One of the most common questions I get from my students (both online and offline) is:
Tom, what's the easiest way to learn guitar?
If I had a dollar for every time I heard that 🙂
So, my young Padawans, let's have a look at this question in detail.
Can learning guitar be easy?
If you are looking for an easy way to learn to play guitar in 10 days, you just got to stop and ask yourself a few things.
- Can I really build a complex skill in a week?
- And if I could, wouldn't everyone be playing guitar like Slash?
Don't be silly now. There is no pill you take and wake up the next day and become awesome at guitar. Are you looking for a quick and simple way to learn chords, scales, and whatnot? Well, sorry, but there isn't any. You have to work for it, and it will take a while.
Guitar stars like Eric Clapton, Slash, BB King make it look so easy, right?
Yeah, but they've been playing for decades. How long have you been playing?
I know there are a bunch of ebooks, software, and websites promising to have you playing guitar easily in 10 days, just give them $50...
Don't believe them.
Period.
So what is the simplest way to learn to play?
With all of the above out of the way, lets talk about why you are actually here. To find out what's the right way to learn guitar, as quickly as possible. Not in 10 days, but sooner than later.
During my years teaching guitar (20+), I've consistently found that the best method for teaching people guitar was to get them playing real songs as soon as possible.
So basically, whatever skill you learn, you have to practice is in the context of real music, preferably popular songs that you know.
To break it down, the learning process is as follows
- Learn a new skill,
- practice it by playing a song.
- Learn another new skill,
- practice it by playing another song.
- Rinse and repeat.
Believe me, the simplest way to learn guitar chords, scales, solos, whatever you want, is by learning them through playing songs.
Why?
Because this keeps things interesting and motivating.
I have heard of some teachers having their students do constant drills, finger exercises, theory, etc. This could actually be coined as the "Hardest way to learn guitar" 🙂
Why are you learning guitar in the first place? Maybe you want to impress your friends, maybe you want to become a musician, or maybe you just want to learn your favorite songs. Whatever your reasoning might be, ultimately, the reason you start playing guitar is to play music. Start with easy beginner songs, and progress from there.
So let it sink in.
The easiest way to learn to play guitar, is through learning songs.
This is the key, this is what you need to do to start playing as quickly as possible, and advance at an optimal pace. Have a look at our free Ultimate Guide to Learning Guitar, and you'll be on your way.