One of the biggest and most commonly asked questions many ask about guitar is whether it can be self-taught.

It isn’t surprising that such a question is regularly asked.  After all, iconic guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton apparently couldn’t and can’t read music, while increasing numbers of guitarists but their abilities down to talent and practice, although there may be a few white lies in there – learning music theory and being able to read music isn’t very rock and roll, is it?

However, the question of can guitar be self-taught is definitely a valid one.

It Depends On You

When asking the question and seeking to answer it, this is the biggest thing to keep in mind.

The answer is going to be different for everyone.  Just because you put Hendrix on a pedestal as perhaps the greatest guitar player ever, it doesn’t mean just picking up and playing is going to work for you.

Try it for yourself.  If you love sitting and playing around with a guitar and you have a good ear for music, yet feel an immense sense of dread enveloping you when you open a book filled with sheet music, then the Hendrix approach may work for you.  If you’re the opposite and you find it easier to understand the theory before putting it into practice, that’s fine, too.

Whatever works is good.

Gaining Feedback if you’re Self-Teaching

One of the big considerations you need to make if you’re going to teach yourself how to play guitar is how you’re going to get feedback and improve.

If you’re able to be self-critical without it affecting your motivation, then recording yourself is definitely an option.  The best thing to do is probably to find some friends that share your passion for music.  What you don’t want to do is self-teach yourself, think you’re doing great, and then end up feeling humiliated because you go to an open mic or something similar and discover that you’re not actually that good.

An Alternative Way to Learn: Pro Music Tutor

One of the main reasons we offer online guitar lessons as we do is because we understand that self-learning might not work for everyone, but at the same time, we know that paying for a professional guitar tutor can be expensive.

The thing we love most about our own platform is that it kind of combines the two, so whether you’re an experienced guitarist or you’re totally new to the instrument, you get the best of both worlds.  Not only is your lesson there for you to refer to and gain tips from whenever you wish, everything covered in the lessons is actionable and allows and encourages you to go away and try out things for yourself.  It’s cost effective and you can do it at your own pace, too.

Can Guitar be Self-Taught?

It certainly can, but as with anything else, there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat.  Whether you just pick up your instrument and play, use Pro Music Tutor, buy a theory book, or a combination of all three, identify the way you are most comfortable with learning guitar and get started right away!