In 2016 I will get creative by... learning guitar

3 January 2016

Have you always wanted to play guitar but never got round to learning? Or not been sure where to start?

If you want to get strumming those guitar strings in 2016 we're here to help. We've enlisted Get Creative champions Brighter Sound to give their top five tips for getting going on the path from zero to guitar hero and got a firsthand account from someone who's only picked up a guitar for the first time this year. Let's get ready to rock in 2016!

Slash - getting down with the sound

Beanie hat and beard optional

When you first start learning to play the guitar, it may be tempting to go straight for ‘The Edge’ style stuff, but try to take it one step at a time. Keep it simple and set yourself achievable goals for each practice session. Begin with a few easy chords and work your way up to simple melodies. Before long you will find you can apply your skills to songs that you actually enjoy listening to and want to emulate. Patience and perseverance are the key to achieving long term goals and you will be rewarded with less frustration and greater satisfaction for your efforts.

As with most learned skills, effective practice is all about repetition. The more you play, the more proficient you will become and before long your brain will internalize the connection between hand movement and sound so that playing becomes an automatic process. Being shown the correct techniques by a skilled teacher is crucial of course, especially when you are learning the fundamentals. Whether you want to acquire a musical skill or learn a language, the same principal applies: things become easier with every focused repetition you make - even though it may not feel like that to start with.

When you first start learning the guitar try to take the ‘little and often’ approach. Time spent playing should only last around five to ten minutes for the first few weeks, but the more of these mini guitar sessions you can fit into your day, the better. Two or three short bursts a day will do you more good than one long session a week, and the length of your practice sessions will naturally get longer as your skills improve. Don't expect too much from yourself too soon. You will be making progress every time you play.

Try to practice by yourself at first. It is easy to feel self-conscious or get distracted if you are practicing within earshot of other people. Find a time when no-one else is around and a space where you will not be disturbed or end up disturbing those around you. Spend time alone with your guitar, practicing in your own way, and use your enjoyment of playing to drive your learning forward. Putting on a performance for friends and family once you feel prepared will be a great boost to your self-confidence and act as a feel-good incentive to learn more.

Most importantly, have fun while you learn and enjoy the sounds you can make and the music you most enjoy playing. As you begin to really get the hang of it you’ll be keen to progress, but it is important to enjoy playing simply for the sake of playing and take time to appreciate what you have achieved. The creative possibilities in music are endless so constantly challenging yourself and having loads of focused practice is great, but try not to lose sight of what you love about music and what you really want to get out of playing the guitar.

Brighter Sound
Brighter Sound is a producer of creative music projects and events. It pioneers new ways to explore music, with an interest in the spaces that exist in the current offer.

When I first joined Brighter Sound’s beginner guitar lessons at Band on the Wall I decided to join in the group classes. I felt that sharing the same learning experience with other beginners would give me a more relaxed experience than one-to-one sessions with a guitar teacher. Meeting others new to the guitar - like me - gave me confidence and seeing us all improve together gave me a lot of satisfaction. I really enjoyed playing chord progressions and familiar songs together with the whole group and our teacher Noel. After each lesson, during my own personal practice time, I think being part of a group motivated me, because I wanted to keep up with the progress everyone was making together.

I am very happy with being able to play some of my favorite songs and now I can relax at home with my guitar, strumming and finger picking my stresses away

In my lessons, learning things that were completely new to me was quite challenging, but I also enjoyed learning songs I recognized and being taught to play them properly. The lessons covered a wide range of styles and techniques so that the musical tastes of each student were catered for, and there was an ongoing progression of ‘how to’ technical challenges every week.

I have now decided to move on to one-to-one lessons with Noel because I feel I have improved past the beginner stage and would gain from more personalised lessons. I am very happy with being able to play some of my favourite songs and now I can relax at home with my guitar, strumming and finger-picking my stresses away.

I would recommend group lessons to anyone who is interested in learning the guitar and wants an easy going, fun introduction to playing. When you are ready, you always have the option to go on and have one-to-one instruction at your own pace, and focus your learning on a musical style that suits you.