Beginner Guitar Lessons - Don't Believe Everything You Read 

Beginner guitar lessons come thick and frequent throughout the internet these days. It seems impossible not to stumble upon some kind of tutorial. 

Similarly, there are more guitar magazines in the shops than ever before, all packed with information about how to develop yourself into a ' guitar god' and how to make yourself a lightening fast guitarist.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with guitar lessons, but I do feel people take advantage of beginner guitarist's naivety sometimes. Well, in fact I do believe ' sometimes' is an understatement as they do it all the time.
 
The problem is websites and magazines realize beginners don't know very much about the different styles of music so they influence your minds into thinking certain styles are more important than others.

Why do they do this? So that you will buy their product or their sponsors product. Maybe so that you will return to their website or you will buy their magazine again.
 
The effect it is having is not good. More and more guitarists are loosing the idea of what the instrument is actually about. Genres are being lost and classic styles are being butchered as new guitarists are being brought into the world with warped and influenced opinions of what makes a 'good' guitarist. 

What Style are Beginner Guitar Lessons Pushing?

So what exactly are the websites and magazines’ telling us is the best style of guitar and music with their beginner guitar lessons?... One word that stings my lips, shred. To those unaware, shred is a series of unnecessary notes played as fast as possible in a cold and emotionless manor.
 
At the right times shred can be a nice amendment to a solo and a chance for a guitarist to show their true abilities. But magazines and websites are shaping our opinions so that we think it should be an actual religion, followed as a way of life.

No longer is it important to be able to play catchy riffs and meaningful chord progressions - the quality of your playing now depends on how fast you can play a certain solo or arpeggio.

And how do you achieve this coveted medal of being a good shred guitarist? - hours upon hours of time spent playing scales over and over again...that's how.

So what was this article actually about?

I like to think it’s a warning. A warning to new guitarist urging them not to listen to everything they hear on the internet and in magazines.
 
I'm not saying you should hate shred, I am just urging new and existing guitarists to open their eyes and perspectives to the other styles that are in the world.

Don't be fooled by websites, magazines and companies looking to brain wash you into thinking that there is only one type of good music out there just so that you will buy their product. Don't conform; make up your own mind...what do you actually like?