How To Stay Centered When Following Online Guitar Lessons for Novices

Going it alone with learning the guitar is rewarding, saves you the money you'd otherwise spend on an instructor and doesn't tie you down to a timescale set up by someone else.

As long as you can remain sharpened that is. We don't all have the self discipline to follow a do it yourself course of instruction all the way through and might even be better off going to a teacher who sees our progression each week and heads us in the right direction.

I for one find it difficult enough therefore I've come up with three sure fire ways to maintain that momentum and stay driven. They work well for me and if you want to {learn} to play guitar and keep some money in your pocket then read on:

1. Hand yourself timescales and deadlines to study to. For example assure yourself that you intend to be able to play that song all the way through, or the main verse, or the chorus, or that solo by the close of the week. Don't beat yourself up if you can't meet the deadline but still give yourself a reason to rehearse a particular amount each day until this goal is satisfied - then move onto another.
2. Exercise your scales, arpeggios, chord progressions and exercises first then play the song you're on afterwards succeeded by some messing around. It can get boring doing those all fundamental exercises and very inviting to just skim them and move onto the fun part. Treat them like the green vegetables you never wanted to eat as a child but had to if you wanted some of that good dessert afterward.
3. Observe your guitar heroes on video websites like Youtube, get day-to-day inspiration and also watch the song you're working on being played. It can get lonely and frustrating when you're growing your skills so watch your guitar idols and remember that they were where you are today and got to where they are by keeping on. 

These three methods are what keep me focused and training my guitar skills when I could quite easily simply stop exercising those tedious musical scales and go and do something more fun. A plan and some direction will get you through the bad times and see you performing like a professional maybe even quicker than if you had paid out for a teacher.

Keep your eye on the prize, set real goals, stay inspired and you will get there.

Peter Webber runs an express on-line guitar lesson course at his web site that focuses on how to utilize online resources blended with goal setting and achievement tools to produce a truly unique experience for the budding guitarist.