Lesson 7 - The Moment You Have Been Waiting For: Playing Songs

Songs. We learn to play the guitar because we want to play some songs, or even create our own music. Or maybe you want to be like your favorite rock stars, and you want to play their songs, exactly as they do. And nope, Guitar Hero will not do that for you.

Start out with something simple. Remember that the simpler you start out with, the easier it is going to get when you feel you are ready to play something more complicated. Begin with a song that only uses three chords in a simple progression. You can usually find this by searching the Internet. You will be surprised at all the hits you will get. The songs will either be available in a tab version or a chord version. These days it is easier to find songs in a tab version rather than a chord version, and you might have an easier time playing with the tabs.

Break up your song into parts, and practice each part separately. This may take time, yes, but it will keep you from getting overwhelmed. First, listen to the song you are trying to learn first, play along with the first part, then turn off the song and try to play it by yourself. Once you get comfortable with that first part, go on to the next part and go from there. This is an incredibly effective way of learning songs. Do not expect to just look at a song and be able to play it right off the bat. It will take time, and it will take practice. But in the end, it’ll all be worth it.

Once you have learned all parts of the song, put it all together, and play it in a loop. Keep on playing it, until you have just about got the entire song down. Now, try playing without looking at your hands. You do not want to be one of those guitar players that are always staring as their fingers as they play. It looks so amateurish. Get a guitar strap, and walk around the house while you play. Walk in circles around your room, and look around while you play. Once you get at is with this, try playing your song in front of a good friend, or your family, and bask in your glory!

Playing songs correctly is indeed a big feat in your journey to learn to play the guitar. Once you learn your first song, you have the thirst to learn more. If you are trying to come up with your own songs, sit and think, and just allow your fingers do what they want when you play. Your hands literally have a life of their own when you start playing, so let them do their job and see what they come up with.

Play with chords, learn tabs, learn more songs as you go along. The more you play, the more you practice, the better you will become and motivated you will be at honing your new skill. With constant practice and dedication, you are well on your way to that stage!