Group Lessons: Learning guitar in a group setting can be less intimidating for the beginning musician. You not only get the benefit of having a teacher to help you along you can often judge your progress by where the other students are in the class. The worst part about taking guitar lessons in a group setting is the teachers time is divided so you may not get as much attention as you might need.
Private Lessons: This is the best way to learn to play the guitar if you can find the right teacher. The instructor can gauge your progress each week and custom design your lessons for you. You have your teachers? undivided attention and you can ask anything you feel is not clear.
CD Lessons: There are many instruction CDs available in nearly any style you can think of. The advantage of this style of learning is you can listen to the CD as many times as you want. Any part that is not clear can be replayed as many times as needed. The disadvantages include the songs may not be the ones you desire to learn and the instruction is more general without any way of knowing where you are in your musical journey.
DVD Lessons: Instruction on DVD includes all the good and bad points of the CD instruction. The number one advantage to learning guitar by watching DVD video is you can see what the instructor is doing. Visual learning goes a long way toward answering the questions burning in your mind.
Music Books: Music books are a time-honored way to learn how to play the guitar. You can find more books on more different styles than most any other way to learn. You need to be proficient in reading music if you do not know the song you are learning. Most folks have a hard time getting the song right if they do not know the song they are learning.
Internet: In these modern times the Internet is a wonderful resource in learning to play the guitar. There are many websites that will show you how to play the exact notes your guitar hero plays. Membership sights are plentiful where for a small monthly fee you can learn most any style you choose.
Friends: Do not overlook your guitar playing buddies. Most guitar pickers are a friendly bunch who will be more than happy to help you along.
Slowing Down Recordings: You can purchase software that slows down your favorite recordings. This allows you to hear each phrase at a speed where you can pick out the different notes. This is a great way to learn to play.
Playing With Other People: The very best way to learn to play the guitar is to get together with other people and play. This is the fastest way to learn. You will learn more by getting out and playing with other people than you ever will sitting at home playing by yourself.
The method you decide to use to learn to play guitar is up to you. Try to practice four or five times a week for 30 minutes at a time and you will be playing guitar before you know it.
As you are starting to play the great game of golf, everybody and their brother will be attempting to give you beginner golf tips. Trust me I mean everyone. This includes the guys that you are playing with that cannot break 100 themselves! They will become David Leadbetter or Butch Harmon in their own mind of all places right there on the golf course.
You will quickly learn that there is a time and a place to work on your game. The golf course is where you should play and not practice. Work through all of your beginner golf tips while you are practicing on the driving range, short game area or practice putting green.
So with everyone throwing all of these free beginner golf tips at you, how do you know what to trust? Well, I can tell you that I do not ask my fellow golfers about legal or accounting advice. Through golf books, golf DVDs and local golf instruction, there are many credible and qualified sources for you to tap.
Here are two beginner golf tips from Brad Myers who teaches at The Massengale Golf Academy in Houston, Texas:
Beginner golf tips: Short Game
Opposed to popular belief and actions, if you want to learn how to play the game of golf or if you have played for a long time and want to lower your handicap, learn how to chip and putt. It may not seem as macho or as sexy to learn all of these little short shots as opposed to standing on the driving range banging out long shots. No matter what your current handicap is, if you want to lower your golf scores learn all aspects of the short game. This will drop your scores faster than standing on a driving range for a long period of time week after week.
Here is a question that may put how important the short game is and can help put it into perspective for you. Once your round is finished, do you want to give your buddy a hard time about the one drive you hit past him/her or do you want to brag about the lower score that you shot? Speaking from experience, the ribbing about how your buddy hit one past you is pretty short-lived as he is paying you for winning the bet of lowest score.
One last thought about the short game for you is to make sure you arrive early enough to spend some time on the putting green putting and chipping before your round. You do not need to spend thirty minutes there. You just need to hit enough putts and chip shots to get a good feeling going prior to your round.
Beginner golf tips: Have fun
Unfortunately, most people will tell you that they play the game for fun or to relax but their actions simply do not say the same thing. Especially while you are learning the game, you should set little goals for your rounds or practice time. Sometimes they are not even to do anything with golf. You simply cannot concentrate for four to five hours straight. Maybe it is to play with certain people to enjoy their company or maybe you try to identify different birds or wildlife. Remember it is to be fun for you!
Using these beginner golf tips will help you reach your playing goals and fun goals!
Both Ian Williamson & Maxx Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.