby and to inspire and help you get started.
We strive for accuracy, but errors may occur. Always use your judgment.
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Playing guitar can improve your brain function, memory, creativity, mood, and stress levels.
Basic lingo for orientation.
- Action: The distance between the strings and the fretboard. A low action makes it easier to play, but a high action can produce more volume and tone.
- Capo: A device that clamps onto the neck of the guitar and shortens the strings, changing their pitch. It allows you to play songs in different keys without changing your fingerings.
- Chord: A combination of three or more notes played at the same time. There are many types of chords, such as major, minor, seventh, etc2
- Fret: A metal strip on the fretboard that divides it into sections. Each fret represents a half-step or semitone in pitch.
- Pick: A small piece of plastic or metal that is used to pluck or strum the strings. Picks come in different shapes, sizes and thicknesses.
- Scale: A sequence of notes that follows a certain pattern of intervals. Scales are used to create melodies and solos. There are many types of scales, such as major, minor, pentatonic, etc.
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How to break the ice and make a start.
An obvious first step is to buy a guitar. However, buying a guitar can be overwhelming, especially if you are not sure what kind of guitar you want or need. And even though there are some affordable quality guitars available, it is still a financial investment that might deter you from starting.
So here are some alternatives you can try before buying your first guitar:
- Use a virtual guitar app to get a basic feel and confidence for the next step.
- Visit your local music store to see and try different guitars. You can have some hands-on experience, and ask questions. Don’t feel obliged to buy a guitar on your first visit.
- Borrow a guitar from a friend or family member. The guitar is a popular instrument, so you probably know someone who owns one. It is also possible that they don’t use it much and they will be happy to lend it to you.
Once you have a guitar in hand, whether it’s yours or borrowed, you are lucky, because there are plenty of great online learning resources. The Simply Guitar or Yousician apps are great ones to start with.
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