German Guitar Music

Teach yourself guitar is a more fun when you learn a little about the history of it.

On the ship of your imagination travel back about three hundred years to the eighteenth century Germany.

The undisputed champion of guitar, Italy, is now challenged by the creativity of the new comers. After about two hundred years of sleepy relationship with guitar, German musicians are now awakening to play their role in history of guitar.

Baroque music masters like Johann Pachelbel, Vincentius Lübeck, and Johann Sebastian Bach reached a peak. Lute held attraction which paved the road for popularity of guitar.

Imagine a popular instrument like lute with the complexity of 24 strings which moved it out of the reach of even the most patient and serious students of music.

Now compare that to a six string guitar? Which one would you choose to learn.  The more things change,  the more the stay the same. Many love music, few have the time and patience to learn it. Instruments that are easy to learn allow those who  lack the time or patience to dabble into the creative world of music which is great.

The faster you learn to play an instruments, the quicker you get hooked on the pleasure of making your own music. Once you experience playing music you want more.

Three hundred years ago, the intensity of desire to experience music at any level was much higher with no TV, no radio, no ipad or itunes, live music was the  only way to experience this divine gift.

Chamber music which is a small group of players with emphasis on a string quartet were similar to today’s guitar band. I doubt it that a teenager in 18th century had spare time or the resources to buy a Fender limited rosewood Telecaster electric guitar or do a complete do over or sound proof a garage for his band.

But I am sure that they enjoyed music as much as any teenage in history.

Guitar popularity grew and it attracted talents like Johann Nepomuk Hummel.

Chamber Music Definition

A small group of instruments and musicians that would fit into a palace chamber gave rise to this form of classical music.

As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe put it, it is a musical conversation played by several musicians,each carrying its own within that conversation. Chamber music does not have a solo player since a solo performance excludes the possibility of a conversation.

Due to its intimate nature, for decades, chamber music was played for friends by amateurs.

Today, when chamber music is played in concert halls, it still carries its original intent of personal pleasure shared by friends.

Dream of playing a guitar? Try These Tips

If you dream something, you have the potential to achieve it. Your first challenge is in focusing your potential by focusing your dreams.

One easy way to focus your dreams is to get results. Playing guitar doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be easy as long as you learn step-by-step in a systematic way.

Your first step would be to get a guitar. I suggest and inexpensive acoustic guitar. Most of the techniques are the same for an acoustic guitar and electric guitar.

You can save money with a beginner acoustic guitar because you don’t have to get additional equipment and you can get started right away and get results faster.

The next step is to find songs you like. These are easy songs to play on guitar. The fewer the chords the better.

Another way, which is more common is to get started is to first learn easy guitar chords and then learn the songs that use those chords.

One note of caution, pay attention to how your finger tips feel. It is easy in the beginning to push hard and rub off some of the skin which is somewhat uncomfortable. With practice your skin toughens. However, if your finger tips hurt and you continue to play, chances are that you alter your form and use the areas of your finger that are not hurting but will hurt your form and progress later.

I have had instructors that loved music theory, they wanted me to learn guitar parts and so on. You may or may not need these in the future. In the beginning focus on learning to play.

Other than learning the technique which in the beginning shoud include easy acoustic guitar chords the only other piece of equipment or software I recommend is a metronome. Music is about rhythm. Rhythm feels good. Metronome help you learn the rhythm and practice it until you feel it in your bone.