Guitar Mastery: Delivering the Sweet Strums of Music.
Guitar music is loved by millions all around the world. Whether you’re an acoustic fan, electric aficionado, or melody maestro, playing the guitar is an incredibly rewarding, immersive way to channel your innermost emotions.
Despite what you may think, it’s not just a tool for bedroom jamming – mastering the guitar can take you on a road to serious musical proficiency. To become a ‘guitar master’, you need much more than just a few power chords and a few basic techniques. You have to have the right attitude, practice regularly, and a genuine love of music that drive you forward.
In this blog we’ll explore the steps you’ll need to take to unlock playing on a much higher level. From finding the guitar style and sounds you want to build on to mastering performance techniques, and pushing the boundaries to find inspiring new music, there’s a lot to cover.
So, if you’re serious about turning your love of playing the guitar into ‘guitar mastery’, let’s get started.
Getting Started: Choosing Your Guitar Style
Your choice of guitar style will, to an extent, determine how quickly you get to grips with the guitar, and what sort of music you’re likely to create. The three most popular types of guitar are electric, acoustic and classical – each one comes with its own particular advantages and disadvantages.
Electric Guitar
The electric guitar has become synonymous with popular music. Plug in an amp and you can get your own personal sound without even moving a muscle. You have access to an array of effects and amp models to craft the tone you’ve been working towards.
The biggest benefit of electric guitars is pure volume. If you’re playing live, you can easily fill a room without going through any hassle. This doesn’t mean they sound better than other guitars, just that they’re better suited for live concerts.
Electric guitars also come with their own unique set of techniques, from initial strikes and fingerstyle to lead and rhythm playing. These techniques are necessary for playing electric guitar properly.
The main disadvantage of electric guitars is the cost – and you’ll find it much more difficult to mingle amongst an acoustic jam session in some barn.
Acoustic Guitar
The acoustic guitar is one of the most commonly used types of guitar. There’s something special about the way it conveys emotion, as the plucking of strings echoes out of the resonating body of the guitar.
Unlike electric guitars, acoustic guitars come in a wide variety of styles and body shapes, which can be beneficial if you’re looking for something specific. You can also go the traditional route, playing the classical style, while enjoying the comfort of a smaller body.
Playing acoustic guitar also poses a variety of challenges: It relies heavily on your comfort, touch and technique. To really make the most of your guitar playing in this genre, you need to think about every technique you employ and learn certain hand shaping disciplines.
Classical Guitar
The classical guitar has a come a long way since the early days of Romance and Flamenco. Classical guitarists are some of the most accomplished technical guitarists around – any aspiring guitarist should familiarise themselves with the genre.
The main advantage of playing the classical guitar is that there are a host of intricacies that come with the instrument. You’ll need to establish a high level of finger control, maintain accurate timing and compose your own musical passages. This particular guitar style is all about intentional musical deviations that create moments of beauty and surprise.
If you’re looking to improve your finger dexterity, develop improved ear training and become a more rounded musician, learning the classical guitar could be an invaluable step.
The Secret to Guitar Mastery: Regular Practice
Guitar mastery does not happen overnight; substantial effort on your part will be needed. The best way to plan your practice sessions is to agree on a specific goal and then assign parts of your practice session to achieving it.
Focus on one skill at a time, perfecting it before moving onto the next. This way, you’re less likely to rush into techniques you’re not ready for.
Aim for two good hours of practice a day. Of course, this is subjective and the more time you can dedicate to your music, the better. Another thing to bear in mind is to have a practice routine and stick to it. By establishing a routine and making it part of your everyday life, it will become easier to keep up with your skills.
Moreover, it’s also worth trying to go outside your comfort zone at regular intervals and challenge yourself to learn something new – like a new rhythm or a complex technique. Set yourself tasks that are ambitious enough to make you push yourself, yet achievable enough to actually accomplish.
Finally, remember to enjoy yourself throughout the process. Music should be fun and a way of expressing yourself – so be sure to allow yourself the freedom to play whatever you want and enjoy every moment of it.
Creating your Guitar Sound
No one was born with the perfect sound. Rather, mastering the sound of your guitar takes a great sense of experimentation and experimentation.
Most guitarists rely on external effects and amp models to create their signature sound. With all the possibilities for effects and amp settings, it can be easy to get lost in the excitement and lose focus of your overall goal.
Take a step back and focus on what inspires you. Ask yourself what it is about your favorite artist’s music that lights you up, and try to mimic a little of that in your own playing.
From there, you can work on using effects as enhancers and spices to add variety and texture to your playing. Often, it’s the combination of all these elements that makes someone’s sound truly unique.
Mastering Performance Techniques
In addition to your sound, mastering performance techniques is a key part of mastering any instrument.
From learning how to read music to understanding how to interpret rhythms, there are plenty of things you can do to take your performance to the next level. By taking the time to understand the complexities of your chosen genre, you’ll have a better idea of how to play, and what it takes to be a successful artist.
Additionally, practicing scales and using a metronome while you play will help you develop consistency, timing and accuracy. It’s also a great way to build your confidence and accuracy that will come in handy when you perform.
Breaking Out of the Box: Create and Inspire
When you’ve reached a certain level, it’s time to push your musical boundaries and create something new and meaningful.
The best way to do this is to look outside the guitar world for inspiration. Tap into other genres and explore those sonic landscapes for ideas. This may include studying different types of music, utilizing improvisation, incorporating electronic elements and more.
When you’re ready to let your own artistry bloom, the key is to experiment, try new techniques and find your sound. Embrace both failure and success, as that’s the only for way for you to become a true ‘guitar master’.
Conclusion
It takes commitment, focus and patience to become a master of the guitar, but with the right mindset and a level of dedication, you can get there.
Choose the guitar style that resonates with you, commit to regular practice and experimentation, and break out of the box to find truly inspired music. Through perseverance and an open mind, success is within reach.
Guitar mastery awaits you!