There are so many guitar lessons DVDs available that it can be difficult to find which ones are right to you. It is great that so much information is now available to new guitarists and that some of the best guitar teachers are available through DVD lessons than would have been possible years ago, but with so much out there it is hard to choose. Learning to set your own goals is the best way to pick the lessons right for you.
One of the first decisions a guitarist has to make is whether to learn to play electric or acoustic guitar. Some guitar instructional DVDs are explicitly for one or the other instrument. The two types of guitar are not completely interchangeable with anything beyond very basic techniques, and how a guitarist plays one is influenced by the instrument. For example, many lead techniques end up too quiet or muddled to actually be very useful for an acoustic guitarist, since an electric guitarist relies on the amp for volume. However, some pretty basic classical guitar techniques are very difficult to use on an electric guitar, because feedback issues sometimes develop due to the heavier use of open strings.
It is a common perception that playing electric guitar is more difficult than playing acoustic guitar. An electric guitar is capable of generating all manner of unpleasant noises in an amateur’s hands, which is the prime reason many people think this way. When it comes to more intermediate and advanced skills, both instruments have their own difficulties though, so it is hard to gauge one as harder than the other. The two work quite differently, and it does take some time to learn the nuances for each, which can make swapping back and forth initially somewhat difficult.
Picking learn to play guitar DVDs based on the type of instrument you want to play, rather than which one seems easier to start out with is definitely the way to go. Redeveloping your muscle memory for a different kind of guitar can be an unnecessary annoyance. One of the nice things about guitar lessons dvd is that you can learn so many different techniques, but focusing on the basics is the best place to start as a new guitarist.
Guitar is not one homogenous instrument where the techniques are the same for any style, unlike say a piano or drums, where composition is the bigger issue between styles. There are so many ways to do the same thing on a guitar, that even two people in the same genre may not play very similar. Focusing on the style you want will ultimately make it faster and more enjoyable to learn playing guitar.
It is customary for most beginner guitar instructional dvd to start with the usual assortment of open chords, strumming, and other techniques that see the widest usage among guitarists. This is a good starting point for many new guitarists, particularly ones not focused on a genre, but some people may not find it as good a place to begin training.
Despite this, many styles of music, such as funk, metal, classical, or blues don’t use these general techniques much, if at all. Thankfully, guitarists focused on these styles will be able to find a variety of lessons tailored to these styles. That isn’t to say guitarists shouldn’t become well rounded, but learning to focus on what you want is important, as well. A guitarist working on learning something they enjoy is going to be a lot more motivated and willing to put the time into it, even if they have to work harder to master those techniques.
Taking the time to think about your goals is a good way to make the right selection of guitar lessons DVDs. As helpful as the advice of others can be, deciding what you want out of your guitar playing will help to ensure you can learn to play what you want in far less time than you might expect. For more information on the lessons available, be sure to visit our website and see what fits your goals.
