Six Practical Acoustic Guitar Tips
Take a simple approach to learning guitar with these 6 simple tips.

As an indie artist, you’re probably sick and tired of being told you have to be different from the crowd to stand out. As overstated as it is, it’s true. That said, it’s also important that you don’t take being different to an extreme. For example, the acoustic guitar is one of the most common instruments in the world. According to research done by Fender, about seven hundred million people can play at least some guitar worldwide.

With such a high number, you might be thinking there’s nothing special about playing acoustic guitar. As common as it is, the acoustic guitar remains one of the best instruments to learn, and I’ll tell you why. Basic skill is enough to give you a decent performance, as opposed to the skill you need for all those mazy runs with electric guitars.

The acoustic guitar is also a handy instrument you can easily hang across your back and head to a show. You’ll spend less on an acoustic guitar than most instruments, and you can use it to write songs and perform. The best part about the acoustic guitar is that it makes a great stepping stone for you to learn even more instruments down the line.

Learning how to play an acoustic guitar can be fun and exciting, but it can also be tough and frustrating. In this article, I’ll share six acoustic guitar secrets to make your learning journey smoother, and I’ll plug a good place to go if you need a coach.

Six Acoustic Guitar Secrets

Use light gauge strings

When I say gauge, I simply mean the thickness of your guitar strings. There are different sizes of guitar strings, each with their uses and advantages. The thicker the strings, however, the more resistance it puts up to your fingers. This means you’re more likely to end up with sore fingers playing with thicker strings. This is why I advise beginners to use light gauge strings.

Light gauge strings are easier on your fingers. They make it easier to practice your fingering and allow you to make progress into more complex playing. Light strings aren’t as durable as thick ones, but they make your learning curve easier to navigate. Once you’re a pro, you can decide to use thicker strings,  but light strings make the beginning easier on you.

Practice little but often

One common misconception I see in people is they think they need to spend loads of time practicing. They think they need to practice for hours before they can get good. That couldn’t be more wrong. Spending loads of time practicing isn’t nearly as important as consistency, even more so when you’re a beginner. The truly effective method is much easier. Practice little but often.

If you practice for fifteen minutes twice a day, you’ll spend over three hours weekly playing your guitar. That’s plenty good. If you’re so busy, play fifteen minutes a day. Consistency is what takes you from beginner to pro.

Record yourself

The key to progress is in critiquing yourself, identifying your weaknesses, and working to fix those weaknesses. One super effective way to do that is to take a look at your performance in hindsight. A business owner will go over the financial report, mobile app developers will test their apps by actually using them. For a guitarist, it pays to watch or listen to previous performances.

Record yourself whenever you play. It’s a great way to keep track of your progress and it allows you to take a look at yourself from your listener’s point of view. It’ll give you a different perspective on your playing and make you much better.

Have a structured plan

A friend of mine once tried to learn how to play acoustic guitar. Every day, he would pick up his guitar, go on YouTube, find a random video, and watch it. Replicating what was played in the video would be his practice for the day. Not only was it an ineffective way of learning, he ended up biting more than he could chew most of the time. His learning was all over the place, and in the end, it took him nowhere.

You need a properly structured plan for your learning to be effective. You need to start with basic drills and steadily work your way up to more complex things. That way, you won’t skip some necessary fundamentals that you’ll need later on, and you won’t get discouraged because you bit off more than you can chew.

Avoid the death grip

While your right hand is having all the fun picking and strumming, your left hand is making the real magic happen. Your left-hand fingers have to press the strings against the fretboard so you get the sound you want when you strike with your right hand. The problem is that it comes with some discomfort to your left hand. The natural response is to use your thumb as a support by anchoring it around the top of your fretboard. This is called the death grip.

This might alleviate some of your discomfort, but it will cost you more. First of all, it’ll limit the mobility of your four fingers because your hand can’t stretch that far. So you’ll run into trouble when you start playing complex songs that require speed and accuracy. Learn how to play it the proper way. Before you know it, it won’t feel so bad, and you’ll be a much better player for your troubles.

Master the fretboard

The last two are as simple as they sound. If you ever want to perform onstage with an acoustic guitar, you must master the fretboard. You must know where your fingers need to be without looking at the board. Only practice will give you that kind of familiarity, so don’t take it for granted. Remember what I said about practice?

Practice little but often.

Final Thoughts

Of course, these aren’t the only secrets you need to become a kickass guitarist. There are many other tricks you can apply. You should also use a metronome, play with a friend, play songs you love, and start slow among many other things. Some tricks you’ll discover as you play, you might even come up with a few new ones.

If you’d like to start your acoustic guitar journey with a coach and a structured learning plan, head over to Acoustic Life on YouTube. Godspeed, my friend.