Seattle Guitar Lessons

As any experienced guitar player in the Seattle area can tell you, the type of guitar you choose when you are first learning affects your ability to play. You want this affect on your ability to play to be positive, therefore it is necessary to get the best type of guitar for your needs. To search for the best guitar for your needs you can either travel to any of the music stores in the Seattle area or you can shop online. The experience sales associates in these stores can help you determine the style and brand that would best fit your needs. (image courtesy of jessicamelling - Flickr)

If you decide that acoustic is the way to go, you can get a good quality guitar for $200 to $400. It is important to make sure that the acoustic guitar that you choose fits you. You do not want to strain yourself in order to play your instrument. The neck needs to be small enough so that you can properly finger the chords that require you to fret multiple strings with the same finger such as the F chord. The best thing to do is to shop around for different prices before settling. Also make sure that either you play the instrument or you have the sales person play it so you know how it will sound.

Intermediate or professional guitarists that are looking to purchase another guitar can also benefit from researching different shops in order to get the best prices. Some guitarists research online to find their guitar. This can be done by searching different websites for guitar manufacturers or online auction sites. The downside is that you are not able to play the guitar before you purchase it so you will not know how it sounds. A popular option is to purchase a used guitar. As always though, you need to be careful if you plan on purchasing a used guitar. Used instruments need to be inspected thoroughly to check for warping, cracking, or damage.

No matter what you do here are three beginner guitars you should be able to find in the Seattle area or online (try them first in a shop) that almost all reviewers put in there best lists:

Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Guitar (around $399) - There's hardly a time that a single, low cost guitar can get five star ratings and reviews across the board - no matter where you look - Seattle guitar sites, About.com, Amazon, Guitar Center, etc. Quotes from single reviews all over the internet say - "this one is by far the best", "highly regarded, both for their beautiful sound, and their excellent value", "I've used many guitars, but this one surpasses them all by a landslide". Seagull has devoted itself to building quality for a low cost. The S6 has a domestic wild cherry back and sides with a mahogany and maple body. Though it might push you pocketbook just a bit, the price may be well worth it for a serious beginner.

Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar (about $200) - Considered the 'best buy' of the bunch, you can't go wrong with the FG700S. Almost all reviewers have placed this in their list of beginner acoustic guitars. Typically, people have found this guitar to play better than many other brands over twice the cost (excluding the two above). Here are some reviewers thoughts across the web - "hands down, greatest $200 guitar out there", "for the price, I am giving it a 10. It sounds very beautiful, very rich", "it was the best sounding under $700". Most reviewers agree that you should buy some quality strings and replace the ones that come with to really make this guitar sing. The FG700S has a solid Sitka spruce top, die-cast tuners, and a rosewood fingerboard.

Takamine G Series G340 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (about $240) - Also in the list is the Takamine dreadnought that rates very high as well considering the low cost. Many reviewers have this in their top five beginner guitar lists with comments - "A beautiful, rich tone", "gorgeous finishing, one of the nicest guitars you can get for it's price", "for the price point i dont think you'd get a better guitar". Or, if you have a few more bucks to spend, the Takamine GS430S NEX is another option that is well respected (about $299).

Once you've made your decision you can run to to a Seattle shop or go to Amazon.com and order your guitar. Once in your hands you can start learning immediately with this great guide!

Finding guitar schools or lessons can be a very daunting task if you live in Seattle where there are several qualified instructors to choose from especially if you want private lessons. There are many ways to help narrow down the field to finding the one that best meets your needs and style. You can either search the classified ads or travel to music stores in and around Seattle to ask about lessons offered. Or, you can search online for downloadable tutorials.

If you find that you're really not ready to spend the extra money or just want the privacy of your own home just find lessons on the internet. One great online lesson guide is Jamorama Guitar - a very effective and popular guide for both acoustic and electric guitar students. While you're deciding on your best choice you can get familiar with your guitar. Pick up an instructional book online to get a feel for the instrument and the names of the guitar components. This will be exceptionally helpful when you start as both video tutorials or instructors talk to these areas. Once you find a suitable program you will be ready for your first lesson.

Some of the best places to find guitar lessons in Seattle depends on the individuals needs. If you feel you have the time and money take a look at this short list of instructors in the Seattle area:

Quinn Fitzpatrick - Beginning Guitar. Get a rock solid foundation and master the basics of guitar, proper right and left hand techniques, fundamental chords, progressions, basic rhythms-strums and finger picking, learn the formulas and patterns of music. You will be able to play over hundreds of songs and create your own music.

Dusty Strings - Complete music school offers private lessons, workshops, and classes 7 days a week along with our instrument rental program. Playing music and learning a new instrument is fun. The Dusty Strings Music School offers a variety of full-on programs for the student wanting to learn guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle & violin, ukulele, harp, voice, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, autoharp, bass, dobro, and flute. In addition to our weekend workshops, you can take private lessons or join a weekly class. Don’t have an instrument? No problem. We can have an instrument ready for you the first day of class. All you have to do is show up.

Off the Wall School of Music - To Teach the Best Lessons in Seattle for Guitar! They focus on 2 things to teach the best music lessons in Seattle - making the Lessons REALLY fun. Fun recitals, Fun songs, Fun teachers. When students have fun, they practice more and everything falls into place. A well-rounded curriculum teaches more than just reading the notes on the page. Students learn: All Styles of Music: Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Ragtime, Country, Classical, Reggae etc.

4/4 School Music - Family friendly guitar lessons, piano lessons, voice lessons, drum lessons and more are taught at our many all ages schools located in Seattle, Washington as well as other WA locations.

Again, if you're looking for a less expensive route try an this online guide. Some beginners work better in their own homes with online tutorials or DVD's while others need the extra guidance that a Seattle guitar instructor can provide. Where you decide to get your lessons depends on your own level of ability.

Learning guitar in Seattle is not as hard as it sounds now that you have decided to take the time and effort of diving into guitar lessons. With its broad musical versatility and terrific sound, the guitar gives you the option for a wide variety of music. On top of that you can use guitar to escape the hustle and bustle of your everyday life as both a meditative and stimulating activity to improve your own self.

Nevertheless, not everyone has the time or money to splurge on traditional guitar lessons with an instructor or driving around town to attend beginner classes. These days musicians have packaged their tips and advice online through ebooks, videos and personal packages that can really accelerate your learning. Using these means can be a lot less costly than conventional lessons and can be practiced in the comfort your home. Though this is a low cost advantage you have to make sure that you stay diligent with you day to day practicing.

Once you get started you may find that it may be very frustrating to master the correct fingerings to produce the right chords. Building finger dexterity is part of the process of learning - using repetition to build strength and change the hand muscles in a way that starts to realize good sound. Always keep in mind that one of the main goals of guitar lessons is to improve finger strength that will end up playing an essential role in improving a player's skill.

One lesson you can start right now is to understand the value of different types of guitar chords and their importance to understanding essential playing. Many students start with open chords because they're the simplest and are a good way to find your way around the fretboard. A couple of minutes a day with one some simple exercises will help you improve your skills in finding the notes and chords easily.

Seattle is a great town for guitar players with many places to get guitar lessons. With so much information readily avavilable now, guitar is something you can learn in the comfort of your own home with the possibility of branching out to Seattle's best guitar teachers in the future. You can start with a small investment in a Seattle Guitar Lesson Guide that will pontentially provide you with a muscial future. Get started today!