Most everyone around the world loves the sound of a beautiful song played on a guitar. Have you sometimes wished that you could play the guitar yourself? If yes, you are in luck. This article will give you some fantastic advice about learning it. Continue reading to learn what you need to know.

Keep yourself motivated. Many people think they want to learn how to play the guitar. They buy a guitar, practice for a few weeks, then shove their instrument in the back of a closet to gather dust. Try to keep yourself enthusiastic about learning to play. Never let yourself get discouraged.

Learn to play in time. This is essential to playing the guitar like a pro. You may have your fingering down, but you may have slight, almost inaudible pauses when you switch chords. This will greatly affect the sound of your music. Try using a metronome, a person, or a music CD. Start playing slowly and learning how to play fast as you get more comfortable with it.

You need to buy the best guitar that you can afford. Always keep in mind that you can upgrade to an even better guitar later on. Make sure you buy the accessories that you need for it. For instance, if you decide to get an electric guitar, you’ll need an amp.

Make sure to take care of your hearing when learning to play guitar. Your hearing is precious and sensitive, so you need to protect it. Playing loud music constantly can harm your hearing. You can end up with hearing loss or tinnitus. Try playing at a lower level. Also, try to avoid blasting music with amps and headphones.

A metronome should be used. This will help you to keep time better. Metronomes are great for keeping you on track. Before you know it, you will be able to forgo the metronome and just do it on your own.

Learn all your chords before you start playing songs. Do not try to play your favorite Jimi Hendrix tune your first week. Start with really simple songs and work your way up. Practice every single day. Taking a week off, when you’re first learning to play, will ensure that you forget everything you learned.

As strange as it may sound to guitar novices, it is important to start the process of building callouses on your fingertips soon after beginning to learn to play the instrument. Having a bit of thick skin at the end of your fingers will make playing less painful, and will be well worth the effort as you spend more and more time making music.

Buying a metronome would be a wise purchase. You can get into a rhythm when you utilize a metronome, and it can assist you with timing. You won’t have a problem keeping the tempo with a metronome. So try using a metronome when learning new songs and chords. It can really help you improve.

It is important for new guitar players to spend some time developing the muscles in their fret hands. This can be done by squeezing a small rubber ball, or perhaps even a tennis ball in a repetitive fashion for a couple of short sessions daily. Though it is important not to overuse these muscles, they need to get stronger in order to play properly.

Look for instructional videos online. With the internet, learning a new skill has become exponentially easier. One on one instruction, while ideal, is rather expensive. If you can’t afford classes, look on sites like YouTube instead. Find popular guitar tutors and watch their videos. There’s a lot of helpful instruction out there.

Prior to looking up tablature, try figuring out songs by yourself. Do this before you research the information in a book or on the Internet.

Strumming is important. In this way, you are better able to learn the chords. Once you learn them, combining them is easier. It can also help out when you’re able to make a smooth change between chords because you practiced them quite a bit. Take time strumming because it will help you get better.

After you buy your guitar and start practicing on it, be sure to take care of it properly. Learn how you should clean and maintain it, and you can enjoy it for years. Learn the right way to tune it, clean it and change the strings. You are sure to have a guitar that makes you proud.

People appreciate when someone knows how to play a musical instrument. And playing the guitar is no different. With a little time, effort and determination, you will become the guitar player that you are hoping to be. Use the tips that you have read here to get to the level of playing that you’ve only dreamed about before!