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So, you've been taking lessons for a couple of months and you're not learning any songs. Your instructor may be waiting for you to complete some basic skills before moving forward.

While we all want to play tunes, we must accept the fact that there are some things we need to have down before we get started on that tune you've been dying to try. Without these basic skills your song will not sound like the recording and that will leave you wondering if playing guitar for you.

I know that starting out and playing random strum patterns and chords is frustrating, but these are the keys to the kingdom when it comes to playing songs. I've come up with a few things that you can do to make sure that you're ready to start playing songs. Do this, and you will be one step closer to playing like the stars.

1. Make sure that you can do all of your strumming patterns without stopping at a good steady tempo.
2. Have chord changes down. Be able to go from chord to chord without hitting bad notes or switching your fingers into place after they should have been there.
3. Know the chords you are hitting by name. It's not enough to just learn the shape, you have to know what it's called.
4. You need to be able to count the song. This means saying 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & as you tap your foot to the beat. You can also do this with dead strokes on the guitar to work on your coordination.
5. Mute out strings that are not supposed to be ringing. Chords like D, Am, C, and the like need to have the low E string muted with your left thumb. These chords don't sound as good when your strumming out a big loud low E. Get control of these chords and make them sound nice.

With this 5 skills developing, you will soon be able to tackle that song you want to do.

And that, my friend, is where the fun starts!



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