OK!

So you just saw your favourite pop star on TV and have rushed out to buy a b
eautiful new guitar! You look the part in front of the mirror, but what about im
pressing your friends by playing amazing riffs, hot guitar solos and storming rh
ythm sequences.
Fear not. Anybody can learn how to play guitar like the professionals.
I was given my first guitar as a teenager and since then have written, recorded
and released 9 rock albums - so I think I know what I'm talking about!
Let's get started. These are my 7 Steps To Playing Guitar Like the Pros.
1. Hold the guitar correctly
Forget the pose! If you must do the pose thing, wait till you can play the guita
r properly - then you can stand with your legs one metre apart, wear mirror shad
es, chew gum, sling the guitar round your knee caps and play up a storm! But fir
st things first! Sit on a chair or, even better, on a stool adjusted to your hei
ght. Do not cross your legs and keep them slightly separated. Assuming you are r
ight handed, place the hollow body of your guitar on your right thigh. Your righ
t arm comes naturally on the top of the body. Next, place your left hand on the
neck, which should be tilted slightly upward. You can place your right foot on a
support to elevate your leg. By following these simple tips, you'll quickly fin
d the most natural and most comfortable way to hold your guitar.
2. Put you thumb on the back of the guitar neck
Avoid bad habits. It may feel slightly awkward, but if you get this right, you'l
l soon be playing like a pro. On many guitars, there is a band drawn down the mi
ddle at the back of the neck. This is where you place your thumb to ensure both
a good grip and good mobility of your fingers on the frets. Once you've grown ac
customed to playing that way, you can be a little more flexible - even barring t
he frets with your thumb like Jimi Hendrix!
3. Work one hour per day
It's a cliche, but it's true. No pain, no gain. To become a pro you need to have
a daily routine and practice regularly. You will find the tips of your fingers
that hold down the strings will get soar and then hard skin will appear - after
a few weeks. That's good! If you start at one hour of practice a day, you will n
otice that results come very quickly.
4. Practice your scales and basic chord positions!
Boring, boring, boring! OK, I must admit that this part of learning guitar can b
e a little tedious. However, pro guitarists probably practice finger exercises a
nd scales in various key for hours every day! Knowing scales is fundamental to l
earning how to play the guitar, whether you want to play rhythm or lead guitar,
you need to know the rules. Once you are completely familiar with the fretboard,
then you can improvise and be as creative and dramatic as you like. Learning gu
itar chords and learning how to master the guitar is not difficult, but it does
take time and energy! There is not short cut.
5. Play along with other musicians
This is a great way to learn and much more interesting than practicing scales! (
That's not letting you off the hook by the way!) You can legally download MP3 so
ngs all over the internet or listen online with your guitar at the ready. There
are a lot of sites that give the music and guitar chord sequences along with the
songs which is even more helpful. Get the feel of the song and listen how the m
usicians put emotion into their playing. This is a great and fun way to learn ho
w to play songs.
6. Try various musical styles
All the great guitarists are versatile and can play in almost any style. I have
four guitars: an Ovation Nylon Strung classical, an Ovation Steel Strung Ballade
er, a Fender Strat and a Yamaha Semi Solid Jazz Guitar. Yes, I know I'm spoilt.
But seriously, every guitar has its own character and tone and produces a very d
ifferent sound. You may not have the luxury of more than one guitar, but you sho
uld still practice a wide range of styles. In the long run this will give you fa
r more fluidity and dexterity in your playing.
7. Take classes or follow a method
The best way to learn to play the guitar, is still to have a model to follow. By
following a progressive training program, you can move forward much more quickl
y than when you are self taught. Firstly, because you won't fall into bad habits
that are difficult to correct at a later date. Secondly, because you will proce
ed in stages using an outline designed for the beginner.
It is probably best to follow a course presented by a qualified guitar tutor. Th
ey will help you master your guitar playing through progressive and easy to mana
ge modules. However, one on one tuition can be very expensive, usually priced on
an hourly rate. There are other options - for instance, following an online gui
tar method developed by a professional and accessed at any time suitable for you
r lifestyle.
If you apply these tips, chances are you will make huge strides in a short time.
And do not forget the most important advice: practice and practice more!
You know what you have to do .