When I first started learning guitar as a young child, I couldn’t get over how excited and eager I was to learn. Right away, I signed up for lessons. At first I learned simple old Classic Rock and Pop songs, as I was just developing my chord techniques. Then I just continued to learn as many styles and ideas as I could. My thirst for guitar knowledge was insane.

This may also sound like you; or maybe you just want to learn a few songs to play at parties. Any level of guitar playing is fun and exciting. You must find your own way. Don’t play guitar how someone else wants you to. Play how you want to play. Learn what you want to learn.

The first article I ever wrote for GuitarPlayerZen.com, really helps set a strong foundation for your future guitar progress. Here it is.

Enjoy:

One important thing in guitar playing, or any aspect in life, is to know what you want to ultimately achieve and accomplish. Although perfection is impossible, the journey towards it is crucial if you are serious about improving. When you have a vivid outcome of what you want to achieve, it makes it easier to identify what smaller steps you need to take towards accomplishing this goal.

For example, if you want to play with the technical ability and feel of Eric Johnson, you are not going to spend most of your playing time working on slide licks. You probably would be better off working out of a speed/technique exercise book and transcribing (or using tabulature books) EJ’s songs.

I know, I know, deciding where you want to go with your playing ability and music is easier said than done. Here are a few ideas to get your imagination and visualization fired up:

Tap Your Inner Excitement: What do you love to play so much that it excites you just thinking about playing it? What kind of music are you passionate about?

Focus on Those You Admire: See and hear your favorite musicians, the men and women you most want to be like. “Borrow” from them what you like most and make it your own. Pay attention to what makes these players admirable. See and hear these qualities in your mind’s theater, and feel the excitement you have tapped into.

Be True to Yourself: You don’t have to be the world’s faster shredder to be a badass guitarist. BB King is known for his sweet sweet vibrato. Play what you want to play, not what others say you should.

Determine and List Your Guitar Values: Find what is important to you in your playing style and how you would want to be remembered as a player. Then focus on improving these areas. Here are a few examples: Tone, Vibrato, Fingerstyle, Left-Hand Technique, Legato, Rhythm, Lead, Slapping/Percussive, Two-hand Tapping, etc.

Develop a Grand Vision: See yourself the way you want to be–doing the things you love to do. See the images that you feel passionate about. Visualize yourself playing exactly the way you desire, in front of thousands of screaming fans, or maybe just in front of a few friends at the coffee shop. Set unique playing goals for yourself and strive to accomplish them.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” –Calvin Coolidge

Go to the next installment of our Beginning Guitar Series, How to Pick Your First Guitar or back to the Guitar Player Zen Beginning Guitar home page.

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