Back in the old days, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, when a computer was a giant machine that looked like something out of the original Star Trek series, and long before the invention of the Internet, there was really only one way to learn guitar: get someone to teach you in person. Now, with the magic of the microprocessor and the mystery of the internet, there are more options. I'll list here, in order from best to worst, those options.

 

1: Get a Teacher

Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. Ok, so that's actually almost never true but in the case of learning guitar (or any other musical instrument), it is true. There is still nothing more effective than having a real, live human being who can sit with you, watch your technique, see what you're doing wrong and help you correct your mistakes before they become habits. It is far, far easier for the brain to learn new things than it is for it to unlearn bad habits, and a real, living teacher sitting right with you is the best way to avoid learning bad habits you will have to unlearn later. Ask around at your local guitar store, many guitar teachers leave their contact information, flyers, or business cards at guitar stores. Some of the employees may even moonlight as teachers. You can find teachers online who offer classes via Zoom, Skype, or other video call apps, too. Having a real, living, interactive teacher is the absolute best way to make sure you succeed. Bar none.

 

2: Get an App

If you can't afford a teacher, or your schedule is too erratic to have a specific time to meet with a teacher, then there is an app for that. Two of the most popular are Yousician and Fender Play. Both offer interactive, play-along instruction that makes learning fun by turning it into a sort of game, as well as offering video instruction. This is the second-best thing to having a teacher.

 

3: Online Tutorials

YouTube is full of video tutorials, and there are numerous forums that offer advice, lessons, and encouragement. A forum where you can ask questions and get feedback is better than just watching videos alone, though. I recommend finding an online forum and then following links to videos and other materials posted there. Just going to YouTube and searching for guitar tutorials will give you too many results of everything from great to just plain terrible. It can be hard to find the gold among the garbage without guidance.

 

4: Get a Book

Learning by book alone is the least effective way of these four, but still better than nothing. Usually, books are best when combined with guidance from a teacher.

Practice!

You're a busy person, we all are, but you have time to practice. Practice while watching television (that's what commercials are for).  Practice before bed. Practice in your head on your lunch break, visualize the fretboard and the position of the notes (your teacher will help you with that). Have that guitar in your hands half an hour a day. That's all you need. You can manage half an hour a day.

 

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