If You’re Considering Quitting Guitar, Read This!

Has your guitar not been touched in weeks or months…or years? Perhaps you just ended a boring or frustrating rehearsal, and you’re really questioning if this is all worth your time. Either way, you’re reading this article, so this is bugging you in some way.

Now, listen to me. I’m not an advanced player in anyway. I still consider myself a late beginner. I first picked up guitar in 2017, and I made a lot of progress on my own. I didn’t have internet then, so I had to print out free stuff to learn at home and make sense of it on my own, but I made a lot of progress.

Around the 6 month mark, knowing that I was passionate and dedicated to something (for once in my life), I decided to invest in private lessons. The first couple lessons were great and he saw a lot of potential in me, but then he pushed me to do many new and advanced things on the spot, and I got discouraged.

He said we’ll have to start over, but I said I’d come back when I learn these things on my own. I lost motivation though, and packed up my guitar. I did pick it up a couple times now and then, but that was it.

After trying out other hobbies and not sticking to them, I remembered my band dream. Playing on stage was still on my bucket list, and after seeing my favourite band in concert, I felt more inspired. So for my 2020 new year resolution, I decided to give it another shot. To keep track of my progress, I made my Instagram account, @key2nostalgia.

This time, I had internet, so I did have more at my disposal, but I was all over the place. I kept seeing Guitar Trick ads and they made a good point. They had a discount for new years, and I decided to give it a shot. It was less than 3 private lessons, and I would have access to everything, so it was actually a steal.

After going through the first foundation course, the holes in my foundation was filled, and I felt a lot more confident playing chord progressions and riffs. So by late spring, I decided to try to put a band together. It took a year to find the right people, and now we are here.

So trust me, it’s been quite a roller coaster. I’ve dabbled around in other genres, learned techniques I haven’t touched again, there would be months I didn’t practice much, but I love guitar and I’m committed.

So here’s some things I’ve learned on this journey that may help you if you’re feeling frustrated and unmotivated, or you’re really considering quitting guitar.

1. Accept That Guitar Is Hard

I’m sure most people who see other’s play guitar look at it and think, “it can’t be that hard, right? It’s just 6 strings!” It feels like every other person plays guitar too, so it’s easy to pick it up and think you’ll be the next Jimi Hendrix or Eric Johnson in no time. Sadly, that’s not the case.

In your first few weeks, your fingers are too soft and it will actually be painful to play for more than 15 minutes since you need to develop calluses. Getting your fingers used to these odd chord shapes takes time, and learning to coordinate your fretting and picking hand also takes a lot of work.

However, after you get past the learning curve, it will be a lot easier to start tackling the songs you like. So if you’re struggling right now and want to give up, stick to it. It’s hard, yes, but soon it will be more fun! Definitely check out my other article about why guitar is so hard.

2. Don’t Let The ‘Pros’ Fool You

As they say, social media only shows the good parts. These musicians make things look easy, don’t they? But behind that, is either years and years of practice, or many many attempts before they got a cut they were proud of. Not only that, a majority of artists and influencers will pre-record their playing so they can have more fun in the video.

There is also a lot of ‘fake’ musicians out there. On TikTok, for example, people are giving fake instructional on songs for piano and guitar and they are getting millions of views and likes! Any real musician could tell it’s fake as it doesn’t make any sense, but that goes to show how easy it is to deceive those who know nothing.

I really love this video where a guy wanted to create a natural echo/delay sound by using 3 guitarists instead of a pedal. He wrote a song and they all practiced it, yet it took them over 50 takes to get through the song. Even the best guitarists still mess up on stage, so don’t be so harsh on yourself!

3. You Need Some Kind of Teacher or Guide

I get that there is a certain pride around the community about being self-thought, and there’s definitely a lot of free content, but too much content can be overwhelming as well. Having a beginners book that walks you through the basics, or a teacher who can ensure you are developing proper technique are invaluable.

I’ve seen and heard many guitarists who’ve playing for 10+ years and still feel like a beginner. Many end up playing the same things over and over, and they get comfortable in a rut instead of learning new things and progressing. Thus, having a teacher who can correct you, instruct you what to learn next, and encourage you is a blessing. And that goes for learning anything.

So, if you feel stuck, or feeling discouraged on your own, why not find a local teacher? Why not sign up for classes? If you want a cheaper route, definitely check out Guitar Tricks. When I picked up guitar again after 2 years, I tried em out, and I was able to fill a lot of holes in my foundation. I felt much more confident after just the first beginners class.

4. Theory Will Help You Tremendously

In all my years of music classes, only after picking up guitar did I find so much hostility towards theory. I get that it can seem confusing, and other learners don’t know it well enough to teach it in a way that’s easy to understand, but avoiding it will only hold you back as a musician.

If you don’t understand what you are doing, all you can do is copying what other’s do, or wasting time guessing around til something sounds good. Once you learn theory, concepts will start to click, and it will be a lot easier to learn new things and utilize old ones.

Theory helps you see patterns that will make it a lot easier to learn chords, scales, and progressions. It also helps you connect all these different aspects in a way that sounds great the first time. Not having theory is like learning a language without taking the time to understand grammar, pronunciation, and syntax. I write about the benefits of theory here, and I compare it to cooking science here.

5. Play What You Want, Not What People Expect

I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to learn songs or skills that I could pull out when needed to impress people. While I picked up guitar with dreams of bringing my band dream to life, finding the right people and making it happen was hard, so I picked up fingerstyle and neo soul as a backup plan. Styles that would sound good as a soloist. However, I wasn’t motivated to practice those things, so I wasted time on things I essentially forgot. All I want to play is Japanese rock music, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

What made you want to pick up guitar? Are you focusing on that, or are you jumping around learning tapping and modes and all these things you don’t even need? There’s nothing wrong with learning new skills, especially when you’re new, but if you are learning songs and genres that you aren’t motivated to even play, you’re wasting time and discouraging yourself. If you can make guitar fun for yourself, it will be easy to pick it up and keep practicing.

6. You Don’t Have To Play Fast Or Know 1000 Chords To Be Great

When you’re a beginner, you may feel a lot of pressure to play really fast or know a lot of stuff to be a ‘great guitarist’. If you are interested in shedding, that’s one thing, but if you aren’t, you don’t need it. There are some slow, simple blues solos that have made a bigger impact than shredding 200 notes a minute.

When it comes to chords, there are countless, and I do mean countless pop songs that only use 3 or 4 open chords throughout. There are also many famous rock songs that only used power chords. You can always throw in something new or complex into your songs, but point is, you don’t need to be the fastest player or have many things under your belt to be great or memorable.

7. There Is No Timeline. It’s A Lifelong Journey

Compared to other school instruments that you could learn and be an advanced player in 2-5 years (think clarinet, saxophone, flute), the guitar is another beast.

The guitar has almost double the amount of notes as piano. There’s also a lot of skills that are special to the guitar, like bending and tapping. So many genres use the guitar, and they also have their own special tricks, like using a slide in country, or heavy palm muted downstrokes in metal.

No guitarist can truly master every single skill and style in this lifetime. There’s just way too much to learn and practice. Even the most talented of guitarist still feel they have ways to go to mastery. So, if you’re trying to take on too much right now, or you feel you’re behind others, relax! You have your whole life to learn and improve.

8. It’s Okay To Play Casually/For Fun

People have different reasons to play guitar. Some have a band dream like me. Others want to cover songs acoustically and sing to them. Some advanced guitarists can also make money as a teacher or session guitarist. But if money or the spotlight doesn’t interest you, that’s okay!

You’re allowed to enjoy guitar as a hobby. You can keep playing your few favourite songs and just take learning at a slower pace. Don’t feel pressured to go beyond what you want to do or feel comfortable with. Just cause others are playing on stage or gaining popularity on social media doesn’t mean you have to.

9. Though, You’ll Progress More With A Group

If you’re open to it, nothing will push you further faster than playing with a group. If you’re lacking motivation to practice, this will certainly get your gears going. If you’ve been struggling with timing and hate playing with a metronome, this will straighten you up.

Playing with more experienced or knowledgeable musicians is also a great learning opportunity. You can also make a rookie band like I did if you want the opportunity but prefer to learn in a slower, less-stressful place.

Unlike art, music is better as a team. It is a social art and we get to communicate with our instruments. Bands, orchestras, even a simple piano and violin duet, will always sound better than a solo instrument. Each instrument has it’s own timbre and style that can add a new aspect to a song.

When you play with others, you get to be a part of this magical experience. To know that, without you, it would not sound as good, can give you a lot of confidence and self-esteem too!

10. It Will All Be Worth It

If anything, sticking with guitar through the hard parts will always be worth it. There was a reason you picked up guitar and tried. Will you be satisfied quitting and not being able to play it? So what if someone else is better than you! That’s life! Forget about what others think, you can get better!

Once you’re able to play with your favourite songs or create something original that other’s love, you’ll only be more motivated to keep practicing and learning. Guitar can be fun and it definitely can be fulfilling, but you can’t quit. Take a break if you need to, but don’t give up. It will be worth it in the end.

Conclusion

Guitar, and really mastering any instrument, takes a lot of time, effort, and sacrifice. If it were as easy as it looks, everyone would be a musician. But because it’s not easy, the progress you make is that much more satisfying. Keep at it, and you’ll realize how much you’re actually learning without realizing.

Don’t quit just yet! Definitely record your progress, and maybe make an Instagram account to keep you motivated and accountable. Join a community of beginners like you. Remember your inspirations and why you picked it up in the first place.

Definitely check out the videos below by Music is Win. After a 2 year break, I picked up guitar again and a few months later, I started creating my band, Chromatic Dreamers. The video about Every Phase of a Guitar Player’s Life came out not long after, and I found it so relatable. It was somewhat comforting to know most people go through the same as I do.