Learning to play the guitar is not easy, and even the greatest of the great find certain things hard. It’s true that no matter what anyone says, you really do have to put the work in if you want to get good. But it doesn’t have to be as hard and frustrating as you might think. Honestly! So in this post I’m going to share with you 60 easy ways to help you get better at the guitar.
Of course 60 is quite a lot but you can come back to this list over and over again for years to come. Just start with a few and keep on learning and applying more as you progress. If you can remember as many of these little lessons as you can, I promise that you will develop into a guitar master. My ultimate advice is just to be patient and enjoy the process of learning to play.
Here we go!
60 Surefire Ways to Get Better at the Guitar
In no particular order:
1. Ask yourself why you want to learn how to play the guitar
It sounds so obvious but have you ever sat down and honestly considered why you want to learn? There are a million and one reasons why someone might want to pick up the guitar. Initially it’s probably just because you think that it looks and sounds cool. That’s totally fine to start off with but as you continue to learn, start asking yourself why you want to pursue it.
This will give your practice sessions some focus and ultimately a goal for perhaps that week, that year and then in 5 or more years.
2. Know what you truly want out of it
Continuing that theme… Do you want to play to thousands of people? Do you want to play just for yourself to help you relax? Do you want to do open mic nights? There is no right or wrong but you do have to know for yourself. Remember this Seneca quote “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
3. Set clear goals
This leads us of course to setting goals. Without them you’ll just be aimlessly adrift – getting nowhere fast! Always be working to clear goals that you truly want to achieve. What do you want to be able to do on the guitar? Where do you want it to take you? Like the cliche job interview question, ask yourself – where do I want my guitar playing to be in five years’ time? The clearer the goals you have, the more likely you’ll be able to achieve them.
4. Put a practice schedule in place
So you know why you want to learn, what you truly want out of it and you have crystal clear goals that you’re going to work towards. Now it’s time to put a practice schedule in place.
Be realistic here, don’t say that you can practice 4 hours a day when you simply can’t due to other commitments. Add up exactly how much time you really have to dedicate to the guitar. If you want more time but don’t currently have it, then you have to prioritise what is most important to you. Either way, put a clear schedule in place for your practice time.
5. Do the work
We all know what we have to do but we all still need telling sometimes – get to work, do the practice! Stick to your schedule and focus. If something comes up and you have to miss an occasional session, don’t beat yourself up! It’s normal to have to be a bit flexible for practically everything in life but be as ridged as you can be when it comes to your practice sessions.
6. Keep a practice diary, if it helps
Many people find that keeping a simple diary of their practice sessions helps them to stay focused. You can write out how each of your sessions goes, what you worked on, what you need to improve on and what you want to put your efforts into in the next session. Try it, you may well find that it really helps you out.
7. Little and often
Just remember that it’s better to practice a little bit each day as opposed to a chunk of time one day per week. If you practice just for a little bit everyday then the guitar is always on your mind and your fingers are always on the fretboard. Try to fit it in even if you’re really pressed for time, you’ll thank yourself later.
8. Don’t focus on too many things
Very few (if any) guitarists can do it all. Whilst it might be possible to be a jack of all trades, master of none, I think it’s probably better not to spread yourself too thin trying to get good at everything.
9. Create an ideal practice environment
When it’s time to practice, do it somewhere you’re not going to be disturbed every 5 minutes. You need a space where you can focus and get into a state of flow – the more you can concentrate in peace, the quicker you will learn.
10. Buy guitar books
Even today with the wealth of content readily available online, books are still are great way of helping you learn the guitar. Sometimes, there’s nothing quite like the written word and there are a wealth of classic guitar education books to choose from that transcend all modern technology. So start building up a library of them!
11. Use YouTube
YouTube is obviously an incredible platform from which to learn anything. There are literally millions of completely free and great lessons just waiting for you to discover. A few great channels are Justin Guitar, Marty Schwartz, Andy Guitar and of course Six String Fingerpicking.
12. Online Courses
Whilst YouTube is amazing, the reality is that there are too many distractions. You could start up with the aim of studying hard but end up watching videos of cats playing guitar! This really isn’t ideal – actually it’s a great way to quickly cancel out any learning. The best way to remove all the noise and help you focus is to invest in online guitar courses. Like my course The Complete Guide to Fingerstyle Guitar: Beginner Level.
13. Get a Private Tutor
Possibly the best investment you can make in your playing is to hire a professional guitar tutor that is skilled in the area of guitar that you want to pursue. This is very important, don’t hire a metal teacher if you want to learn jazz! Good teachers are worth their weight in gold and have the potential to take your guitar playing to heights you didn’t even know were possible. Have lessons, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or just whenever you feel you could use some guidance.
14. Learn with a friend
Learning with someone else that wants to learn can be a great way to help you stay motivated and accountable. You can help each other out and it’s nice to have someone to talk to about all the things you’re struggling with.
15. Play with others
Once you’ve got the basics down and can strum more or less in time, you’re ready to start jamming with others. Guitarists are basically on every street in the world and most are more than happy to get together for a friendly jam. You’re bound to learn something with each new person you play with and maybe make some great friends. Look online for people local to yourself.
16. Perform at an open mic night
Open mic nights take place in most towns and can be great fun. They’re a good way of meeting new people and playing in front of a friendly crowd. Head to your local one and get involved, even if you don’t play the first time you go you’ll probably meet some nice people that you can jam with.
17. Join a band
Why not join or start your own band? You can play covers of songs that you love or your own songs that you’ve crafted. Start gigging regularly and you will notice that your playing will get tighter, more confident and that your musical awareness grows rapidly.
18. Learn your chords
Start by learning the open position chords, then move onto 7th chords, then barre chords, then the CAGED chords and then extended chords. Always be growing your chord vocabulary because they will all come in handy at some point and you never want to be stumped by any chord. Eventually, if you really stick with it, you’ll know how to play every single chord there is and you won’t need a book to show you how to play them.
19. Learn some arpeggios
Arpeggios are basically just the notes of any particular chord. By practising them you start to learn what notes make up each chord and you can use arpeggios to write melodies and solos and you’ll find that they generally just make your playing sound more musical. They teach you to truly understand chords and the notes within them.
20. Learn some scales
Scales help you to understand keys, you use them to solo with, write melodies and songs and they generally just help you to better understand the fretboard. There are so many scales out there but you really don’t need to learn them all. Some important ones to give time to are the major/natural minor scales, the major/minor pentatonics, the blues and the major blues scales and perhaps the modes of the major scale. That’ll be more than enough to keep you busy for a while! From there, you can see if you want to study any more.
21. Decide if theory is for you
For some people music theory really helps to make everything make sense. It helps them visualise the fretboard better, understand music more and it aids their playing. For others it’s just a headache and no matter how much they study it, it just doesn’t help. So try it and if you find you like it and it helps then pursue it, if it’s to the contrary then don’t force it.
22. Develop your ear
Learning to play by ear is tough, initially anyway, but once you can do it it’s an incredible tool. Think about it, you hear something and then boom, you can just play it. No sheet music required, just your ears. If you’re serious about your playing then you need to start dedicating some practice time to ear training.
23. Learn to love the metronome
Without a doubt, being able to play in time is one of the most important things to be able to do when it comes to learning any instrument. Many people that have been playing for years may not even realise that their timing sucks, so get used to working with a click as soon as possible. Eventually, it’ll become second nature and your timing will be spot on.
24. Trust the process
Sometimes it really feels like you’re getting nowhere with the guitar, even though you’ve been rigidly sticking to your practice schedule. Trust the process – if you’re putting in the work, it will pay off – but it can take a lot longer than you’d planned or hoped. Just keep turning up!
25. Learn the notes on the fretboard
Like theory, learning all the notes on the fretboard inside out doesn’t work for everyone and there are many great players that can’t tell you them. But it’s worth having a go and seeing if it works for you. It may help you navigate the fretboard with increased ease and better understand what’s going on.
26. Learn your keys
Get comfortable in as many keys as you can, preferably all of them. Of course this takes a lot of work, but what doesn’t? Songs are in different keys so you will want to be able to switch between them without having to scratch your head too much.
27. Use a capo
Capos are great for lots of reasons, mainly because they make it easy to transpose keys and help you out with not having to barre so much. So why wouldn’t you use one? They’re also a great tool just to sweeten up the sound sometimes.
28. Learn to transpose
Yes you can sometimes just plonk a capo on and play the same shape chords elsewhere on the fretboard. But it’s advisable to actually know what chords you’re really playing. This involves studying keys and the chords that are found in them. Again it’s hard work but totally worth it.
29. Study intervals
It’s highly likely that understanding intervals will help you out to no end. You’ll learn all about the relationships between notes, how chords are built and what each interval sounds like when played over them. It does’t help everyone but for the majority it does.
30. Find the right guitar for you
No one can tell you what guitar to buy, this is really something you just have to work out for yourself. Only you have your brain, your fingers and your preferences for sound, feel, aesthetics, etc. Get to as many guitar shops as you can and play as many guitars as possible. Then buy the one you can’t stop thinking about!
31. Find gear that’s right for you
Just like buying a guitar, no one can tell you what other gear you should be using. This goes for strings, leads, effects, amps and anything else related to the guitar. It’s just something you’ve got to work out on your own via trial and error.
32. Don’t be afraid to be yourself
Like everything in life you shouldn’t be afraid to be yourself when it comes to all things guitar. Think of any famous guitarist – they are all unique, they are all themselves and so you should be too. My advice is to try to avoid always emulating other players. It’s only natural to do this as you start out but shake the habit as soon as possible and find your own style.
33. Experiment
Playing the guitar is a lot about creativity, so experiment and do it all the time. If you have some whacky idea, try it out and see what happens. Experiment with different gear, with chords, scales, arpeggios, rhythms and anything and everything else that you can think of. Just mess around, a lot.
34. Understand it’s a lifelong process
Be in it for the long haul. Once you realise that you’re going to be playing for multiple years/decades/the rest of your life then you can understand that there really isn’t any rush. Don’t expect to be a master in an unrealistically short timeframe and instead remember that it’s a long process that should be enjoyed.
35. Expect bad days
You will have days where you hate the guitar. It’s probably because you can’t get it to do what you want but this is a normal feeling and happens to everybody. Expect it, accept it, and turn up again tomorrow.
36. Never think you know it all
Guitar know-it-alls are all over the world and they’re just as annoying in Timbuktu as they are in your town. Don’t be one, you don’t know everything and you never will. Remember that you’re a lifelong student of the craft.
37. Keep your guitar in a stand
It’s interesting how something so simple can make such a large difference to your overall skill level. If you keep your guitar on a stand where you can always see it then you will pick it up and play it more often. Remember the simple saying ‘out of site, out of mind’? Do the opposite!
38. Have guitars dotted around your house
If you have multiple guitars dotted around your home, all in stands, then you’ll be picking it up all the time. This can only be a good thing. Plus they look so damn pretty.
39. Teach the guitar
When I first started teaching I was amazed at how much it actually helped my own playing. Why? Because to teach something effectively you really have to know it inside out. Students will ask you all kinds of questions that you just don’t anticipate so you’re forced to think hard about whatever it is you’re teaching. You don’t have to be a master to teach, you just need to know more than the person you’re teaching.
40. Learn a song all the way through
Often you might just learn a small part of a song, perhaps just the riff or the chorus. But if you haven’t done so yet, make it a priority to learn a song right the way through from start to finish. It’s a real milestone for anyone learning an instrument.
41. Start building your repertoire
You can practise every exercise, every arpeggio, scale, technique, and so on, but at the end of the day people want to hear songs. So give them what they want! You’d be amazed at how many people get stumped when they’re asked to play a tune.
42. Create an ideal practice environment
When it’s time to practice, do it somewhere where you’re not going to be frequently disturbed. You need a space where you can focus and get into a state of flow, which will speed up your learning.
43. Study the greats
Find out who’s iconic in the style of music you enjoy and then study them. Watch how their fingers move across the fretboard, looking out for the little things they do that make them unique, learn their songs, and listen to interviews where they discuss their guitar playing and approach. You will learn an awful lot and it will inspire and aid your own playing.
44. Go to gigs
Go and see your favourite artists and guitarists when they’re passing through your town. This will again inspire you to play more, plus you’ll just have a great time.
45. Listen to music
It sounds so obvious, but listen to a lot of music. We learn an instrument because we are fans of music, not just the guitar in isolation. Listening to a broad range of music will feed your curiosity and make you want to learn new things on the guitar. Always be listening.
46. Warm up
It’s the same as playing a sport, be sure to warm up a little before you try to play at breakneck speed. You don’t want to do yourself any damage and be forced to put the guitar down for weeks on end to recover. Spend the first ten minutes or so easing in and getting the movement back in your fingers.
47. Build the essential fretting hand mechanics
Use drills and fretboard exercises to really help develop your mechanics. They may not be musical much of the time but they will strengthen your fingers and enhance your speed and dexterity. Scales are great for this as you can use them more musically.
48. Build the essential picking hand mechanics
Like your fretting hand, you want to use drills and exercises to develop your overall technique. This means you have to be able to strum and pick accurately. So make sure that you really develop the necessary mechanics and motor skills in both hands. Just don’t spend all your time on them or you’ll never actually be making any music.
49. Repetition
How do you get good at anything? You do it over and over and over again, until you can do it effortlessly. Take whatever it is that you’re struggling with or want to learn and repeat it, again and again and again. Don’t look for shortcuts because there aren’t any!
50. Learn your barre chords
Ever since the guitar’s invention, every guitarist has struggled with barre chords. There’s no getting around the fact they’re hard but do not give up on them. Eventually they will become easy, allowing you to start playing chords all over the fretboard, not just on the first few frets.
51. Have a comfortable action
Learning to play the guitar is hard enough, why make it any harder than it needs to be by having a really high action? Save yourself lots of pain and struggle by getting a good guitar technician to set it at a comfortable and easy-to-play height.
52. Record yourself
Microphones don’t lie and so one of the very best ways to hear how you actually sound is to record yourself, such as on your phone. You can then listen to yourself with honest ears and see what you really need to work on.
53. Care about the small details
Work on having finesse in your playing. Sure, you may be able to play all the right notes in the correct order but just how good can you make them sound? Strive for making everything that you play sound as good as it possibly can.
54. Take care of your guitars
This one’s pretty obvious but you really should look after your instrument. Don’t leave it by a radiator or anywhere the temperature fluctuates significantly. Give it a deep clean when you restring, oil your rosewood fretboard. Show it the love it deserves.
55. Use a tuner
Need I say more?
56. Write your own songs
If you’ve never done it before, write your own song – it gives a real sense of achievement. Songwriting, like everything else, requires practice so don’t expect your first one to be your best. But try it and see what happens, it’s a great way to shake up your practice routine if nothing else.
57. Study the CAGED system
You’ll hear experienced guitar players bang on about the CAGED system and, actually, I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone to tell you it’s a waste of time. It breaks up the fretboard into manageable chunks, which you can then link together, so you can navigate the fretboard with ease. It’s incredibly useful and well worth investing the time to learn it properly.
58. Celebrate the milestones
Once you achieve something that you’ve been working hard towards, celebrate it. Congratulate yourself in whatever way you wish and recognised that you deserve to give yourself some praise. You’ve stuck with something that’s not easy and can finally do it.
59. Don’t be put off if you think you’re a slow learner
Just because you may not be learning the guitar as quickly as someone else does not mean that you won’t be able to catch up and even overtake them in the future. Often, fast learners can become complacent and think their natural talent will keep them soaring – it doesn’t! Just keep on practising and focus on your own learning journey.
60. Have fun
Always remember that learning to play the guitar should be a fun experience. Don’t take yourself so seriously, relax, have fun and enjoy it.
Conclusion
So there you go, 60 tips and tricks to help you become a better guitarist. I will never tell anybody that learning to play the guitar is easy but if you want it enough then you will master it. As you make progress on your own guitar playing journey, keep these lessons in mind as they will make the whole process a lot less painful and whole lot more enjoyable.
There’s nothing on this list that’s out of reach or extremely hard, just mini steps all designed to break everything down into manageable chunks.
Whether you’re just starting out with fingerpicking or have been learning a while, at Six String Fingerpicking we have some exceptional fingerstyle guitar courses for every level. And the really great thing is that you can try out any of the courses completely for free when you join the Newsletter. When you join, you also get early access to all lessons and 25% off all TABs. Plus you get exclusive offers and weekly hints, tips and fingerstyle tricks, so why not join up?
Thanks so much for reading!
Author: Chris Murrin
Chris Murrin is a British guitar teacher who has dedicated his adult life to helping students master the guitar. A few years ago, in 2018, he founded Six String Fingerpicking so that he could help experienced and budding guitarists the world over to realise their fingerpicking goals.