5 Reasons Everyone Quits Guitar (And How To Overcome Them)

In the beginning, the guitar is a hard instrument to learn. Sadly, this turns off a lot of new players from ever finding success on the guitar. So in this video, we’ll get into the exact reasons people quit and how you can make sure you don’t fall prey to one of them.
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[@MusoraMedia]

Ready to level up your playing? Get personal coaching tips and structured lessons: enjoy your free 7-day trial to Guitareo! ► guitareo.com/trial

[@kevinhoctor62]

Two things that helped me practice more and play guitar better: 1. Keeping a practice journal. Every time I practice, I write down what I did and for how long on what date. Looking at my log also motivates me because I can see that I have been working hard. 2. Buy better gear. I owned a cheap guitar and was not inspired to play it. Once I bought a guitar that I love, I practice and play every day. Cheers!

[@TokyoBlue587]

I also keep a practice journal. I like to write what I practiced, and what I plan to work on the next session. If I only have a few minutes here and there, and not a lot of practice time, I look at my plan and try to practice at least one or two of those things.

[@berempamuk123]

Shortened: 1st Making clean sounding chords 2nd Switching between chords smoothly 3rd Strumming 4th Don't know what to practice 5th Don't apply what they're working on to music

[@Rebar77_real]

6th Profit?? 7th Don't forget to do your own thing

[@kedduff1814]

7.5 make sure to have fun. practice can be boring sometimes, it’s important to set aside a little time to just play around.

[@theblytonian3906]

Genau! Couldn't believe nearly a 12 minute vid to make 5 points, even with elaboration. Poor execution IMV. A full minute of waffling intro which should have been no longer than 10 seconds. Get to the point! Straight into it dot bullet point to capture interest and evoke curiosity. Then expound, as necessary point by point, or better, make a seperate short series vid on each point if wanting to go macroscopic in scope. Otherwise, 10 second intro, 50 second dot point, maybe up to 60 seconds to concisely elborate on each - averaged, 60 second dot point recap & summary for a total of 7 mins max, shorter if possible. The waffling approach had me FF>> and skipping at the 20 sec mark looking for the meat in a watery soup. ZZzzzzzz......

[@kedduff1814]

The Blytonian since google bought KZbin they make changes every year. Because KZbin/google gives preference to long videos and frequency. almost forcing creators to make daily long vids.

[@snowbaord]

barre chords

[@reeticulous6902]

I have been playing the guitar for 6 years now and what I would recommend is just practice to enjoy yourself, nothing else , just keep your goal as to enjoy yourself

[@myalaynaangel]

I fought like a mad man.... Glad I did... Now I am pretty good and getting better every day!!! Its very hard in the beginning but stick with it..... Hard work will pay off! Its like building a relationship.... The more time you spend with that person... The closer you get. The more time you spend with your guitar... The closer you will get. Trust me.... You will get it.

[@dennisharrell2236]

I've been playing since I was 8, and I'm 64 now. My biggest advice is to keep it fun. If playing is fun for you then you can practice for hours each day. (For some people smoking grass will help with this) Watch youtube for lessons. You get free tips and there are lessons for most songs. Don't get hung up playing it note for note like the lessons teach. Some of the lessons are wrong, but you still get a general feel for the song, and you can just adapt it to your own style. If you can't learn all of a song learn it in small steps but keep coming back to it. I'm still working on the solo for Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

[@216inka]

Likes The Some people comment :-) soooo true.

[@glorioskiola]

Smoking . . . 😂🤣😂

[@akeeperofoddknowledge4956]

I putzed around on the guitar for decades until I realized that I could play fairly well but didn't know any songs beyond their intros, or some interesting parts in the middle. That's when I decided to focus on one song, beginning to end. That's where you'll find out what you need to work on. Every song has its challenges. You will work harder to make the song sound right rather than just practicing "things". Chord changes, palm muting, strumming, trills, pinch harmonics, tempo, etc, become more important when playing an actual song. Otherwise you're just exercising your fingers. You raise very important points and give excellent solutions! I look forward to more of your videos!

[@kedduff1814]

A Keeper Of Odd Knowledge same here i been having fun on guitar for 10 years and people think i’m pretty good until they ask me to play a song. i can’t play an entire songs, just little riffs and cool sounding hooks.

[@Darkwell0071]

That is probably the story of most players. When you make that transition to learning songs two things have happened. Your good enough to think about singing and don’t need all your attention on playing. Stuff happens automatically. You have a big enough playing skill to learn songs.

[@timreed44]

I've been thinking the same thing lately. I've been working on theory and skills for a couple of years. It's time to put it all together and learn some songs!

[@gavinreid8351]

When I started I asked a professional guitarist," what is the best way to learn ?" He said "learn songs."

[@imannonymous7707]

Agreed

[@minskimia]

I ve been playing a long time just to please myself.If anyone around me likes what they hear, good for them.I remember at 8 years old my father showing me 3 chords A D and G. I tried to fit them together for weeks with sore fingers and all but finally, and this is no joke one evening sitting on my bed trying to get it, It all came together. I compare it to learning how to ride a bike. You fall off and trip over it for a few weeks then all of a sudden you find your balance and can ride anywhere you want without even thinking about it. My son now is a pro and he started thinking fast is cool but missing a lot of notes and I told him,, First you get good with clear notes then you get fast. Keep riding that bike with strings and it will come together for you. Also good advise is to get a quality guitar and have it set up properly by a pro. Worst case scenario is, If you dont like it you can still sell it reasonably. Cheers

[@atocox166]

I don't want to quit. I'm disappointed a lot at this point (after 5 years ,being told I'm not making clean chords for example )but no I don't want to stop playing.I hope your advice about making clearer chords helps .Thanks.

[@MusoraMedia]

I hope you're able to find success! I'm always here to help. :)

[@imannonymous7707]

Taking constructive critisisim is hard Practice and prove em wrong....

[@kvin9210]

@@imannonymous7707 what if you can't prove them wrong? Wouldn't it be better to quit instead of going through so much pain and frustration and do something actually worthwhile rather than playing a worthless instrument like a guitar? Or any instrument for that matter?

[@dontshootimfri3ndly853]

Play with a metronome. Helped me do everything better.

[@imannonymous7707]

Agree music is all about math and time is essential ESSENTIAL

[@Spacegoat92]

@@imannonymous7707 Nope! Music is from the heart, mine's broken so my music will be as well hahahahaha

[@neilsanderson9732]

my little tip; when learning to change between chords, don't be afraid to strum all the strings open while you find the chord you want - it sounds far better than stopping. Also, work on getting one finger into the right position, and having the other fingers follow it until they start to find the right places automatically.

[@CarringtonGuitarAcademy]

I teach guitar and this is a really handy tip for my students, thanks!

[@gabbyparr6099]

Strum patterns and chord changes can be disheartening when you’re struggling with a concept, for sure. But like you said, you just have to remember your purpose. For me, I want to be able to play around a campfire with friends or bring my guitar into my kindergarten classroom. Gotta remember that it’s for fun and to relax and keep going. The purpose is not to be a prodigy, it’s to play for the sake of playing. That makes it easier to keep coming back when it feels too hard.

[@michaelknox3248]

You hit the nail on the head. The most important word is "purpose". If you haven't got any then you will give up..

[@donjuan8814]

tried propping my foot up on a box and keeping elbow in,,helped immensly, cleared up my chords....thanks alot!!!

[@richardkaye5248]

Great points made in video. Playing with others in an ensemble has helped tremendously with keeping interest and offering motivation to practice.

[@jajalizts6717]

Reason 5 was the biggest issue for me. I stop playing for thirty years but now I am beginning to pick up again because I wanted to perfect a full song and that motivated me in gaining my confidence again. One of the important thing is that if you know how to play, your muscle memory will return back, if you practice playing your guitar again and that is helping a lot for me.

[@copflyer6569]

I’ve been playing for over 50 years and this video has given me some great tips. I can play a lot of different chords and can read music but my biggest roadblock was and is, playing a handful of songs all the time and not learning new ones. My incentive to get beyond that is I just bought a new Player series Strat. My goal is to learn new songs all the way to the end, perfect the bar chord, and learn different scales. I think the best advice from this video is setting goals and using a guitar where the strings are set up to play the chords with ease. I started with a very cheap acoustic that my guitar teacher said was made out of an orange crate! Everything changed when I was able to buy a 1957 Fender Musicmaster with my paper route money in 1957. I still have it and love it,

[@yudipitre5720]

This teacher is so humble and awesome. Great advice and lesson. Thank you

[@Bowhead31]

Big problem for me is unwanted string noise. I really struggle with muting the strings I’m not playing.

[@markhinde710]

"Bump" the strings you want muted with the nearest fretting finger. Intermediate technique is to "thumb" E string, A string can be done too. Need big hands and good technique for that though so try later.

[@Bowhead31]

Thank you for your input. I’ll give it a try.

[@soutrik27]

Apart from the beautiful content!! I really loved the place where this video is shot!!!

[@richwhyne9745]

Establishing and tracking time against a written practice routine really made a remarkable difference in my progress. It doesn’t sound very fun but it keeps me honest and accountable. Especially important to work on the areas where I am weak and really avoided for a long long time.

[@DaveGreenPhoto]

Thanks for this dude. Inspired to pick up the guitar again and try to get to numbers 4 & 5 🤟

[@RobR386]

Setting the guitar up is a must, I learned how to do it myself and now my squier strat feels like a totally different guitar to what came out of the box, much more enjoyable to play and less like trying to play a cheese grater 😊

[@allanvictormonteroadames7013]

Too good bro, it was really helpful.👏

[@blimeylimey13]

I can relate to point 5... I have the technical ability I just have trouble playing full songs. I think playing with others helps. Confidence has a lot to do with this one! Thanks for the support.

[@brandonhonea7106]

I've been playing for most of my 36 yrs and never learned how to read sheet music as I completely use my ear. Playing with others or even a favorite record while using total improvisation on the spot is where I find I'm most creative and more likely to push the limits a bit further than the normal.. I don't know how I predict where a song is gonna go, having never heard it yet I can lay down a guitar track and it sound shockingly well.... But I have always done the improv thing since day one when playing with all different type players... Yet like you said... I have had issues where if I'm just chilling solo, sometimes ideas are non existent, but soon as I hear whatever genre nearly, I can throw some flavor on it on the spot....crazy stuff

[@sujayanarula3913]

I haven't worked enough on Barre chords...I can play them but not as smoothly as it should be...I need to set up my Guitar or go for electric acoustic. Thank you tons for dll you instructors on KZbin for providing resources n helpful tips to make it enjoyable to learn. Wishing you n family a fabulous New Year.

[@melaniefowler8841]

This was SO helpful -thank you!

[@thetiler]

Glad you mentioned getting the guitar set-up properly! So very many guitar makers ship their guitars with the strings way too high off the fretboard it is epidemic! When i go a guitar shop i like to put my hand over the stings and press down and of course most are way too high! Yamaha often has their guitars more playable !

[@randyrrs7028]

they do it on purpose so they can have you spend an extra $50 at guitar center to set it up for you. its a tactic

[@RonRivet]

Thanks for sharing! I posted this on the Taylor Guitar Enthusiasts group and Taylor Guitars Owners Group Canada. Very helpful.

[@MusoraMedia]

Thanks Ron.

[@SandeepAcharya4630]

You have hit the bull's eye! Superb and a great inspiration!

[@runningwithscissors0911]

So VERY helpful ~ thank you!

[@stevepearce2040]

As a student I played regularly but then life intervened. 45 years later I start playing again and my memory for songs has gone! Back to the drawing board I guess.

[@erdogan330]

great lesson and tips thank you.

[@batman48195]

This was very good. Thank you!

[@imannonymous7707]

A study tip i saw on tv for students has helped me. Before bed study and play the song and or etc so you can memorize it ....somewhat But...when you wake up..revisit it again. This Works!! Its been proven that we will improve overnight by as much as 20%

[@MajorRoadAhead]

I would add that if you are starting off with an acoustic, a 3/4 size, also known as a parlour guitar, is a good acoustic type for a beginner. An alternative guitar for a beginner is an electric (Stratocaster or Telecaster copy). A search on the internet will come up with some very reasonably priced electric guitars, sometimes with a basic amplifier included in the package. For a beginner, electric guitars are fitted with lighter gauge strings compared to an acoustic, and are easier for the fingers to press down onto the fret board.

[@stockey]

Since I play Rocksmith, never stopped playing, this has change my guitar life.

[@kevinbodnar448]

Good tips 😎 cheers

[@tcalder87]

Many give up too because they're trying to learn on a clunky, unplayable piece of crap. Invest in a reasonably good instrument - much easier to play and the capital outlay will urge you to practice harder.

[@Spacegoat92]

Exactly what my brother told me when i was buying my acoustic! My first guitar was a cheap Squier strat, not great but not terrible, but because it was cheap i wasn't too fussed if i didn't stick with it. Then i bought my Yamaha Dread a few weeks ago which was almost 3 times the price of my Squier, and i'm waaaaaaay more motivated to practice on it, which is good because my finger tips are killing me LoL

[@TheliMagnus]

kinda true, for some reason i choose the harder version because i think it would give better results long term, like buying a metal strings guitar.... a cheap metal strings gutiar with high action, like doing barre chords becomes harder than it is... but still i have been able to learn at a decent pace

[@max8m1]

The first time I attempted to learn guitar I made this mistake. As a poor college student I bought some shitty beginner kit for a hundred bucks. Tiny, crappy sounding amp, very cheaply made and uncomfortable guitar with insanely high action. My fingers hurt all the time, nothing I did sounded even remotely good and I felt like I made no progress. I gave up after 2 weeks or so. Giving it another go now (about 5 years later) with a decent guitar and amp (spent around 400 bucks total) and I'm also taking private lessons. The difference is insane! I've been playing for about 2 months now, I'm making good progress and having fun. Really regret not biting the bullet and investing in decent gear from the start. I could be playing for 5 years by now!

[@kvin9210]

Even if I have the world's best and most expensive guitar, I still won't be able to play as well as all these KZbin guitarists. Like either you need to be gifted, musically talented or a prodigy to play a guitar. It's simply not worth it for beginners or people who aren't musically inclined.

[@josicawood721]

@@kvin9210 dont.... i believe in us beginners and believe me when i say i cant play chords switch to others or play any kind of song im learning of of youtube beginner tutuorials and there still to hard for me but i believe in myself and i am going to keep a journal of when and what i played and in a year hopefully i will be playing one or two songs:) dont give up`!

[@Digmen1]

Hey Mick, I just got to your issues 4 and 5. They will help me focus!

[@baxisinghsone2411]

I have learned Guitar from your tutorials sir.. Thank you for giving a positive turn to my life

[@josicawood721]

i wish i could learn guitar of of youtube.

[@jesselucero8503]

Great video and now a new subscriber. I’m 39 and have been wanting to learn since I was a teenager and got my first electric guitar from my wife for Christmas. Been playing everyday since getting my fingers built up. Hurt like hell for a day or two. Looking forward to your new beginner lessons!!

[@markhinde710]

Dont quit

[@MusoraMedia]

I'm 39 too Jesse.

[@richg1746]

Thanks Nate, excellent exercises this has helped me a lot.

[@MusoraMedia]

Thanks for watching ric. Glad you got something out of it.

[@coly15]

Yesss I did a C Chord!!! Thanks so much for the encouragement!!!

[@MusoraMedia]

Awesome That One Reader!

[@suzygitonga1470]

It's like you read my mind. Thanks alot

[@sagarmrao6861]

People who are just about to start learning barre chords, don't get overwhelmed by the F barre chord. Instead start with the A barre chord and keep moving towards the nut of the guitar. F is right at the first fret where the tension of the strings are really high but A(5th fret) is much easier to play. Hope this helps.

[@markriley7902]

Another tip if your struggling with barre chords which worked for me when I was a beginner was using lighter gauge strings ,I found Martin 10 to 47 super lights to be more than adequate for tone and volume,worth a try for less than £10

[@markhinde710]

I think people should learn that way too or A and Am barre chords which is one less string and just as important. Start away from the nut is great advice!

[@Emma-kz3zr]

Great point why is this sadistic f Barr still in there as beginner chord!

[@gulfcoastbeemer]

All good points. Also, he mentioned getting the guitar “setup” properly by a luthier (guitar repair / builder / tech). If the guitar is properly setup, mastering the barred f-chord will be easier than on a guitar that has the string height (action) set too high. New guitars from the factory are usually setup higher than necessary. Nothing will discourage you more than trying to learn on a guitar that requires extraordinary effort to play. Learning on a guitar with a slightly shorter scale length, lighter gauge strings, a proper setup - all these thing help you get started.

[@markhinde710]

@@Emma-kz3zr think of as it the last part of beginning a beginner. It takes a lot of practice.

[@ayubpervaiz9933]

Happy new year sir....in advance.

[@dr.debajyotibose2928]

I suppose you can start with the whole step and half step concept, the budding guitar players that is. I started that way and its been great.

[@abhinavthakur3933]

Thanks 💥

[@gulfcoastbeemer]

I’ll throw my 2-cents into this: Once you have mastered beginner basics, find a group of guitarists / stringed instrument players who get together regularly to jam or have strum alongs - maybe even open mic sessions, and who welcome people of all skill levels. In my area there are several such groups. This allows me to play with and learn from other musicians several times a week. It’s a real motivator and gives me focus.

[@ImageryFamilyBand]

strumming was tough. this exercise will help a lot and makes sense. plying a whole song other than the ones i write is another problem

[@pranavbahl8246]

Just started making fingerstyle videos on KZbin. Sometimes when you're tired of playing, seeing what you have made and how far you have come can be the extra motivation you may need. You don't need to be perfect to start, just start!

[@llamov]

I am 72 years old and have been playing guitar for more than 50 years. The main reason people quit guitar is because it's difficult and requires work: like most things worth doing.

[@TRONwuzhere82]

@@LeonAllanDavis Thank you for your comment. I bought my acoustic guitar back in 2016 and have been playing it inconsistently over the last two years. I have FINALLY decided to SERIOUSLY commit myself to this wonderful instrument, since I'm tired of looking at my guitar with frustration and sadness. My cousin gave me my first acoustic back when I was 7yrs. old and I didn't stick with it, sadly. I'm still kicking myself for not applying myself more all those years ago. Now at 46 yrs old, I'm just going to go for it! It honestly irritates me when I see little kids playing guitars with such ease, because I'm still struggling learning my chords. But this video is extremely helpful, as well as the comments made here. I definitely feel inspired to push through it and apply myself. I've almost mastered the A major chord and the E major chord. I can find the G chord very easily. It seems that my "Everest" is the A major right now, since getting all of my fingers on one fret and strumming the strings clearly has been an issue. But like I said, I'm NOT going to give up!

[@caymenmann4612]

Depends on what your playing. If it’s just 3 chords then ya it’s not difficult, but if your trying to learn more advanced techniques then it takes a lot of time and work.

[@jimkirchner3323]

I'm 56 and I just started taking lessons a month ago. One of the first things my instructor said is that playing guitar is hard. It is very difficult, but with each lesson I find a greater desire to improve and the only way to get better is to practice. The pace of that improvement is painfully slow, but a month ago I was looking at the chords on a page asking how do these fingers on those strings on those frets equal a G.......Slowly it's coming along and I don't expect to ever be GOOD, but I definitely want to. We'll see.

[@Mark-OutWest]

I disagree. MOST things AREN'T difficult to do.

[@maryamhassan420]

Wow 😮 what an achievement! That’s mean you began this journey when you were 22 years old. In this April I’m going to be 22 and always thought that I’m old to begin this journey with the guitar. And also like you said it takes lots of work, these are my reasons for quitting But I think you are an inspiration! I’m going to give it a chance and try it again. But as you said earlier it takes lots of WORK

[@razbo1963]

The lesson videos are very helpful on KZbin for beginners. Pick a song you like that are 3 chords, if you get frustrated, put the guitar down for a few days. Playing the rhythm and getting that down and staying in time is much more difficult then anything, Get a metronome there are very inexpensive digital ones online. I been playing guitar for 45 years and now trying to learn banjo for a very long time so it is tough.

[@CuriousKL]

I have been playing, well for some time now. For me, I found that I needed to get away from a "beginners" guitar as soon as possible. It makes playing a whole bunch better from a couple stand points. One: The instrument just sounds better. Second and probably the most important is that a better guitar just plain plays easier. Many of the $200-$350 beginner's acoustic guitars are just not made that well. When you make the move closer to $750 to say $900, that's when the instrument becomes even more fun to play. I still have my $300 Fender acoustic. Do not really play it, because I have a $850 Taylor that's just too damn hard to put it down. Sometimes I play until I near dawn. The difference between these two instruments is night and day.

[@isangelawilliams]

Wow, good to know!

[@phillaca800]

You're so right! I bought a Squier and that was a mistake, very quickly I moved to a Fender Strat an, like you sayed, it was night and day! Besides The guitar is such an wonderful object by itself...

[@mandolinic]

I play the mandolin, but I think what I'm about to say applies to both instruments: Get it properly set up before you start playing. Many (most?) beginners aren't aware that an instrument needs to be "set up" at all. They buy it mail order, or from a not very caring music shop, and assume that it's right. But the action is either too high and it's hard to play, or it's too low and the instrument buzzes. This why I think it's always best to buy from a good music shop (and there are plenty around). A good shop will have a range of instruments you can try, and will be able to set it up properly for you before they'll let you take it out of the door.

[@robertmccully2792]

True but you will not know what a good one is unless you play a bad one.

[@kvin9210]

@@phillaca800 it's honestly one of the worst pieces of junk to buy.

[@matthewtrow5698]

Now watching the strumming bit of the video - great tips. There's another tip you can do without the guitar, which is finger drumming. It's something I've always done, even before I played guitar, it's just playing out rhythms with your fingers, one hand, both hands - almost unconsciously. You can be doing anything - reading, working, having coffee - just drum with the fingers of any hand, get some rhythm going.

[@JerryDechant]

Sore finger tips, it takes some time to get the calluses so it doesn't hurt any more. If you can stick through the pain, and continue practicing, you will get there.

[@vaniramnarain]

I've been practising for maybe 2 years and im stuck at the place I was 1 month after I first started. I practised using your beginners series and it went well for about a month of practising everyday. But I never moved from there. My hands are so small I can't hold it properly and holding the strings down are always a problem. I thought it was a problem with my nails so they all broke and I decided to cut them. Did that, nothing changed. I try placing my hands differently and I still can't get it right. After about 6 months I started getting pains in my wrists and I stopped playing for a few weeks. I went back and it's the same thing. 2 years or so later and no matter how much I try I can't get to fit my hands comfortably to hold the stings down correctly, so I've stopped playing. I know my chords well and switching isn't the problem but I can't get clean chorus no matter how I change the way I hold it.

[@pique-nique]

When I was in art school, I was taught, when I sat down to continue working on a painting, to think: “What is the next best thing I need to do to move that painting toward completion .” I have found that this practice works for learning to play an instrument, learning to quilt, learning anything. It works even with things in which I am already educated and well trained. It works to finish all kinds of projects. And it works really well with every creative project.

[@qieenalubya]

thank you so much! these tips really help a tons cause I'm about to quit. I got no one to help me learn guitar besides youtube and it seems no one really help a starter how to do these basic things:(

[@billmcelgunn7819]

That's one Savage guitar!

[@glennso47]

Arthritis and repetitive motion injuries in my hands. The pain is just too much. 30 years of working in a flipping factory.

[@petedz9772]

Great lesson. I still “suck” after 40 years but that doesn’t diminish my appreciation for music. Roughly speaking it seems music enthusiasts separate out like this--1) those with innate musical talent--a great ear and a great sense of rhythm; 2) people with exceptional physical ability to play an instrument even if they don’t have a good ear. Think of the combinations: 1) a great ear with great physical ability, 2) a great ear plus poor physical ability, 3) poor ear plus great physical ability, 4) poor ear plus poor physical ability. Face the reality of where you are on that spectrum but always continue to learn and expand your appreciation for music!

[@tannahill9309]

....... Try learning on an unplugged electric, ..... Less bulky & awkward to handle than an acoustic but loud enough to be heard distinctly. ...... Also, mistakes are not so amplified therefore not so discouraging! ....... I learned (mostly) (and still learning!) on an unplugged Mustang, the slim body, short scale, and narrow neck helped me greatly.

[@rockandrollmd541]

Beginners should start on a double cutaway fixed bridge electric guitar with a 24" or 24.5" scale length. Acoustic is bulky and has tighter string tension. My 2nd cousin's acoustic guitar makes a nice dust collecting room ornament.

[@Digmen1]

Great video, Nice background. I used to play bass and keyboards in a band many years ago. I Then I quit to get married etc. Brut I just bought an acoustic recently just for a bit of fun. My biggest problem is not being able to sing, so I cannot play for my g/f or friends. So I have to play for my self, and my own enjoyment.

[@markhinde710]

Must suck to not sing

[@timreed44]

There's nothing wrong with playing for your own enjoyment!

[@araynahamilton1085]

Chord Transitions are what I am working on.

[@beth5247]

Played electric guitar when I was younger, mostly hard rock and metal. Now I play acoustic and really enjoy it. Its so different and my taste in music has changed too.

[@sandraobrien8705]

Thanks. Have just decided to cancel my lessons today. I'm getting nowhere moving between accords. I'll continue on my own with books at my own pace.

[@kvin9210]

Just sell the guitar or throw it away. It's honestly not worth it.

[@TheVoyager830]

"I have started listening to you for a donkey years by now, somehow I can't figure out how the F******! Rhythm works. I do have an adequate chords vocabulary, Numberfull finger stretches, Beautiful hollow, an Aww....ful Groove ! Nothing to come even close to compare but just a random thought, you have done a great online tutorial concept here admirably , I appreciate your hard work, I could wish you a Happiest New 2017Ever, at least stay Young Forever!!! Life's beautiful" !

[@markhinde710]

My fourth guitar teacher taught me rhythm by tapping the song first, then try to play using a metronome or backing track extremely slow until it's perfect. Then speed it up.

[@redman2751]

I have picked up guitar and tried to learn several times throughout my life from when I was about 13 to just now I bought an electric to start learning on again at age 37. One thing that’s always plagued me was knowing what to practice and having a goal. I never knew if I was practicing correct or what to start on or move to. Then my goal, I didn’t know if my goal was attainable for a beginner. My goal is always a song but since I have no idea of how difficult a guitar piece is I don’t even know if it’s a bad idea to play. This has caused me to get frustrated a put the guitar down and when that happens it tends to be years not a day or two.

[@shamicentertainment1262]

My main issue has been knowing how to practice. I've revised how I practice so many times in the past 2 months. I'm slowly refining it but it can be hard to track progress since a few times I've had to scale back the tempos that I'd been working at to something slower, or even eliminating the metronome for certain things im working on to just focus on hitting the right notes and not missing. And the other really frustrating thing is I always used to learn hard songs and then play them poorly, so I've had to undo 6 years of not paying attention to technique. So in some way it felt like I went backwards coz I had to admit that the things I thought I could play, I really couldn't.

[@vladtepes97]

something else that slows or stops beginners is finger pressure on the strings. i've played all my life, but, i think i've been squeezing the neck too tightly all these years. no one taught me that. i just figured it out only recently from watching my expert friends flying up and down the neck. there's no way they could play that quickly if they were pressing the strings hard. now i have no idea how tightly to press the strings to play a chord or single note.

[@starbattles1]

Also, good to let people know it take minimum 21-30 days to learn a new habit, or to change an old one. That alone has made me keep pressing forward. After you get the cord shaped down and make a clean sound, when practicing the transition stop strumming. Put the pick down. Let your brain focus 100% on the transition. HUGE difference. I was amazed. Then practice it on a 4 count, starting the transition on 4 and landing it on 1. Hold the neck high, in the easiest position to make this happen. Finally don't buy a cheap guitar. Get one you greatly desire. Keep it reasonable. Save money get a good one you love. If you buy a cheap one it makes quitting easier. If you invest more, you're less likely to quit. It will also sound right. Hold a tune, and make the familiar sounds you're looking for. In the event you do quit, you can sell it and most likely get most or even all your money back. A cheap one will be worthless on the resale market. They always say, you get out of it what you put in. That includes buying one. I ditched my cheap chinese model and got a $350 melody maker. I have a LOT more desire to play it then I did the crappy one. A real instrument cost money. Don't cheap out. I got a good usa made gibson for a great deal.

[@TheDogPa]

Because there are no bands to inspire people with good music...because you cannot make money playing...unless you like to talk to a camera alone in your room...22 hours a day. What we need is something in this generation to inspire...like your channel does.

[@imannonymous7707]

Lol nothing like a little possitive embellishment huh It aint easy ....tru dat

[@TheDogPa]

@@imannonymous7707 Seriously, I've played and taught for decades. The info in these videos is amazingly well presented; all the stuff I spent decades figuring out he can pass on in huge chunks at high speed. I use several of them to point out things to others that I would need 10,000 more words to describe...LOL! I sent my son here when he asked for a good web teaching site! I can't offer a much better recommendation that that!

[@TheDogPa]

@jasper426 And if only there was somewhere to go see them...and if only they played as a "band" and could improvise. KZbin does not help...though I keep looking...and I don't see what you describe... but I do keep trying.

[@TheDogPa]

@jasper426 I'm old and jaded, but will take a look at all of them. Thank you very much.

[@Spacegoat92]

The hardest thing for me is chords. Picking i can get with practice, but chords are damn hard cos my fingers get in the way of each other and i keep muting the adjacent strings!!! I put of learning chords for ages because i found it too frustrating. But now i bought an acoustic and i'm forcing myself to learn the chords!!

[@RaisedByRage]

First??? :O (since when were my notifications accurate lol) Also,, thanks for this video!!!!!

[@TokyoBlue587]

still struggling with those smooth chord changes...but I'm not giving up!

[@josicawood721]

i believe in you! :)

[@matthewtrow5698]

Elevating the guitar - that's such a good tip, it's kinda like you have to get over 'the cool look' with the guitar swung down low - man, it's hard to play that way, you have to pretty much practice standing up - and you can really only do it *after* you've learned how to play 'close up' - these days, I don't even bother with 'the cool' and have my guitar right up below my chin. It's like wearing large baggy comfortable pants that are too short and show your socks - totally uncool, but so practical ;)

[@theonewhoisfluff745]

The Turkish March's fingerstyle version is killing my fingers right now, the stretches and the speed is damn near impossible.

[@JakelikejakefromSF4936]

I just want to know how to make sense of all the theory stuff I already know.

[@mrshaboom1]

I've been working on crossroads by cream. I know all the notes in the intro but I don't play them the right way I need help with it. Once I get that then I can go on the solo thanx 4 any help

[@stevemorse108]

Thanks for your presentation. You points are well taken and clearly presented . I would add that many people who want to play the guitar are not seriously motivated i.e. they think that after two lessons they are going to sound like Jimmy Page or other virtuosos..(learning a musical instrument takes dedication, time and a serious commitment.....I did solfegeand recorder from ages 5-7 then cello for ten years before strating to teach myself the guitar---and no I am not Steve Morse from Deep purple just happen to share his name) .another thing is people trying to play songs whch are not guitar based like keyboard compositions find this is much harder and less satisfying...I find that picking songs played on the guitar like Angie of the stones for example one can sound just like the record. I ask students to make sure that their notes are clear and loud before trying to speed up...if people move too quickly then they will never be able to play clean notes....same for solos If you have learned to play loud then you can then tone it down and play and more softly. Tapping your foot to keep the beat is very helpful. I feel that learning to play percussively is important too...after all the guitar in flamenco or blues can provide the rhythm. Not starting on an electric is helpful I find because it encourages students to be lazy and play through a wall of effects...starting on a classical is good because you build strength in the fingers. I feel that playing with passion is key and working things out by ear. One can learn tab and or classical musical notation which are very helpful but if you don't develop your ear it will really limit you. Every time you meet someone who plays better than you or knows a song you don't then get them to teach it to you (even if you are at a party and they aren't motivated to show you) and play it over and over again (for example in a corner of the bathroom) until your inscribe or root it in your fingers; your physiology. Try to practise every day even it is only for ten minutes ratzer than mega sessions once a week. Finally when you learn to play your favourite songs check the history of who came before them i.e. who their inspirations were...if you like the Stones then discover the black blues artists who inpsried them or if you like Slash discover Jimmy page and so on....Eddie van Halen said that if music doesn't move you or turn you on it is a waste of time...play with passion...and for guys it remains true that for every new song you learn there is a direct correlation to charming the ladies. Finally check out a young genius level female player on yourtube named Gabriella Quevedo...she is very inspiring and plays everything by ear!

[@MusoraMedia]

That's cool that Steve Morse is your actual name. :D Yeah, many people don't realize how much work guitar is.

[@stevemorse108]

@@MusoraMedia yup :)

[@isangelawilliams]

Just made 4 months of learning guitar, for the first time, by myself, using KZbin channels, xcetera. I'm working on Hands and I'm Sensitive by Jewel, Stay by Lisa Loeb, and Sweet Surrender by Sarah McLachlan. I picked these songs because I love them and because they helped me practice the C and F chords... after three months they finally ring out instead of sounding completely muted. I feel switching chords has finally become easier however, I continue to struggle with strumming. More specifically, strumming while switching chords and trying to sing. Man what a disaster! I find myself defaulting to strumming each cord one time. I know this isn't right, please help! I love the guitar and I don't want to quit😣.

[@billinorlando2887]

I had no clue on how to tune my Lotus stat copy guitar for at least sux months. I bought a Mel Bay guitar chord book and practiced a couple of hours a day and it sounded like crap. I kept it up. I was 14 and I'm 49 now. I used to turn my tuning pegs the same way EVH had his on a poster of mine. Haha Finally a guy from school came by and tuned it and it sounded pretty good. I got lessons eventually and learned how to tune the damn thing. I'm really surprised that I stuck with it. I'm not a great guitarist but what I can play just screwing around makes sense and have a decent melody. I know my weak points and it's timing and my picking technique could be better. I basically play for fun.

[@sharonpayne7056]

I am playing the guitar for about 2 years now, my main thing was the C chords I almost QUIT. I am learning to make clean chords now I practice almost every day. I have a problem switching between chords now ,after such a long time. My issue now why want to quit is ,I feel stuck. 1. I have to play by notes. 2 my strumming sound monotonous and I hate that. I play for a nursing home and I want to play well enough to play in church.

[@randyrrs7028]

ive been learning for almost 3 years and i have the same problem as you with the chords

[@sujayanarula3913]

Just want to let you know am loving every bit of my Guitar practice. More into classical though...lots to catch up on lead Guitar. Thankfully strumming came naturally to me...didn't ever feel it was a struggle even though I realised it could have been lot easier if I had chosen electric or different type of strings. Still haven't changed the strings though...haha.

[@arkansastrey9694]

strumming and clean chords came fairly easily for me, but changing'em , man thats a whole other animal.

[@sumonkumar3356]

Just do it slowly at first and keep doing and i promisr you, you will change them chords faster than multiplying rabbits in no time

[@MusoraMedia]

Here is a little lesson for you to check out.

[@renjiai]

getting clean sounding barre chords without my hands cramping. i took a long break from guitar because of that. and i still can't get them right.

[@seancarson6481]

I am at a point right now about to walk away from playing because I have been trying to play for the last 30 plus years. Have had many teachers, but just never got to the point where I can figure out tunes on my own. I can play a few tunes which where shown to me but have never figured out a tune on my own, and this is where I have gotten to and not progress any further.

[@markhinde710]

Find a teacher, whether it be an instructor or friend to play with you and show you things.

[@seancarson6481]

Easier said then can do. Money and time come down to everything.

[@MusoraMedia]

I've been frustrated to the point of almost quitting before as well Sean. I would recommend keeping learning more songs and do some ear training. The more songs you learn the more you will build up your vocabulary and ability to hear and figure things out on your own. Just enjoy the ride as you learn new songs and new things on the guitar.

[@matthewtrow5698]

... and the toughest part for me? Clean sounding bar chord A shapes. I'm not the only one, it seems - I believe in guitar folklore, Pete Townshend struggled with this and thus came up with 'power chords' - take this with a pinch of salt though! I can do E shape bar chords just fine, but my hands cannot do the A shape, so I use my 'pinky' finger as a lower bar below my index finger - quite a common technique. I've been pushing myself to use my third finger to do this, to give my pinky some freedom to embellish and I'm getting there, but heck, it hurts like when I first started playing. So, I guess, there's a tip here for more experienced guitarists, how to undo bad habits - the question being, are they bad? If you can knock out a great sound, isn't that really the ultimate goal? - to each their own.

[@MusoraMedia]

Hey Matthew, Here is a video for you to check out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqK0ipaPfatoaNE

[@jacky8129]

When I started, I couldn't do the f chord no matter how hard I pressed my fingers on my acoustic guitar. I can do a f chord perfectly on my electric but I think my acoustic needs to be set up correctly since the strings are a bit far from the fretboard and new strings. Anyways I enjoy playing my electric more.

[@benknowles3760]

'Practice to play' will become 'playing to practice', that's when the fun starts! Nice video too!

[@kvin9210]

Never had that feeling ever. For me it's more like practice for frustration.

[@benknowles3760]

@@kvin9210 ❤🎶🙏don't stop!

[@vamsiprasadkumili1237]

My issue is with Not knowing what to practice, And not correctly applying what I knew while trying to play songs

[@MusoraMedia]

Setting some very specific and attainable goals will help with not knowing what to practice.

[@d.chavez2748]

My main problem is I'm bad at remembering cords,majors, and minors

[@Harmonicdrake1]

Tip 6, it is preferred not to have short fat fingers. I have hell reaching that single note on chords streched over 4 frets.

[@thevolition1]

Hi man, thank you for these videos, kindly can ypu tell me with the model name of your guitar in this video ? And i wanna ask you , should i use a thin pick at first of stick with the thick one ? I have two picks one of them is 0.46 mm and the second one is 1.1 . Thank you ..

[@brandonhonea7106]

He's playing a high end acoustic-electric by Taylor guitars. ..really high priced usually and quite honestly not necessarily the best option for some and I'm in this group... my buddy has a nearly $3k Taylor his wife got him and we both think a $350 dean I have plays much easier and all around more pleasant experience which is just puzzling yet 100% honest truth "pertaining that particular model" ... but I don't care what model it is.. for that price it should play itself... this happens all the time when comparing high end /low end... but the high end stuff does ultimately trump the lesser stuff, with the occasional exception.... Pick thickness is entirely individual preference I believe. .. I use a ridiculously thick 3.0 Dunlap "Stubby series"...and I can get insanely tight, fast, smooth, picking on both acoustic or electric. .. some folks can't stand these thicker options and prefer the flimsy thins.... but pick control is very important.. experiment with many different options, even stuff you wouldn't think is comfortable cause you'll surprise yourself..

[@MusoraMedia]

It's a Taylor 814ce. I would start with a medium pick at first around 77mm

[@andidoci1651]

Another reason can be not playing the guitar you want. I have been playing the classical guitar for 2 years even though i really wanted playing electric guitar but my parents believe in theory that "starting on a classical is better" im hardly thinking to quit

[@penny5105]

I have a Matrix practice amp, but would love to be able to access a larger scale Fender amp through the app. Also, do you have any tips on switching from C to G7?

[@penny5105]

I guess adjusting fingering technique would be the best way to get it done. Would that be your opinion on this?

[@MusoraMedia]

Hey Matthew. Here is a lesson with some general tips for changing chords smoothly. vkzbin.info/www/bejne/mmjIaIGKiJeYbqs

[@swam4362]

So you learned all the basic 8 or 9 open chords? You're a beginner! You learned power chords and A and E shaped barre chords? You're a beginner! You learned the pentatonic scale? Wow dude you're such a beginner! But then people that only know a handful of chords are called masters in comparison. Makes it hard to want to continue.

[@Mr.Nefarioussness]

Swam just saying as soon as you pick up a guitar & you learn your first chord you’re already climbing on the higher percentage of people who don’t know how to play the guitar, once you know 8 to 9 chords you’re already way better than a person that just picked up a guitar, then you start learning more & you’re climbing up that percentage, even learning one thing as you go I promise you you’re getting better by like a million people, everyone has been on those positions from beginning to master but my point is that every process that you make is a HUGE step Hope this helps, it’s helping me for sure💯💯💯