This bit of knowledge is something that took me longer to learn than any insane sweep-picking arpeggio or ridiculous alternate-picking run. After I figured it out, though, playing guitar...
This bit of knowledge is something that took me longer to learn than any insane sweep-picking arpeggio or ridiculous alternate-picking run. After I figured it out, though, playing guitar not only became easier; it became more fun.
Everyone has heard the old saying, “Nothing easy was ever worth doing.” And while I agree with the sentiment, I think there are exceptions. For most guitar players, including myself, it can be daunting to think about practicing something for countless hours in order to achieve it. So here’s a tip: Don’t think about it.
I think we often overlook our more immediate guitar goals. If we’re constantly harping on the legitimacy of our skills, we’ll never enjoy ourselves in the moment. We should use our favorite guitar players and artists as inspiration, not measurements against ourselves.
I used to compare myself to the guitarists I thought were the best, and the moment I stopped doing that, I immediately began to enjoy playing. I even started improving faster due to the absence of that pointless anxiety.
In the end, the worst thing about the guitar is also the best thing about the guitar: You'll never master it.
Enjoy the journey, and do what makes you feel alive when you have a guitar in your hands, because that feeling is what makes music such an awesome part of our lives.
Tyler Larson is the founder of the guitar-centric website Music is Win[1]. His entertaining guitar-related content receives hundreds of thousands of video views on Facebook per month, and his online guitar courses[2] tout more than 1,500 students with a cumulative 4.7 rating on Udemy. Get in touch with Tyler on Facebook[3], watch more of his guitar lessons and vlogs on YouTube[4], and follow him