3 Reasons Learning Guitar Is Different To Learning Other Instruments

The guitar has always been a popular instrument to learn for a variety of reasons. It’s relatively cheap to buy, it has a fairly steep learning curve and the music you’re probably listening to features a lot of guitar work that you can learn from. Learning the guitar is different from learning other instruments and the experience is unique in a number of ways. This article will discuss just a few of them.

People Are Able To Learn By Watching Others

 

While there’s no doubt that taking lessons with a guitar teacher is going to give you the best chance of learning how to play the guitar well, there are a great many guitarists out there that initially learnt just by watching other people play. A lot of this has to do with the visual nature of guitar playing and our psychological response to it. Many people remember chords by the way they look, for instance, the position of the hand and the fingers when they are played. This enables people to pick up a few chords relatively quickly just by observing others and apply what they have seen.

Your Favourite Songs Only Have A Few Chords

Another reason for playing the guitar is so popular and is often considered different to other instruments is the fact that with just a few chords, you can play a huge number of songs from some well-known artists. In fact, with just a G-chord, C-chord and D-chord under your belt, chances are you can play along to the large majority of rock and country songs. Add another couple of chords and you can play almost anything.

This makes learning guitar more rewarding earlier compared to some other instruments, which require that you develop and refine your skills before you are able to really get something out of it and see your progress.

The Perfect Campfire Instrument

 

One of the big reasons learning and playing the guitar is so appealing is the fact that it’s practical compared to most other instruments. It’s pretty easy to transport and take with you wherever you go, and requires little to no set up if you want to play. This makes it a great instrument to play in a group setting just about anywhere and it’s great to sing along to, as the music the guitar more often than not produces the foundation for the main melody. The guitar is the perfect addition to a camping trip or just a hangout with friends for this reason.

If you’re looking to take lessons at some point, it’s worthwhile picking up a guitar at some point and trying your hand at it first. There are plenty of affordable guitar options down at Guitar Paradise that are worth checking out. Go to our website or just pop into our Richmond store today.

5 Beginner Guitarist Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

If you enjoy music and feel that you have a passion for learning new things, then learning the guitar is one easy way to a whole new experience of your favorite music. It is one thing to be able to listen and enjoy your music, but a complete revelation once you know how to jam along with your very own rendition of your favorite song. Many people pick up the guitar and don’t fully get to learn the instrument and thus sometimes injure them-self, but with these easy steps you can understand the mistakes that make some people quit learning, and to avoid them to become a fully-fledged guitar master.

1. Hold your guitar correctly

Many people don’t understand the importance of having good posture when playing the guitar, and as you are learning it is a crucial time to get into the habit of playing in a comfortable position. Many people will lay the guitar across their thigh when they start, giving them an awkward position to accurately see the fret-board. If you are right handed, place the guitar across your left thigh and tilt the neck of the guitar slightly up to give your wrist and hand freedom of movement to train your brain into playing more comfortably. Here are some quick tip for you:

2. Don’t get too far ahead of your self

Many people pick up the guitar to start learning their favorite songs, but for every beginner, just playing a simple song well is the best way of learning how to play the guitar. Once you have mastered more simple songs, you will be well on your way to learning new tricks, as well as new styles of music as they will come naturally to someone who knows where to place their fingers and how to pick perfectly.

3. Don’t ignore chord books

One of the best resources of any beginner guitarist is some of the many different books available to help you progress your learning. Alongside other forms of teaching, chord books play a huge role in helping you understand the phrasing with your hand to play the chords, allowing you to see which finger rests at which fret, and how the chord may be strummed. Chord books are relatively cheap, and may offer a free CD or DVD-ROM to help you tune your guitar and play along with a few simple songs.

4. Find the right guitar for your learning

Whilst it is natural to want to go out and buy the latest Gibson Robot Les Paul with all of the amazing features that the signature versions offer guitarists, but if you want to learn, the best way is to buy a simple and basic guitar that is the right size and shape for your learning. Try a simple jump acoustic guitar as it has a larger and wider fret-board, unlike an electric guitar and offers you an easier way to see your mistakes and allow you more space for your fingers to find the right strings.

5. Get face to face lessons

If you really want to improve your chances of learning how to play the guitar, then taking lessons by a friendly tutor is one of the very best ways to advance. Having someone to ask questions to, someone to spot your mistakes and correct them before they become a habit as well as a regiment of classes to give your learning a regular pattern is universally known to work for many budding guitarists.


For any beginner guitarist, learning is a process that is determined by a few factors such as your time and dedication to learning, your overall ability with other instruments you may already play and hard ork. If you don’t put in the hard work and follow some essential principles for learning guitar then you may not see the benefits. It takes a long time to become a good guitarist, and a longer time to become a great guitarist. But if you keep at it, enjoy music as a passion and would love to also write songs, then you may make it into the legendary category, with a lot of hark work!

Top 5 Guitar Amps for Beginners

Most beginner guitarists who are just starting out go for an acoustic guitar, but often it doesn’t hurt to go straight for the electric if that’s what you’re passionate about learning! The difference is that it requires a slightly higher investment on your part, but if you’re committed to seeing it through and making an effort to learn fast, it can be well worth it.

Thankfully, you can pick up fairly cheap guitar amps around Melbourne if you’re looking in the right places. If you have just bought yourself an axe, it’s probably worth buying something on the small side that is inexpensive. Chances are it’ll take a little while to get to the point where you can appreciate the sound that a top quality amp produces. Here are a few we’d recommend with average prices.

Orange Micro Crush ($79-$90)

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One of the cheapest reliable battery-powered amps out there, the Orange Micro Crush is an award-winning amplifier suitable for players of all skill levels. It ticks all the boxes for things you want in a first amplifier, including practicability, affordability and performance.

While it’s only 5 inches tall, the Micro Crush produces a pretty solid sound and even has an overdrive feature. It can be transported very easily and also comes with a chromatic tuner, which is handy while you’re learning to tune by yourself. 

Fender Mustang Mini ($179-$200)

In the same class as the Micro Crush, the Mustang Mini is also a lightweight, portable and battery powered amplifier that packs in enough features and sound options to make the perfect practice amp. While it’s a slightly more expensive option, this amp comes with a bunch of additional features and of course, Fender’s world-renowned tone technology.

Weighing on just over 3kgs, the Mustang Mini can be battery powered or plugged into the wall, has USB and digital recording output ports, a built-in tuner and more effects and sound options to keep you amused for years to come. If you find a sound you like, you can also save it and use later with the push of a button. What more could you want as a beginner guitarist?

Roland CUBE-80GX ($600-700)

If you’re looking to learn and potentially do some home recording in the future, but don’t want to fork out the big bucks just yet, the Cube-80GX is probably a good move. Producing a reliable sound and tone, this model has an impressive 80 watts of power behind it and is often relied on for stage performances. So there’s no lack of power here.
Additionally, this model also has iOS compatibility, meaning you can plug it straight into your iPhone or Mac and record straight onto an app.

Line-6 Spider IV 75 ($600-$800)

This model has as many effects and preset tones as you could ever want and is generally seen as one of the more versatile amps on the market. While it’s particularly popular with heavy rock artists, it can be used to produce just about anything you want out of it and has easy, adjustable FX options, great for beginners. It’s as easy as turning a dial and you’re browsing through a bunch of different sounds.

You might describe it as the most comprehensive and fully loaded amp on this list. Add that to the fact that the previous Spider 3 line was the best-selling amp in Australia, and you’ve got more than a bunch of good reasons to make this you're first.

Marshall DSL15C ($799-$900)

Marshall amplifiers have more or less become the standard to which other amps are held to and the most widely used by professionals. The DSL range has been critically acclaimed for decades and used by some of the biggest names in music. So it’s certainly a good place to start!

If you’re willing to fork out a little more, you can pick up the excellent all-around DSL15C, an amp that performs well across the board with an amazing tonal range. As far as value for money goes, this is the pick of the bunch and is a good option no matter what sound you want to create. Plus, it’s likely that this will still get the job done 5 or even 10 years down the track when you’re a much more accomplished guitarist - it can even get the job done as a stage amp if necessary.

So there you have it - our top pick guitar amplifiers for beginners! If you need help figuring out which one is for you, drop Guitar Paradise a line, we’d be glad to help you out.