Plato, the famous Greek philosopher, once said that ‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything‘. This statement which held great value centuries ago holds true even today. Music is indeed the only form of art which harbours the potential to elevate human consciousness. Not only does it act as an antidote to stress, depression and anxiety, but it also functions as a booster for health, wellness and creativity.
This is why it comes as no surprise that music, as a business, will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.6% between 2019-2023!
Although there are numerous ways to create and enjoy music, the instrument which currently holds a place of pride in this regard is the guitar. Irrespective of which part of the world you’re in, a guitar will always work wonders to calm your nerves, soothe your mind, and deliver a variety of social, physical and cognitive benefits. These innate abilities turn the guitar into a highly sought after instrument, especially among those who are trying to gain proficiency in the craft of music.
So, if you too want to know how to learn guitar fast, here are 10 scientifically proven ways to help you achieve your goal –
1. Get A Guitar That Suits Your Style
The first tip to learn guitar fast is to pick up a guitar that actually suits your style. Try your hand at both acoustic and electric guitars. Acoustic guitars can either be steel-stringed or nylon-stringed. Similarly, electric guitars can either be standard/classical guitars or bass guitars. If you want to learn guitar fast, a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar might prove to be a better choice. This is because nylon guitars are simpler to learn and are quite easy on the fingertips.
2. Understand The Basic Chords
For those who wonder how to learn guitar quickly, an understanding of the basic guitar chords can provide a detailed answer. Most guitars have two types of chords – open and barre. In open chords, each string is left to vibrate freely, while in barre chords, every string has to be pressed together on the same fret. To learn guitar fast, start by focusing on the open chords only (preferably Am, C, D, Em and G). Move to the others only when you have mastered these ones.
3. Learn To Strum
Once you have learnt the basic chords, strumming them to make music is the next step to learn guitar fast. Before beginning the strumming exercise, remember that nylon-stringed guitars are better for playing classical or folk music, whereas steel-stringed guitars are more suitable for playing rock or country music. Based on this, lock your wrist on the strings, pick up a plectrum and start strumming your guitar with the intent to generate consistent rhythm.
4. Use Multiple Media Sources
According to recent research, whenever you are trying to learn something new, using multiple media sources to recall information can be extremely helpful. Therefore, if you are curious about how to learn guitar fast, employing multiple audio or visual sources to trigger your memory would certainly be a good way to start. So, write down each note, repeat it often and play it as frequently as you can. This will help you retain information for a long time.
5. Try Your Hand At Mnemonics
One of the best ways to learn guitar fast is to use mnemonics for remembering strings, chords and notes. Mnemonics widely employ cues, imagery and encoding to facilitate quick learning & information retrieval. Let us understand this with the help of an example. Consider that the chords you need to recall are – B,C,E and F. Instead of remembering them as alphabets, if you just remember ‘Big Cat Eats Fish’, you’ll be able to retain this chord pattern for quite some time.
6. Find The Right Environment To Practice
If you want to know how to learn guitar fast, you will have to start with finding out the right place to hold your guitar learning sessions. Choose a room that gets plenty of daylight. Make sure that it is either acoustically insulated or has a very little amount of noise filtering in. Organize your equipment properly within this space and keep it neat & tidy. This clutter-free, cozy environment will help you to focus better and thus, learn guitar fast.
7. Know Your Chronotype
Just like the place where you intend to learn guitar fast should be in accordance with your needs, the time when you begin taking guitar lessons should be aligned with your body clock, too. As per a finding by the University of Toronto, one tends to learn best within one’s chronotype, i.e. sleeping/waking period. So, select a chronotype in which you’re the most active. This could be early morning or late at night. Ensure that you practice during this time without fail.
8. Take Small Steps
In your rush to find out how to learn guitar fast, do not push your boundaries much beyond your capacity. Start slow and increase your learning tempo in a steady way. Begin by taking small steps in terms of both time & effort. However, make sure that you remain consistent. Your continuity and determination are the only character traits which will equip you to learn guitar fast.
9. Test Yourself Regularly
When trying to learn guitar fast, do not forget to test yourself regularly. Choose measurable scales based on which you can easily identify and track your progress. For instance, you can measure your growth on the basis of grounds like speed, finger-picking pattern, repertoire, metronome or string accuracy. Use the results obtained to hone your craft further while ascertaining how to learn to play guitar fast.
10. Meditate
Meditation is considered to be one of the finest ways to learn guitar fast because it is known to reduce stress levels, lower anxiety and increase brain efficiency. As a strategy that aims to connect your mind with your body, meditation tends to boost your creativity and improve your attention span. Consequently, your technical proficiency is enhanced and you become capable of learnimng guitar fast.
The Way Forward
As more and more people start to get interested in how to learn guitar quickly, the tips and tricks available for the same are bound to rise manifold. However, anything that does not teach you how to become self-sufficient in guitar learning is not worth your time or effort. In the hurry to learn guitar fast, make sure that you do not compromise with the basic principles of music. After all, a guitar is merely a medium – the ultimate objective is to experience the true power of music!
If you too are willing to find out how to learn guitar fast but have no idea where to begin, you can enroll for a diploma in guitar lessons – here.
