Should i endlessly practice chords/exercises/scale

So i started learning yestarday.. I played for around 2 hours yestarday and 4 today. I've always wanted to learn guitar, but it always seemed so daunting and demovitated me to begin. I decided to give it a try, cause why not?, and after only watching videos for a bit i realized its not nearly as challenging to learn, and pick up, as i thought it was. (I was watching the very beggining of L&M Guitar with Steve Krenz.) But my question is... Is it more efficient to just do chords, exercises, and scales, for a while? If there's anything that playing countless hours of runescape has taught me... It is how to do tedious, and reptitive tasks for a long time. But is it more efficient? Or should i be practicing songs, and melodies? Thanks to anyone who can help.

From what i've gathered, 8 months in, a lot of it is just repeating stuff until you can do it.

Try new stuff, then do the old stuff again.

i've tried to learn a song or two as well, just to keep it interesting. I guess thats the key, keeping it interesting.

If it seems like a slog, or hard work, you won't want to do it. If you are looking forward to it, you'll practice more and do better. Gotta find the balance that works for you!

I started the course about two moths ago. Although I definetely make progress, I am quite far from reallye smooth chord changes. To chear myself up a and stay motivated I have a couple of easy tabs I work with. E.g. Ode to Joy on the beginner course or the Star spangled banner, which you will find on the site. This way I make some sounds, that actually sounds like real music.

Reading the forums, I see a lot that apparently just fly through the Fundamentals 1 course. I for one is quite far from doing alle the chord changes smoothly and the perfect play along to the songs on the course, even with at least 1 hour of practice every day.

Originally Posted by: acharlesmiller96

So i started learning yestarday.

If your fingertips with no calluses did manage that as a complete beginner (?), my advice as an older head would be pace yourself, ....or the enthusiasm that accompanies the novelty of new and exciting will quickly fade even if your fingerstips don't.

Re exercises, chords, & scales? On day 1? Guitar Tricks has phased learning starting with their Beginner course. Maybe if you follow it it might work for you just as it does for everyone else who sticks with it? I suspect the instructors who designed it might know something about the learning to play guitar process?

Open chord shapes. Yes. You'll start there anyway. But follow the course as its structured in the way it is for a reason. They'll teach you the ones which are easist first, so you can build upon success. In doing so, the chords will be ones which feature in common chord progressions so you can see progress quickly in being able to play a myriad of simple song rythyms based around them. The pyramids weren't built in a day, but stone by stone.

Stretching and finger agility exercises are important. Little and often. Why not be guided by the fundamentals of Guitar Tricks course?

Scales? Crawl, stand, walk, run.

If you start with scales, I suspect you'll get both frustrated and bored rather rapidly. Scales will come soon enough, and be easier to tackle after you establish that degree of finger flexibility and agility which comes with acquired motor skill memory in developing competency with open chords and fluid chord changes between them. Of course all the time, if you also practice stretching, when it comes to learning the 5 shapes of A minor pentatonic, it's a natural enough progression practically as well as on the learning curve for which you will be better equipped motor skill wise. That way, it chances are it won't present as the daunting, boring nor frustrating task it might starting out.

Everything will come over time with personal application. You probably read elsewhere before that learning to play guitar is a marathon, not a sprint. That's the key. Sticking with long established structure is the key, whether it's learning to fly or learning to play guitar. Neither are merely the aquisition of theoretical knowledge.

Broken down into its most basic form, whether it's a weapons drill or tactical theory the army methodoology of instruction is demonstrate (by the instructor), imitate (attempt to do what you have just been taught), practice (until you can). Next lesson within the course structure, rinse and repeat with regular revision (some practice sessons which will include a compilation of all taught so far).

[br]Good luck. Remember to enjoy the 'game', not just focus on personal touchdowns as a measure of relative accomplishment or failure. Cheers.

ManXCat...excellent post, thank you. I’ve been at it for only 4 months and have to constantly remind myself of what you’ve said so eloquently.

On another note...does anyone else find that Lisa’s singing interferes with subject matter? I would prefer to hear, and try to emulate, her guitar which is drowned out by her voice.