Hey Friend,
Happy New Year to you!
Today is the first official email of the year. Admittedly, it's been a little tough on me - I'm used to sending a message every day, so I'm having to detox a little!
I thought we'd talk a bit about some of the things every guitar player needs to continually work on, regardless of where you are in the journey.
When someone starts out new on guitar, there’s really only one idea on their mind - they want to learn how to play the songs that compelled them to pick the guitar up in the first place.
They don’t think about any details or steps to get from holding the guitar for the first time to the point where they can actually play the music they love. This is because they don’t know what is involved.
They don’t know what they don’t know.
Professionals (and even amateurs) make guitar look easy - pick it up, put your fingers on the fingerboard and strum. Move your hand around a bit and beautiful notes fill the air.
But that illusion is quickly shattered the first time you actually hold a guitar in your hand and try to play your first chord. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!
You see, there are a lot of things seasoned guitar players take for granted - and things you’ll need to learn how to do - to become comfortable on guitar. In fact, as long as you continue to play guitar, these aspects will be a factor in your playing.
So whether you’re a beginner or just trying to get you chops back, be prepared to spend some time working on these skills that will help you reach your goal.
Here is a list of core pieces to the puzzle - skill sets and that will set you up to win: - finger strength
- muscle memory
- chords
- chord changes
- basic notes
- strums
- picking
- practice regimen
- ear training
These are foundational areas you need to build for whatever musical end goal you might have.
They aren't things you do once and never think bout again - as a guitar player, you'll always need to give them some attention. After a while, these get easier, but when you're just starting out, it will take time to get comfortable with many of them.
We’ll talk in more depth about them in the coming weeks so you can make sure your foundation is strong.
Learn to love these basic components and you'll always have fun playing guitar. I remember as a kid getting bored with anything that wasn't a song. I mean, playing a scale more than once was like torture!
In my older years, I've come to enjoy many of the exercises that help build skill and technique. This is because I’ve slowed down to enjoy the process and listen to what I’m playing.
Until next time...
Peace~
Dave | 
