Stop Being Frustrated With Guitar Today! - 165

Today is the day! Let's work through the four simple steps to keep you on track with the guitar for good.

Why?

I love how a "why question" always creates a chain: a "why chain". One "why question" leads to another "why question."

Anyone who has been the parent of a five year old knows this very well.

Why am I here? Why is the sky blue? Why does the car smell funny? I don't know!

Why is the "why chain" natural to us? Because It's how we get to the bottom of things.

And ladies and gentleman, we need to get to the bottom of some things here.

This frustration and confusion about the guitar in your life has to stop, now. This is supposed to be fun!

So let's use the power of the "why chain" to pinpoint the reasons why we are struggling and then fix them.

Let's start with me. I'll be the test subject.

Why am I here, doing this?

Is it because I like podcasting? Is it because I like talking to and meeting people?

I like both of those things, but that's not why I'm here.

I'm here to help you become the guitarist that you've always wanted to be!

Why?

Because, I've found that there are a lot of you who struggle with getting better at the guitar.
This is why I'm here. This is how I can help a lot of people.

But why is that? - Why are there so many people struggling with guitar?

Because playing guitar is difficult It's fun and difficult!

Why is learning guitar difficult?

Because the way to learn guitar is not obvious. The guitar wasn't designed with user friendliness in mind. Not just anyone can pick it up and sound great or even good.
Learning guitar is a narrow path. There are certain things that you have to get, skills that you have to master before you can soar with the eagles strumming your guitar.

Why are players not starting with the things they need to start playing guitar?

Because, the way people learn guitar today is something called the a la carte method.

Learning something difficult by picking what looks the best for you (someone who is admittedly not a master of the guitar) creates what we call in the trade "a big problem."
Modern guitar learning (which should be better than is was in the past) is not addressing the things that you need to actually progress at the guitar.

You pick something to learn: ooh this is so easy, i can do this. But are you a guitarist yet? You still aren't through the door.

You achieve a little for the moment, and are still lost. The a la carte method plays to your emotions. it's lets emotions drive. Its centered around the appeal of learning guitar, other than caring that you actually succeed. It's not about you succeeding, its about getting views and view time.

Learning something this way creates a big problem that ultimately creates

• The frustrated guitarist
• The career beginner.

And it's results:

1. You are stuck..
2. You are unsure how to move forward
3. You feel like you should be better by now.
4. You are discouraged because you are putting in a ton of effort on things that aren't going to move you forward at all.

It doesn't take much to start moving forward... but it's a narrow path. Getting better at guitar is so simple but it's not obvious If you've listened to the podcast, I've woven this theme throughout the episodes.

You need a plan.

I will give you the first entry of your plan: the first part of any successful plan is to shore up your deficiencies.

Make an effort seek out the fundamentals that you are missing.
Write down what you know that you are lacking in your playing. Then ask someone else who is familiar with your playing, what they would think you could work on.

Start here - and work these till they are gone. Because you will just be spinning your wheels if you continue to march forward without these basic things.
If your rhythm is not very good - work on your rhythm - it's necessary and important. for example.

Pick a Focus or Direction Today

Next you need to make some decisions. And you can do this today. Playing guitar is huge. There are many styles of guitar that can be learned. Make a decision what you want to do.
You are not married to this. You can always change your mind later. The point is not to lock you into something forever, but to put blinders on so that you don't see everything else while you are trying to learn something.

Start to research, what it is that you need to know to play this style.

Schedule your Practice Time Today

Everyone's schedule is different. What is good for me will most likely not be good for you. But, the important thing is that you have some sort of regularity and repetition so that the time you spend is not wasted. So that what you learn will be committed to long term memory and serve you for years to come. This creates a firm foundation to build on.

Start to Map out A Series of Small celebrations Today

The first goal being a celebration of filling in the gaps behind you. Basic chords, rhythms, scales, and basic music theory is behind you. You cant get past them. These simple simple things can either help you, or they can hold you back.