by Natalie M. Wolverson

Created on: October 30, 2010

Millions of people all around the world enjoy and share the hobby of guitar playing; some on a more serious or professional note than others. The guitar itself is a popular and widely used instrument which can produce a wide variety of tones and effects, making it popular with all types of music genres. As the guitar is such a popular instrument it is no wonder that so many people wish to learn and take up guitar playing as a hobby or recreational activity, but what stops the majority of these people from succeeding in learning and progressing with the guitar?

* Sore fingers – This is a problem which almost all of the guitar playing community have suffered at one point or another due to the fact that in order to play the guitar you must fret the strings – this means that you have to press your fingers down against the strings. At first your fingers will not be used to the texture, pressure and tension that fretting causes and you will likely encounter a minor amount of pain in your fingertips. This does gradually fade as you build up calluses or hard skin on the tips of your fingers; however this takes time and many beginners give up too soon because they fear that this pain will not go away.

* High expectations – Many beginners may set their goals too high or expect the guitar to be simpler than it actually is. It can be easy to lose yourself when listening to music from some of your guitar idols and many beginners want to learn the guitar to sound like their favourite artists. Becoming as good as a professional musician isn’t an easy task and is even impossible for some as it takes commitment and dedication as well as raw talent. When learning the guitar you must set realistic goals and try not to jump the gun or think too far ahead. Set yourself small goals and work your way up as your skill level improves.

* Skill – Some people become discouraged if they don't pick things up first time or struggle to understand. It can also be difficult to stick with a hobby if you find it challenging or overwhelming. Many beginners want to pick things up quicker than they can in reality, which encourages them to lose interest and move on to something easier.

* Commitment – Sometimes you may not find enough time in your busy schedule to be able to sit down and take the time to learn something new or jam along to a song, this is perfectly normal because as human beings we know that time is precious and sometimes things don't go our way.

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