+ Am I too young/old to learn the acoustic guitar?

You can never be too old to start something new. Learning a new instrument is a very rewarding experience and the acoustic guitar is a beautiful instrument. Toby's Music Lessons teaches students from the ages of six upwards. One point is playing the guitar does require finger dexterity so if you suffer from arthritis in the hands, see if you can play a guitar first before committing to lessons.

+ How long will it take me to learn the guitar?

The wonderful thing about learning music is that there is always something new to learn. The best musicians in the world will say that they are still learning every day. Go at your own pace, learn the music you like and appreciate other people’s perspectives. Music is not a competition – it’s an art. It’s an old saying but when it comes to music, the more you learn, the more you realise you don’t know. A great book that illustrates this point is ‘Zen Guitar’ by Philip Toshio Sudo.

+ Is acoustic guitar harder to learn than electric/classical/bass guitar?

It’s about the same. Swings and roundabouts really. The good news is anything you can play on an acoustic, you can play on an electric or classical and vice-versa.

+ Why do acoustic guitars range in value so much?

There are many factors; the quality of woods, the quality of hardware, the quality of the electronics, and the quality of the construction. A handmade guitar can take an expert luthier over 100 hours to construct. Cheaper guitars are factory made and they can produce hundreds in a week, obviously, they do not have the same attention to detail than more expensive guitars. A couple of major points to notice when playing cheaper guitars is the finish on the frets – they should be filed down at the sides (you can cut your fingers on the sides of the frets if they haven't been fret-dressed). Also, the metal hardware they use on cheaper guitars is usually Chinese pot-metal (this is a cheap alloy consisting of mostly tin), on more expensive guitars, they use more expensive metals like stainless steel.

+ What is the ‘action’ of a guitar?

The action of a guitar refers to how high the strings are from the fretboard. Ideally, you want quite a low action because the higher the strings are, the harder the guitar will be to play. Be aware that the action can change over time so if you notice a high action on your guitar, it's best to take it in to a guitar shop for a set-up.

+ What is a ‘truss rod’?

A truss rod is a long metal rod that runs down the inside of the neck and helps to keep it straight. If you notice a bow in your neck between the 8th and 12th fret, an adjustment of the truss rod will help to straighten it up and make it easier to play. Be careful when adjusting truss rods though because a ¼ turn the wrong way could snap the neck. If in doubt, take it to a professional in a guitar shop. Classical guitars do not have truss rods because classical guitar strings have a much lower tension and therefore less strain on the neck.

+ What is a ‘cutaway’ guitar?

An acoustic guitar with a cutaway essentially has the bottom part of the body ‘cut away’ from the neck allowing easier access to the higher frets. This is a good choice for guitarists who solo and need quick access to the higher frets, a disadvantage is the volume and tone loss that result in the smaller asymmetrical body.

+ What is a ‘solid top’ and ‘solid sides’ guitar

This is a key difference between cheaper and more expensive acoustic guitars; solid top and sides means they are constructed using a solid piece of tone wood. On cheaper guitars, they use a thin laminate of tone wood glued onto cheaper wood. Solid top and side guitars have better projection, better tone and the sound gets better over time as the wood matures. They are more expensive however.

+ What thickness of pick should I buy?

It really depends on what you prefer, Try out different ones and see which one you like the best. As a rule, thicker picks are better for playing individual notes (like solos) and thinner picks are good for strumming. A 1mm thick pick is considered a thick pick, medium picks are between 0.70-0.84 mm and are good all-rounders.

+ How should I care for my acoustic guitar?

Acoustic guitars are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Excessive dryness and heat will warp, crack, and weaken the wood. Also, sudden temperature changes may damage the guitar. Do not put a guitar in the attic, basement, or anywhere else that is noticeably colder/hotter/damper than the rest of the house, do not store it near a radiator, and do not leave it in the car overnight. There is a good guitar cleaning kit on my Recommended Equipment section.

+ Why do guitarists sometimes use a capo?

A capo works by raising the pitch of all the strings on the guitar, this is very useful for singers because sometimes a song can be too low or high for a singer’s voice. Using a capo means you can use the same open chord shapes and raise the pitch of the whole song. Guitarists can use barre chords to get around this, this is when the index finger ‘barres’ over all of the strings and the chords are made using the other fingers.

+ Are my fingers supposed to hurt?

Maybe a little bit at first, but your fingers soon toughen up and you will develop calluses. If they hurt, just have a little break, wash your hands, make a cup of tea and give your fingers some time to recover. If you get a blister don't pop it, the skin underneath the blister is still growing and it will be very painful if you try to play on fresh skin. The blister will go down in one day and your fingers will be tougher afterwards.

+ Will loud music damage my hearing?

Yes. Prolonged loud noises will damage your hearing. Always use earplugs when playing live with drummers or going to a loud gig. Hearing is the key sense for playing and reacting to music. Take care of your ears and use plugs!