Category: Gus Zoppi Music Center

Want to learn how to play guitar? As a professional guitar player myself I am always trying to get to the next level, always striving to find the fastest way to learn, the most efficient way to practice. I have been teaching people how to play guitar for 20 years now. I know it marks my age – and some might find it hard to believe but I started teaching private guitar lessons at Huron Music II while I was still in high school (and that doesn’t count my junior high years of teaching friends). Over the years I have collected a lot of tricks to make things easier. I would like to share a few things I have picked up along the way.

Here is a short list of QUICK TIPS to help you get started:

1. Stretch before any practice or performance. For great ways to stretch visit handhealth.com. This is almost always the first thing I teach new students.
2. Keep fingernails short on fretting hand to make everything easier.
3. Change strings regularly for a more vibrant sound
4. Wipe guitar strings off with a clean dry cloth to ensure strings will last longer
5. Create a practice space that is free from things that will take you away from the pure experience of getting to know the instrument better.
6. Set an alarm so that you don’t have to watch the clock.
7. Focus on one practice item for as long as you can to build your mental endurance and general ability to focus.

Whenever you are trying to learn something new it can seem overwhelming and impossible, but with some time, patients and passion you can play anything.

Also here is a list of a few website that I have found helpful for either myself or students:

• musictheory.net: Great for theory lessons, reading
  exercises, fretboard training & ear training
• guitarpro.com: A must have for increasing your learning curve!
• ultimateguitar.com: All the Guitar Pro files you need to succeed.
• all-guitar-chords.com: Helpful when learning scales and modes.