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Stop making playing hard for yourself! – it doesn’t have to be difficult!
Introduction
Learning to play guitar can be quite complicated, so you want to try and make it as simple as possible for yourself. However, there are a few things I often see people doing that make me think, “why are you making it so difficult for yourself?” So I thought I would take the time to go over the main ones I notice, talk about why they might make playing guitar harder than it needs to be, and explain how you can fix or correct them. This may help you progress quicker. It may not, but I thought it would be worth going through a few points.
So without further ado, let’s go through the first point, which is the biggest mistake I see people making – and that is using the wrong string gauges, or using a heavier string gauge than needed!
String Gauge
This is one that I see so often – people using insanely heavy guitar string gauges! To me, anything over 10’s is pointless (in relatively standard tuning). Some players put 12’s or even 13’s on their guitar just because that’s what their favourite guitarists use. Then they realise that it makes playing guitar almost impossible! Is the sound really that different? No! I don’t think string gauge adds much to the overall tone of the guitar. However, it does change how it feels to play and can make it feel like you’re playing hard for no reason.
If you don’t have a specific reason to use heavy strings, then don’t! Your fingers will ache, and your playing will be much more difficult. I recently dropped back to 9’s, and let me tell you – my guitar is so much easier to play! Bends are smoother, and it has become a joy to pick up and play again.
"Just make sure you know what you want and like: how high do you want your action? Pickup height? String gauge?"
Proper Action
This goes hand in hand with string gauges – get your guitar set up! Having high action doesn’t make you better than everyone else. Get your guitar properly adjusted and the action set right! Having an action you enjoy will make you play so much better and feel far more comfortable while playing. Honestly, I really mean this: getting your guitar set up can make it feel like a brand new instrument. I aim to get all my guitars set up at least once a year.
Give Google Maps a look, as I’m sure there will be a guitar tech in your area. You can also watch some YouTube videos and learn to set it up yourself. However, it can go wrong, it takes time, and it may even cost you more in the long run. For me, it’s just worth paying someone to do the setup! A basic setup won’t cost much and won’t take too much time at all. Just make sure you know what you want and like: how high do you want your action? Pickup height? String gauge? All of these questions will come up when you take your guitar in.
Wrong Pick Type
This is a hard one because there are so many picks! There are hundreds of designs and shapes, and finding the right one can be hard work. Playing with the same pick your favourite guitarist uses can actually cause issues – it might not be suitable for your picking style or grip. You may even find that it gives you wrist strain or achy arms from playing hardwith the wrong pick.
For me, I use the Rombo Diamond pick. It’s a 2mm thick pick and medium to large in size. I don’t like oversized picks, and I can’t get on with the small ones (like Jazz picks). I also can’t use thin picks, as I find they give me the sensation of “lag” when I play guitar. My advice would be to try as many as you can! Go into a guitar shop, see what picks they have, and test a variety until you find the one that feels right for you.
Over using pedals
This one may seem a bit strange considering what we do on this website! Don’t get me wrong – I love guitar pedals. However, you need to be confident and sure about the pedals you are using. It’s all about being in control of your pedalboard and knowing exactly what each effect does.
We aren’t saying you shouldn’t use pedals – you can have a whole stage full of them if you want! If you enjoy spending an entire gig tap dancing, that’s totally fine. Get the sounds you want. However, make sure you know what the pedals do and how they work. Understanding your board, your pedals, and your tones allows you to focus less on playing hard just to manage effects, and more on actually playing guitar and enjoying the music.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has given you some food for thought! Maybe you’ve found yourself doing some of the above, or maybe you’ve thought about changing a few things to help improve your playing. Are you doing it for a real reason, or just because you think you should? If it’s the latter, then really ask yourself if it’s worth it. Your playing will change, and you may find that you’re making playing hard on the guitar even more difficult for no reason.
Do you have any tips you discovered while learning to play that helped you stay focused and play better guitar? Make sure to drop us an email or message – we’d love to hear what works for you! At the end of the day, it all comes down to feeling comfortable and confident with your rig, your guitar, and your overall playing.
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