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The Absolute Worst Way to Learn Guitar (Don't Make This Mistake)

Marty Music

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I quit guitar after just three lessons when I was 13 years old. And looking back now, I can tell you exactly why and it's the same mistake that makes most beginners quit before they ever get good.
Today i'm sharing what my first guitar teacher did wrong, what I wish someone had told me, and how I'd teach that 13-year-old Marty today.

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0:00 I Quit Guitar at 13
1:51 My First Guitar Lesson (What Went Wrong)
3:54 What a Good Teacher Should Have Done
7:06 What I'd Tell My 13-Year-Old Self
9:08 How I Finally Found Guitar Again

20 Comments

@MartyMusic Creator 2 months ago Pinned

🌐Join the Marty Music Community & surround yourself with other like-minded guitar players! Monthly membership includes livestreams with me & tons of premium content — you can even start for FREE! → https://www.martymusic.com/memberships

@ericsimonson8002 2 months ago

I learned from a teacher at a music shop. He asked What kind of music I liked the very first day . I told him I wanted to play Led Zeppelin. He said I had to learn some basics first. What I didn't realize at first was that the chords, scales, and exercises he was teaching me were all relative to what I wanted to play. One day he brought in a book of Zeppelin tabs and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could already play some of the riffs .

@csabamathe3818 2 months ago

You're an incredible teacher, Marty! I consider myself self-taught even though the most things I learned in the past 2 years, came from your videos and I haven't ever met you. I'm gratefull for finding your channel just when I got my first guitar and started practicing. Keep it up and thank you forever for your lessons!

@bigjohnson7415 2 months ago

I tried guitar lessons 3 different times in my life, and each time they only lasted a couple of weeks. The "Instructor" was more about showing off how good they played for 25 minutes, and 5 showing me something to work on. This was pre-internet, so it's not like today when a person can find instruction at their own pace and different styles for free.

@joshnorko5586 2 months ago

Thanks for teaching millions of us how to play guitar, you the man Marty!

@1965nterp 2 months ago

I've had the same type of teacher who always had me playing the same blues riff I would come back home and my parents would tell me to practice I would play the same thing and they would yell PLAY A DIFFERENT SONG!!!!

@blaker0323 2 months ago

Just learnt smoke on the water on e string 30 minutes ago and feel so cool, genuinely just remarked my desire to keep learning

@wGalaxii 2 weeks ago

14-year-old kid who makes guitar my entire personality here, I'm working my arse off learning new songs, making friends with other people who play guitar, and I think what you need to remember is that if you get a real life guitar teacher who sucks, then you should immediately sign off, before you decide to never pick up the guitar again. BUT, don't give up. There are plenty of online guitar YouTube channels who are great for teaching new people how to get into guitar, (Marty is one of them.) and self teaching yourself the guitar whilst watching these tutorial videos are a great step forward. So yeah! Have fun with that!

@Paul-j5b9v 2 months ago

I am 55 and just started. These videos are so helpful in learning.

@thekenandmisty 2 months ago

I literally
Love you as a human being, man. Such a great video. Im 54 and started around the same time you did. Had a close friend to learn with and we had the doug marks video. We learned smoke on the water and power chords and there was no stopping us. Joined my first real band when i was 19. Been playing ever since but im not even close to the same universe as the player you are but I play as much as I can and it is a huge joy in my life. Will always watch you as long as im able.

@mscheryllynne 2 months ago

Wow! I've experienced this same story. Now, I'm 65 and working off my bucket list, so I decided to buy a guitar and sign up for lessons. It's been nearly four months, and I'm no Eddie Van Hale , but I thoroughly enjoy the lessons this time. I have an instructor like you. 😊 As a matter of fact, he sent me to your site, and I couldn't be happier. Thank you, sir!

@m1ghtysauc3E 2 months ago

When I was a teen I was given a cheap guitar and a ‘GUITAR FOR DUMMIES’ book. The songs were Mary Had a Little Lamb. Twinkle Little Star. The power chord section taught We Wish You a Merry Christmas! I never stuck with it and here I am at 43 years old trying to make up for lost time.

@davidmartin1012 2 months ago

Billy Joel did a great interview with Rick Beato recently, and it turns out he can't read music. The incredible talent still blossomed!

@christopherobrien3441 2 months ago

Couple of things.
1I started violin lessons at 13.(in 1973) The teacher was wonderful, I suppose my first older lady crush. We would have practiced without eating for her.
Then, she left and in came this grumpy old man, and out went my interest. I wish I'd let my head rule my heart.
Fast forward to 2020, I was then 60 years old. And I made a start on the guitar I'd owned since I was 34.
2. I'm told that I've improved my playing, I feel as though I have, because I find some things easier than when I started.
My friend, you take the credit for my learning and progress, yes I put the work in, but I needed a push start, and so, like it or not, you're having the credit for my progress.
Happy 10th birthday to Marty Music.🎉

@Kat-tr2ig 2 months ago

I had a very similar experience in the late 80s with my band teacher. I played the French horn, and it was very evident that our band teacher, a curmudgeonly man in his upper 60s, wanted nothing to do with teaching kids, and much less having to give French horn lessons. I vividly remember being in the 4th grade and in our book there was a different song for the French horn than what was in the rest of the band, and this man said "Just play whatever song you have in your book, it doesn't matter." I still went on to play in band and orchestra, but damn, was that a horrible introduction into the world of music.

@HansNederland 2 months ago

I also had bad experience with learning music via official music teachers. Twice, at the age of 21 with guitar and at the age of 29 with organ (I thought guitar was not for me after the first experience).
At the age of 55, finally, I learned playing guitar via a guy working from his home, he listened to me, he did effort to keep me interesting (with music that I like and not pushing theory). I tried guitar again, just because I had experienced an almost dead due to an illness, I thought about my bucket list, otherwise I would not have been playing guitar now.
B.t.w., playing guitar is easier than I thought.

@YellowBrickFloyd 2 months ago

Thanks, Marty! Really great advice. I started later in life and ran into many of the same obstacles. It took me like 10 years to hack my way through the jungle of mystery and doubts. I still run into it from time to time. I learned to celebrate the mini breakthroughs I would finally achieve. It's a journey, not a destination.

@rockabillylaker 2 months ago

Asking your influences is super important during your first lesson. I finally took formal lessons to improve my jazz/blues improvisation. First thing Mel Booker asks me “who are your influences?”

@willhaylock3769 2 months ago

As an aged learner I bought some nice guitars, taught myself chords and scales and then signed up to Paul Davids' course to add some structure - I'm enjoying the whole journey - I have no end goal, the journey of learning something new is the motivation.