You probably know the feeling: you finally got your hands on your very first guitar and you are ready to rock. There are only a few problems. You have no idea how to play the thing and you don’t know anyone who can teach you. You do the only thing you can think of; you go online and find a video tutorial that appears to be right up your alley. You watch the video and try to play along. It looks so easy when the guy in the video does it. Why can’t you play like that? You try and try again and again, but it just doesn’t seem to be happening for you. I know that’s how it was for me. I would watch video tutorials and try to play along with the instructor, but I just couldn’t seem to keep up. I didn’t know why. I was playing exactly what he was playing. I was playing the right chords, the right notes and I was even playing them at the right time. I still couldn’t play like he could. I have since learned the problem. I was making the same mistakes that most new players make.
Here are the 7 most common mistakes new guitar players make. Avoiding these 7 things will make you a better guitar player and help you improve faster.
Mistake 1) No Game Plan Most new guitar players have no idea where to start when they first pick up the instrument. They go online and search for a video tutorial or two, then try to play along with what they see on the screen. This is great, except most videos are part of a series. The video you are watching is not the first video the instructor made. He probably made several videos before the one you are watching. Each video builds on the last one, so there is some knowledge that you do not have because you missed the previous videos. Don’t make this mistake. Find a series of videos and start at the beginning. It will make a lot more sense in the long run.
Mistake 2) Inconsistent Practice This is huge! Most players practice for a few hours a day for a few days, then they don’t practice at all for a week or more. It does not work this way. It is better to practice for 20 minutes a day than to practice for a few hours one day and not practice again for a week. The reason is muscle memory. The more consistent you are, the faster your muscle memory will build. This is essential for playing smoothly and cleanly.
Mistake 3) Poor Finger Placement There is a right and wrong way to place your fingers on the fingerboard of your guitar. Placing your fingers in the wrong position can cause the strings to buzz or sound muted. If this is happening to you, you are probably placing your fingers too far from the fret. You need to place your fingers as close to the fret as possible without going over it. It will take some time to learn where the right spot is. Just keep at it and you will get there.
Mistake 4) Playing Too Fast When you first start playing, you probably want to learn how to play fast. That is just natural. It is exciting to play fast. Don’t worry. With practice, you will be playing fast in no time. Just don’t sacrifice accuracy to play faster. Practice slowly and focus on accuracy first. Once you get the hang of playing smoothly and accurately, you will find that you are playing much faster without even realizing it.
Mistake 5) Ignoring Rhythm and Timing Most players ignore rhythm and timing altogether, at least when they first start playing. Don’t make that mistake. Timing is everything in music. If you are not playing in time, you are not making music. I like to play along with backing tracks or a metronome to practice my timing. It really helps.
Mistake 6) Quitting to Soon This is a big one! I think most players want to throw their guitars out of the window at some point or another. I know I did. You get frustrated. You aren’t improving as fast as you want. You are not playing as well as you want. All of this is normal. Just keep practicing. You will get there eventually. Don’t compare yourself to other players. Every player started just like you. Even the really good players had to start at square one.
Mistake 7) Not Playing Music Playing exercises and scales is great, but if you don’t ever play any actual music, you are going to get bored with your instrument. I don’t know about you, but I play because I enjoy it. There is nothing quite like playing a song you love. When I was first learning how to play, I went through a huge Jimi Hendrix phase. I listened to nothing but Jimi for months. I learned how to play all of his songs. This kept me playing and practicing. It was fun!
So, there you have it. The 7 most common mistakes new guitar players make and how to avoid them. If you just remember these 7 things, you will be well on your way to becoming a great guitar player.