“Music is a necessity. After food, air, water and warmth, music is the next necessity of life.” - Keith Richards
In recent years, nearly half of all guitarists taught themselves how to play the guitar. Getting started with a band isn’t always an easy thing. That said, there’s no need to play like a professional in order to start playing with a band.
After a few months of regular practice and maybe a few private guitar lessons for beginners, you can start playing as a duo, trio, quartet, etc. Playing in a group will allow you to progress and also help you keep practicing when your guitar teacher isn't there.
So whether you play acoustic guitar, rock guitar, jazz guitar, blues or just interested in playing guitar solos, don’t hesitate to start looking for other musicians to play with. Maybe you’ll even produce your own album...
Why Join a Band to Play Guitar?
Music is, above all, designed to be shared. Therefore, it’s completely natural to learn to play the guitar, get a band together, and perform on stage.
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You're more likely to give up playing the guitar if you constantly play on your own. (Source: josealbafotos)Of course, music can also be used as a private outlet for your own emotions but you’ll see that constantly studying music theory might get quite boring after a few months.
Motivation is key to learning how to play the guitar and if you’re always learning on your own, you run the risk of losing that essential motivation. Getting a band together can help you avoid this “musical loneliness”.
As soon as you’re able to play a few songs, chord progressions, and you’ve built up your confidence a bit, it’s recommended that you start looking for other musicians and show them one or two of your own riffs and licks.
If you want to improve your guitar playing, you need to share your music. Involving other people in your music is a great way to stay motivated.
If one member of the group doesn’t pull their weight, the whole band suffers. Playing in a band allows everyone to suggest their own original songs and play as a group.
Playing in a band also allows you to take a look at your own playing and musical style. It’s a great way to develop friendships with other musicians who share the same musical tastes as you.
Where Can You Find Musicians?
As a beginner or an intermediate guitar playing, it’s recommended that you find a band rather than trying to make it as a guitar player on your own. It’s easier to learn guitar by joining a group that already exists, practises regularly, and already has gigs lined up.
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So where are these musicians hiding?
Music schools, maybe... If you’re taking guitar lessons with a teacher in a music school, it’ll be much easier to find other musicians.
There’s often a noticeboard for bands looking for members. While there are usually more guitarists than drummers, bassists, etc, it’s always worthwhile having a look.
Even if you’re teaching yourself how to play the guitar, you can always head to a music school to look at their noticeboard to find adverts for private lessons, guitar instruction, and bands looking for musicians.
Musicians can also be found in music stores, which also sometimes let people leave notices on a noticeboard. If this isn’t the case, you can always strike up a conversation with someone who’s buying drumsticks or strings for their Ibanez or Fender.
Practise rooms are also a great place for finding musicians. Don’t hesitate to pay them a visit. Finally, thanks to the internet and social media, you can find local bands and musicians via Facebook. There are also forums and websites for finding band members. In most cases, adverts will specify the type of musician they’re looking for, the style and genre, whether or not they gig regularly, etc.
Auditioning for a Band
In many cases, even for amateurs, you’ll probably have to pass an audition before joining a band. Just like an interview for a job, you’ll need to prepare yourself for it.
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Experienced bands looking for a guitarist will probably be pretty picky. They’ll have an idea of exactly what they’re looking for. Additionally, guitarists are pretty common. They’ll be spoilt for choice. Make sure that you’re overprepared for their audition.
How do you prepare for an audition?
Firstly, ask the band what songs they play and whether they play their own material or covers. If they play their own music, ask them if they can send you it so you can work on it. If they do covers, you should also ask what they cover so you can practice. Even if the band tells you to “just show up”, you should probably still ask for what they play.
Never show up unprepared. An audition is an opportunity for the band to evaluate your technical abilities, of course, as well as see what kind of person you are. More often than not, musicians will already have a pretty clear idea of what they want from their band. Be friendly, smiley, and relaxed.
If you aren’t chosen, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re rubbish. It might be that you just weren’t right for the band and that also means that not being part of it isn’t a bad thing.
Similarly, if you are accepted, ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I get a good feeling from them?
- Are the band’s objectives clear?
- Is the band’s level right for me?
Here's some food for thought: as counter-intuitive as it seems, undergoing auditions is as big a benefit to playing guitar as being able to express yourself emotionally: how else could you measure your skill and passion as a musician, if not before your peers?
How to Play Guitar in a Band
When you’re part of a group, each practise session is also like a guitar lesson. In order to play together, there are a few things you’ll need to do.
Tuning Up
The bassist and guitarist both need to be tuned up else everything will sound awful. Using an electronic tuner is a pretty good idea. If you play with an acoustic piano, it might be worthwhile tuning to that.
It is also a good idea to have a well-tuned ear - among other reasons, so that you can pick up on lyrical nuance and your band mates' tonal expression.
Respect the Tempo
The most difficult thing to do when you play in a band is to keep in time throughout an entire song. Some musicians tend to speed up while others tend to slow down.
While a drummer usually sets the tempo, you can also use a metronome if your drummer is inexperienced. As a guitarist, your job is to play along to the drummer or the metronome.
The tempo can vary from song to song, making playing in a band very interesting. You also need to listen to one another to make sure you’re all in time.
Stick to Your Role
When you play the guitar on your own, you can do whatever you want, play more loudly, quietly whenever you feel like it. However, in a group, everyone has a role to play.
The drummer needs to keep time and provide percussion. The bassist is halfway between rhythm and melody. The guitar needs to let the bassist do their thing. The guitarist’s role is to either play rhythm or melodies.
It mightn’t be obvious at first, but it’s essential when it comes to playing in a band.
The Volume
Louder isn’t always better! You run the risk of damaging your hearing and not actually being able to hear what’s going on.
You need to adapt to the other instruments. Every musician needs to adjust the volume of their instrument in accordance with the other instruments.
Consider making a note of your settings so that you can quickly find them again at your next band practice.
Listen
Lowering the volume will also allow you to hear one another more easily. Beginners often make the mistake of being unable to hear the other members of their band and only listening to their own playing.
It’s very important that you play along with the other instruments, especially the drums, rather than playing over them.
Communicate
Finally, the key to a good band is communication. Like in relationships, you’ll need to compromise.
Remain humble and don’t constantly fight for the limelight. Accept criticism of your playing and provide constructive feedback to the other members of your band. Of course, everyone needs to be considerate of one another. Calmly express any disagreements and work on finding a solution that works for everyone.
Remember that everyone is looking to express their creativity through music; you must give your band mates their turn to shine!
Being in a band can be an enjoyable experience that will allow you all to forge fond memories together. The most important thing when choosing your band is to communicate and make sure everyone’s moving in the same direction.
What Do Instructors Teach During Beginner Guitar Lessons?
While joining a band can be fun and exciting, you need some essential lessons as a new instrumentalist. All bands have instrumentalists that complement vocals with beautifully played instruments, such as a violin, guitar, and even keyboard. Since you want to learn ways to play this instrument, you need to acquire some basic knowledge.
The stronger your foundational knowledge is, the greater your chances of understanding vital concepts in the music world. One of the first things you need to do is buy your own instrument. You would use this instrument for your practice and your performance. Many guitar brands are available, so this may help you make a better purchase decision. Below are some things your instructor might teach you during your lesson.:
Categories
There are different categories of guitars. While some people purchase the best acoustic guitar brands, others electric guitar brands. They are very similar and only different in some key parts. For example, acoustic guitars are usually wooden and can be played without power. On the other hand, electric guitars need to be connected to a power source. This difference affects their sound production, among other things.
Parts
You should also know the parts of your favorite instrument. The first part is the head, where you work on the tuning process. Another part you should know is the neck. This is where the strings align and also where you can produce quality sound. While learning the guitar, you need to note these places to use your lessons or tutorials the most. Knowing these parts will help you understand how the guitar produces sounds, and also ways to improve one's sound production.
Tuning
Another aspect you might learn during beginner guitar lessons is the act of tuning. Tuning is making sure the instrument is at the appropriate pitch. If you don't tune, it might not produce the expected sound. This makes this process very essential as you ease into the music world.
Are Beginner Guitar Lessons Necessary?
It's normal to rethink the importance of enrolling in a music school or tutorial. While many believe that they can study this instrument independently, others know that they need additional help from experts in the field. Learning the guitar from a professional would also assist you in becoming a better instrumental for your band.
Instruments and vocals go hand in hand in making quality music. If these aspects are missing, your band might not reach its full potential or even land major gigs. After deciding to join the group, the next thing is to look for a tutor. Music tutoring is crucial, and most celebrities have this training. Below are some reasons you need the training:
To become a better musician
Many musicians, be they instrumentalists or singers, receive some form of training early on during their careers. Improving your craft every day is necessary to become a better and more excellent musician. Your guitar instructor will do everything it takes to make your dreams achievable.
To learn faster
Everyone wants to learn their favorite instrument fast. No one wants to waste months learning without a noticeable outcome, where this training comes in. You will learn faster and more efficiently with a music teacher. This is the beauty of quality training.
You will understand basics
Self-teaching is great if you want to learn on your own. However, this type of training is time-consuming, and you do not learn much at the end of the day. It would help if you struck out uncertainty to drive your dream. If you want to be the best in the industry, you need consistent and effective training.
Why You Need a Private Guitar Tutor
After you decide on attending a tutorial, the next step is to decide whether you want private or group tutoring. This is primarily determined by your budget and what you hope to achieve within a specific timeframe. If you are on a tight budget, it’s best to go for group lessons with other individuals who are also beginners. However, if you can afford a private guitar tutor, you should optimize the process whether you want to take electric guitar lessons or even acoustic training.
Private tutoring allows you to learn directly from your teacher. There are no distractions, so your tutor focuses their attention and time on your goals. If you search well, you might find a teacher who charges an affordable rate for tutoring services. Here are some reasons why you need private tutoring:
Your instructor's attention is on you
Unlike a group tutorial, your tutor's attention will fully be on you. This makes it easier for you to learn within a short time. Learning the guitar takes months of practice. Still, you can make the process slightly easier with a good tutor ready to equip you with the needed knowledge. Once you have their attention, they can teach you the best techniques for faster learning.
You understand better
Students who take on private tutoring usually understand things better than their counterparts. After buying from some of the most popular electric guitar brands for your instrument, the next step is to learn the playing process. Luckily, many students understand concepts and process better when registering for one-on-one classes.
You learn at your pace
Learning at your pace means that you are studying at the most suited speed. So, if you have a private tutor, they would wait for you to understand new parts before bringing up other vital information. With this process, you learn easily without stress, especially when you have other commitments.
Your instructor becomes more approachable
Some people find it challenging to ask their guitar instructor questions about what they have taught. But when you register for a private class, you can easily talk to your teacher. Your relationship also becomes stronger. This may make it easier for you to understand your classes.
What to Look Out for in a Guitar Instructor?
It would be best to look out for some great qualities when hiring a music teacher. After purchasing a practice guitar from some of the best acoustic guitar brands, the next thing you need is to find a great teacher. Buying from the best guitar brands will help you make a better purchase decision since many brands exist in the market.
If your teacher does not have these skills, it will be challenging to learn essential aspects of the instrument. You should ensure they have these skills to make the process easier:
Qualification
Qualification is the thing you need your instructor to have. They should be qualified to take electric guitar lessons or any other guitar of your choice. They should also know the best guitar brands, helping you buy from the very best. Also, they should know how to teach students so that they would understand easily.
Experience
This is also crucial when hiring a new tutor. You need someone used to the system that can help you learn everything you need to know. Teachers with two years of experience and above are suitable choices for hire.
Technical knowledge
Technical knowledge is similar to qualification. However, this focuses more on your teacher's knowledge of the guitar and how to study it easily. You can get an instructor with good technical knowledge by hiring from highly recommended platforms.
Benefits of Learning the Guitar
Do you want to learn this instrument but are unsure of the benefits attached? Well, studying it has numerous advantages for both you and your child. You enjoy these benefits either as a professional player or even someone starting to play it. Like many instruments, the guitar has been played for years, one of the most loved instruments.
It complements vocals beautifully, making it widely learned by many people. Enjoy these advantages by moving outside your comfort zone to take electric guitar lessons from your favorite tutor. One of the most profound advantages is using it to earn extra income.
If you want an additional income to what you already earn, getting familiar with an instrument assures that. You can earn money from playing it and from tutoring interested students.
Another advantage is that studies show that learning may improve your memory capacity. Having a great memory has numerous perks, which may help you during daily or academic activities. You can improve your brain's ability to recall events or scenes when you learn an instrument.
Where Can You Find a Guitar Instructor?
Thanks to technological growth, you can find instructors globally. The best platform for learning this instrument is Superprof. Superprof is a great platform, boasting millions of instructors ready to help you achieve your goal. Everyone has a goal unique to them, so yours might be learning an instrument to help your band.
The platform has lots of qualified instructors with different ranges of experience. If you want a very experienced teacher, you may need to pay more. Still, some instructors have been teaching for a couple of years and should assist you in actualizing your dreams.
So grab your gear, it’s time to find a band!
Superprof wants to hear your thoughts: for what reasons did you pick up the guitar?
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