How to Become an Expert Guitarist – Take Your Playing to the Next Level.
Are you an aspiring guitarist but don’t know how to become an expert? Have you been playing guitar but feel stuck and like your playing barely progressing no matter how much you practice? Does playing awesome guitar feel like an elusive dream that you can’t quite reach?
Leave behind mediocrity and feel the thrill of becoming an expert guitarist! It’s not impossible, regardless of your current level of playing. In this blog post, we’ll explain precisely what you need to do in order to become an expert guitarist – as long as you’re willing to commit and put in the effort of course.
Are you ready to take your playing to the next level? Let’s get started!
Understand the Fundamentals of Guitar
The very first step any aspiring guitarist must take is to understand the fundamentals of guitar. These basics will form the foundation required to build your playing upon, and so it’s essential to learn them well. You won’t be able to play expert-level guitar without mastering the basics first.
Let’s start by getting familiar with the anatomy of the guitar. This includes familiarizing yourself with the different parts of the guitar and what they are used for – such as the strings, fretboard, pickups, and more.
In order to play the guitar, it’s important to also learn about the various techniques used for playing – such as strumming, picking, fingerpicking, and tapping. You’ll want to make sure you understand the principles of both rhythm and lead guitar. On top of that, don’t forget to learn about music theory and chords.
Don’t worry if it all sounds overwhelming at first – the key is to simply take it one step at a time. Concentrate on one concept until you master it and slowly work your way through the rest.
Learn to Listen and Play by Ear
When it comes to understanding the fundamentals of playing guitar, it’s essential to learn how to listen and play by ear. This means being able to pick up on a song or guitar solo that you heard and have the ability to start playing it without ever having seen the tab or sheet music for the song.
This isn’t an easy task to undertake and it will require a lot of practice and patience. Keep in mind, though, that your efforts will be rewarded as playing by ear is an invaluable skill for guitar players.
Start by listening to your favorite songs and trying to decipher the guitar parts. Listen with your full attention and really try to figure out what the guitar player is playing. Put it to practice by strumming along, and eventually you’ll progress to the point where you’ll be able to play the entire song.
Practice, Practice and Practice
Any great guitarist will tell you the same thing: practice is essential if you want to become an expert guitarist. If there’s anything that separates a mediocre guitarist from an expert guitarist, it’s the dedication to practice.
It’s important to remember that there is no “magic pill” or “secret formula” that can suddenly make you an expert at guitar. The most important thing to remember is that it takes patience and determination.
The best way to become a truly great guitarist is to practice regularly for a sustained period of time. It’s a good idea to set yourself specific daily practice goals – such as working on chords, scales, and solos for 20 minutes every day. Take it slow and manageable, and it won’t seem so overwhelming.
On top of that, make sure to practice with consistency. Don’t practice for 3 days in a row and then take 2 weeks off – you won’t see nearly as much progress as with consistent practicing.
Cross Train and Explore Different Genres
One of the most common mistakes made by aspiring guitarists is only focusing on a single style or genre. While this isn’t necessarily bad in itself, it’s limiting and won’t help you reach your potential as an expert guitarist.
It’s important to make an effort to explore different styles and genres of music. Doing so can give you a new perspective on playing, and will challenge you to break out of your comfort zone.
For example, if you usually play classical guitar, try exploring jazz. If you usually play rock, try your hand at reggae or blues. The possibilities are endless – so don’t limit yourself to a single style of music.
A good way to cross train is to take lessons from different teachers who play different styles of music. Or, if you can’t afford lessons, there are plenty of online resources and courses that can teach you about different genres as well.
Learn from the Experts
If you really want to become an expert guitarist, one of the best things you can do is to learn from the experts. Seek out the best guitarists in your favorite style and study their methods. Try to find interviews and lessons with these artists to gain valuable insights into their playing and technique.
You can also take lessons and courses taught by expert guitarists. Doing so can give you a detailed understanding of how they achieved their level of expertise, and it can help you understand how to become an expert yourself.
There is no substitute for learning from the masters. If you put in the effort to learn from the best, you’ll find that it pays off in spades.
Work on Building Technique
The last key factor to becoming an expert guitarist is to work on building technique. Having a solid understanding of the fundamentals is necessary, but also not enough to take your playing to the next level.
To become an expert, you need to master the techniques used by the best players. A great way to do this is to practice scales and exercises designed to target specific techniques. Examples of this are sweep picking, legato, hammer-ons, and tapping.
It goes without saying that the more variety you get in your practicing, the greater the benefits. Aim to mix up technical exercises with improvisation and composition. This will help you stay motivated and continue learning at a faster rate.
Conclusion
Becoming an expert guitarist isn’t easy and will take a lot of hard work and dedication. However, don’t ever give up – as long as you have the dedication, it’s possible to take your playing to the next level.
At the end of the day, it comes down to understanding the fundamentals, practicing regularly, exploring different genres, and improving your playing by learning from the best. Follow this advice, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an expert guitarist!