The guitar is one of the most commonly played instruments and can generally be learned to play on it very quickly. There are a lot of self-taught people in this way, but there are also certain myths related to playing the guitar. Such myths mostly arose as a result of the bad experiences of some people who got certain notions about the instrument, as well as about everything else about it.
Unfortunately, many today use myths as facts or theories concerning this topic. Music is a wonderful thing that we should listen to, feel and, above all, that we should have fun with. If you have any prejudices, you probably haven’t had a real music mentor to free you from those prejudices.
However, don’t let myths or anyone else convince you. Set yourself up for a certain phenomenon such as this one and decide what to do with it. To begin with, let us accept the myths immediately as a critical remark on this topic, because everything should be treated critically. We have singled out for you some very popular myths related to guitar lessons.
1. Guitars are inexpensive
One of the biggest misconceptions is that guitars are cheap, especially ones for beginners who are just taking lessons. That is not true at all. Although it is possible to find cheap models, the price usually dictates the quality. Although you don’t need the best model to learn, still if you study on a very bad guitar you won’t have great experience.
There is even a possibility that this will prevent you from learning properly, but you will think that you are doing something wrong or you are not talented, instead of the guitar being the culprit. Don’t expect to get good performance if you go and buy some model worth a few hundred dollars. We recommend that you invest a little more money, because it will pay you back many times over. You will have a great musical instrument to learn and it will last a long time.
2. Someone will teach you how to play
Whoever decides to take guitar lessons thinks that it is a big enough step and that everything will be easy later. Especially if the teacher is a very talented musician and a respected guitarist, then we think that he will give us all the necessary knowledge and skills without much effort. But know right away that this is a myth, because there are no shortcuts. The teacher will be your guide, who will certainly play a very important role, but in the end it will all depend on you.
He will show you the technique, explain many things, but if you do not practice and try, it will not help that Jimi Hendrix is your teacher. So get ready for hard work and dedication, and don’t expect a miracle from guitar lessons.
3. It is best to start on acoustic
For some reason, it is widely believed that an acoustic guitar is the only one suitable for beginners. This is not true at all or to be more precise it does not have to be true. Acoustic is great for a beginner, but so are all the others. Much more important are some other factors to consider.
First what is your favorite kind of music and what will you play. If you are a fan of hard rock and similar music then acoustic is by no means the choice for you, but electric is what you need. On the other hand, acoustic is ideal if you plan to play pop music and generally that kind of tones. If traditional music is your choice, then the choice of guitar should be the nylon string one.
4. You can learn everything online
As online courses have become very popular nowadays, more and more people have decided to learn to play the guitar with the help of online courses or YouTube videos. If you are very talented and persistent, it is possible that you will be able to learn very well that way. That type of learning has certain advantages such as being always available to you, so you can practice a lot and also have the opportunity to learn from people who are too far away from you, so you can’t go to lessons with them live.
But still, it is too complex a thing for most, to be able to learn everything online. You will not have anyone to correct you and then you may learn wrong all the time. Of course, if you opt for this approach, choose one of the trusted sites, because there is the highest probability that you will succeed. Invest a little more money, but it will pay off. You can also find coupons on sites like Bigsearcher, and save even more.
5. You need to have talent
In fact, you don’t have to. Of course, you will learn incomparably easier and be more successful if you are talented than if you are not. But even if you are not talented, you can still reach quite a satisfactory level. You won’t become the new Stevie Ray Vaughan, but you’ll be able to play most things only if you’re persistent enough. It takes time to learn and acquire a skill, and after that, you will be good. Don’t let them discourage you, but give it a try anyway.
6. You don’t need music theory
Surely you hate to learn music theory and you want to get right to the action. Especially if you read how some of the biggest music stars in history talked about being completely musically illiterate, and yet they made some of the most beautiful songs. While this may sound interesting and you think you can do it, don’t be fooled. What they were talking about should be taken with the grain of salt, because their knowledge of music was certainly very comprehensive. You certainly don’t have to become a Mozart, but it’s inevitable that you’ll encounter music theory and learn at least certain parts.
Conclusion:
Although myth is often used as a word that represents prejudice, sometimes it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes believing in something is exactly what gives you confidence and on the basis of which you make progress. We hope that you have managed to find out more about the topic you are interested in with the help of the text, and that this has made you think.