Learning to play guitar can be both a rewarding and challenging experience. For someone learning to play online, however, the challenge can be two-fold: You can unknowingly develop bad habits. And, there’s no one to point them out to you.
Even with these downers, you can still enjoy online guitar lessons while mastering proper tricks and habits.
All you need is to be aware of these beginner mistakes and make a conscious effort to avoid them.
1.Avoiding playing in front of others
Most guitar pros. you know, and respect were at some point in their learning journey, shy to play in front of others. So, if you don’t feel like playing in front of others too, know you are not alone.
However, it is essential to understand why you need to move from playing solo to playing in front and with others quickly.
First, you are learning to play guitar because you hope in the future to play with others. Secondly, even if you don’t end up playing in a band, you still want to improve your skills.
Here’s where playing in front of others early on comes in. When you begin to play in front of others, it doesn’t matter whether they are family friends or fellow guitarists, you gradually start to develop the confidence to face an audience.
Playing in front of others, especially before more experienced guitarists, means you can quickly level up your skills as you will receive valuable feedback from them.
- Playing too fast, too soon
We get it. You want to become the next hotshot in the guitar world. And you can’t wait to start blaring those sounds that have been haunting your dreams.
But the problem is, you’re just starting. As it is, you currently don’t have enough depth and skillset to create the kind of music you desire or play your favorite songs.
We understand just how frustrating it feels, not doing what you want; however, if you desire to truly master the right tricks and techniques, you will need to slow down.
- Not holding the guitar properly
It may sound funny to experienced players, but beginners often find it challenging to learn the proper way to hold their guitar.
It is not uncommon to see new players holding the guitar face up when playing. While playing, pay attention to how the guitar hugs your body.
If you are seated, be sure the curve is on your knees, and rib cage – this way, your arms are free.
- Not learning proper picking and strumming
It’s not your fault; you always seem to strum with a lot of strength; after all, you are just learning. However, being aware of your lack of proper picking and strumming is a great first step to remedy things.
Most beginner guitarists, often think they need to apply a little more strength when practicing. The result, unfortunately, is a sound that is harsh and off.
Even if you are self-taught and using online lessons to learn how to play guitar, you can still become aware of this mistake and avoid it. All you need is a well-structured tutorial and a teacher to guide and answer all your questions.
You can try Guitar Tricks video lessons and its Core Learning System taking advantage of its free trial membership to work with professional and experienced teachers.
- Not practicing enough
Mastering guitar is a function of the number of hours you put in daily. Most newbie players usually make the mistake of not practicing enough.
It is not enough to play for hours during one session and not practice again for days. To build up muscle memory, you have to practice consistently.
Be sure to make it a habit of practicing, even if it is just for 20 minutes, every single day. Create a routine you are comfortable with and religiously follow it.
- Not setting any goals
We mentioned earlier beginners make the mistake of not practicing enough. That is not all; they also often fail to set specific goals of what they need to learn during each session.
You see, it is not just enough to pick your guitar and start strumming, you have to set a clear goal of what you want to achieve.
Be deliberate about what technique or skill you want to master. And, then during your practice session, focus only on that area.
- Not tuning before playing
We know, tuning your equipment each time you want to play can be a downer. You want to get into playing right away – a common mistake most beginner guitarists make.
You see, each time you set the guitar down, the tuning may be altered. To be sure you will get the same consistent sound, you will have to tune the equipment, even if slightly.
There you have the 7 common mistakes beginners make. Hopefully, now you know about them, you can avoid them as you learn to play guitar online.
