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Why Most Guitarists Quit! – Reasons you MIGHT want to give up and reasons why you SHOULDN’T!
Introduction
This is an article I have wanted to do for a while now! I see and hear about lots of people learning guitar but giving up after a short time! So I sat down and thought of all the reasons I wanted to quit when I was first learning (all those moons ago) and decided to put them together in an article and go over the reasons and also how you can prevent or fix it!
Of course, due to the nature of the article’s subject, this article is aimed at people who have just started guitar or are thinking about starting guitar! If you are learning now and have doubts in your mind! Something telling you to give up, give this article a read! I think you will relate to a few points!
Don’t Neglect a Guitar Set Up
This is the biggest one that I see and hear about why people quit guitar! People either buy an affordable starter kit, or get given a guitar from a family or friend that has been in their loft for years and find that they have to press so hard to get a note. Or that no matter how well they fret a string it never seems in tune! Or even that they can’t keep it in tune at all! This is all due to the guitar needing a set up!
Not having your guitar set up can make it feel hard, almost impossible to play! This makes people think guitar is even harder than they thought and stop! However, if they just had a good set up then it would have solved all their issues!
Solution
The solution is to get your guitar set up! Luckily, if you buy your guitar from a music shop, then 80% of the time it will come with a free set up! If not, you can ask them for one and it won’t be that expensive if they charge at all! The other option (if you already own the guitar) is to find a local guitar technician! Check Google and Facebook for guitar tech and give them a message saying that you need a full set up! Again, this won’t be that expensive, but what it will do is make your guitar feel amazing! Will feel a world apart from what it was! The reason you want to quit will disappear! I still get all my guitars regularly set up!
Make sure to check the Guitar Strings
On the same vein as the point above on why people quit, making sure you have nice, fresh guitar strings will make a whole world of difference! Playing guitar on rusty and dull strings will not only make it sound boring but also make it very uncomfortable to play! You won’t be able to slide or bend as easily as you should be able to. If the strings are properly rusty, then they will dig in and stain your fingers! Makes for a very unpleasant experience!
Now, if you get your guitar set up by someone, they will change the strings! However, you want to change the strings more frequently than you get your guitar set up! I put out an article covering when to change your strings (Article Here) to help you know when to change them. Make sure you know how to change them yourself! This will save you having to pay someone extra when they need changing!
Solution
Change your strings! Simple as that! Put a fresh set of strings on and away you go! It will feel so silky and smooth with a fresh set on! Also, tuning and comfort will improve! Such simple things that many people don’t do when they first pick up a guitar! If a family member has given you a guitar from their loft, the first thing is to set it up and make sure they put fresh strings on it! These two tips alone will change how you learn guitar!
"Pace yourself when learning! It is okay to challenge yourself, but remember you can’t master everything in one go!
Don’t jump ahead while learning.
There are plenty of things to learn with guitar; however, don’t try to learn them all at once! Don’t try to run when you can’t walk! Mastering the basics will sound dull and boring, but doing it will set you up correctly and make everything easier! Scales, chords, triads, and fretting technique don’t sound glamorous or fancy, but all the fancy stuff relies on the basics. Mastering them will make everything else fall into place!
Solution
Pace yourself when learning! It is okay to challenge yourself, but remember you can’t master everything in one go! Something you will learn quickly, and others will take time! Set a priority on the basics and nail those! Do the easy things perfectly, and the rest will fall into place! Continue to push yourself though! Don’t get stale in your practice! It will be tough, and mistakes are expected, but you will be fine! If you keep making progress then you won’t want to quit.
Could be that Practice Amp
I understand that when you are first learning, you don’t want to throw too much money at gear in case it doesn’t last. However, buying a small, affordable practice amp (like the ones you get in starter kits) is setting yourself up for failure and giving you a reason to quit! They are thin, rubbish-sounding, and don’t give you a good experience of playing! This will make you not want to play! You won’t be inspired! So you won’t pick up the guitar to practice!
The amp is where you get the sound from; as long as a guitar is set up correctly and isn’t broken, it will be fine! But the amp makes the noise, so you want it to be a good-sounding noise!
Solution
Invest in a better amp! You don’t have to go all out and get a full Marshall stack or custom-built amp, but something a step up from those Starter kit amps will make a world of difference! Having something that sounds nice and is pleasant to play through will make you more inspired to play and practice! I would highly recommend you check out the Boss Katana Mini (Review Here), it sounds killer, is super small, and is always a good price!
Remember, it doesn’t have to be an amp anymore! You can use computer plugins, headphone sims, and even just acoustic! So many options that there isn’t really a reason to have that cheap amp tone!
"Guitar is very hard! It is a very rewarding, fun, and enjoyable instrument, but it is hard!"
Keep it FUN!
Guitar is a wide and vast subject! There are many areas to learn and master! Technique, sound, theory, and even tone! It can all become a bit overwhelming and confusing! This can make you feel that you haven’t come anywhere or are not improving and make you want to quit! If you are always learning new things and “studying”, then you will always feel like a student! It is a good idea to have a solid practice schedule. I have put out an article going over how to create a practice routine (Article Here). However, sometimes you have to break that routine and just relax and enjoy guitar again!
Solution
Learn some fun songs! Spend a bit of time just jamming out to some simple and fun songs! My go-to was always Basket Case by Green Day or High School Never Ends! Something fairly simple and enjoyable! You will need to practice to improve, but there is no harm in spending an evening with your guitar and some fun songs!
Understand that it is hard!
Guitar is very hard! It is a very rewarding, fun, and enjoyable instrument, but it is hard! You will be forever learning and improving, but at times it will be challenging! This isn’t aimed to put you off but more to make you understand the road ahead. Once you have mastered the basics and grasp the concept of guitar, the doors open, and it becomes second nature! Yes, you will be forever learning, but it becomes easier to learn.
Solution
There isn’t a solution really! Just understanding the task and trying not to quit! Making sure you have done all the things above will help massively and make it way easier! Don’t add anything to learning which will make it even harder to learn! There is so much material out there now to help you learn! Apps, videos, and courses! However, for me, I still believe the best way to learn (and possibly the fastest way to learn) is with a 1-on-1 teacher! They will help you through everything and give you the time and second pair of eyes to help you improve!
Conclusion
Hope that helped a few of you beginners out! It does get easier, and it is so much fun! Remember, every guitarist you have ever seen (even every musician you have ever watched or admired) has been in the same position you are in with the same thoughts you are having! It is a tough hobby but does get easier! Just don’t quit!
Remember, the first year is the hardest! It can feel like a huge battle to get through that first year, but once you do, it is amazing and so rewarding! You not only learn a new skill but you also will make friends, experience new places and things!
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