things that i wish people had told me before i started playing guitar:
your callouses peel. a lot. like. the entire tip of your finger will just come off. it’s normal. the callous will come back
check the gauge of ur strings! if you feel like ur really struggling to master some harder licks, it might be because you have really thick strings! try going down a level or two, depending on ur preference.
higher gauge strings are good for building strength, but sometimes you really just want to nail that riff, so if you gotta switch em, switch em!
speaking of strings, FUCKING CHANGE THEM. obivously it depends on how much you play, but leaving the same strings on for a long amount of time will not only make them go out of tune really easily but also increases the chance of them snapping.
DON’T WAIT FOR A STRING TO SNAP TO CHANGE YOUR STRINGS.
if you play regularly, try to change them every 3-5 months. if you can’t afford new strings that often, there are a ton of options which, while they are more expensive, can and will last twice or three times as long as other strings!
learn what transposing means. learn how to use a capo to offset a transposition. just do it. you’ll thank me later.
IF YOU PLAY ELECTRIC OR ARE PLANNING ON PLAYING ELECTRIC, GET A GATOR BOX. DO NOT GET A CASE SPECIFIC TO THAT GUITAR.
IF YOU PLAY ELECTRIC (or acoustic electric) AND YOU ARE GETTING AN AMP, DON’T FUCKING GET THE SPIDER LINE 6 AMP OR WHATEVER THE FUCK IT’S CALLED. IT’S SUPER LOW QUALITY AND NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY. THERE ARE PLENTY OTHER CHEAP OPTIONS THAT ARE WAY BETTER.
don’t feel obligated to play in front of other people. this might seem a bit dumb but like…it’s important. don’t feel like you have to play in front of other people to prove you are a guitar player.
ALWAYS. CLASP. YOUR GUITAR CASE. CLOSED. even if it’s on the ground/empty, if you don’t use the clasps, one day someone (cough cough you) will pick up the case and your guitar will fall out. don’t do it. it’s so easy to avoid just don’t. do it.
your hands will cramp. especially if you’re playing barre chords. i’ve been playing for five years now and my hands still cramp. it just happens. make sure to shake them out.
ALSO! even with really thick callouses, playing for extended periods of time will still make ur fingers hurt. you’ll have groves in ur finger tips for hours afterward. it’s normal. don’t worry about it.
ALWAYS! TUNE! BEFORE! GOING! TO! A! PERFORMANCE! tune again right before as well. (this also goes for if you’re going to a band practice/rehearsal. don’t be That Person who is out of tune.)
your shoulders will get super tense if you play sitting down. try to stand up or sit in a chair with a proper back.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD COLLECT PICKS. GET SO MANY. AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. MAKE SURE THEY”RE ONES THAT YOU LIKE/WILL ACTUALLY PLAY WITH. STOCK UP ON THEM. KEEP THEM EVERYWHERE: UR POCKET, UR WALLET, UR CASE(S), EVERYWHERE. THERE IS NO WORSE FEELING THAN NEEDING A PICK AND REALIZING YOU DON’T HAVE ONE.
don’t wear rings or watches or other things that will hit the strings while you play
learn things you want to learn. ik that sounds dumb but like…it won’t click in ur brain unless you actually WANT to learn it.
learn how to bend tune. learn how to tune by ear. just do it.
feel free to add if you have anymore tips!
