Introduction

First I’d like to say that you probably already know quite a bit more about playing guitar than you think you do! Regular Folks Playing Guitar is aimed at a wide range of players from pure beginners to the fairly accomplished guitarist who may be in a rut with their playing and want to break out of it. Whatever level you play at now, if you can hum a tune recognizably – or even a lick from a tune, you already have a sense of timing and melody. We just need to trick your brain into sending musical notes to your hands instead of your mug! I’ll show you how to do that and have some fun at the same time. A lot of what we’ll be doing has to do with ear training which we’ll discuss in some detail.

I once had a student who, when asked the question “why do you want to play guitar?” answered “to entertain millions of people around the world”. Well, that’s not for everybody- or for most of us, in fact. And if that’s your aim, sorry- I don’t really know how to help you with that. Sad face emoji.

It is pretty important to be clear in your mind about what you want from lessons and what you expect “success” might look like in the short, medium and long-term. While “entertaining millions” might be just as valid as any other reason for playing guitar, it seems like many (most) people are just looking for a way to entertain themselves, perhaps to enjoy playing a tune they know and maybe to engage in a little self-expression at the same time. I mean really, the chances are pretty good that neither you nor I will be playing guitar on stage at Carnegie Hall anytime soon. So just relax and have some fun with it! Being realistic about your expectations right from the get-go will be pretty helpful for you (and for me too, since that’s the thing I can help you with. Really, my only goal is to help you be a better guitar player- whatever level you play at now.

Next: Goals: short, medium and long-term