How to Use YouTube
to Improve Your Guitar Skills

👍 The Right Ways to Use YouTube

 

1. Play Along with the Music

• Practice with the Original Song or Drum Tracks: Always practice with a metronome, drum track, or the original song. This is the most effective way to dramatically improve your rhythm skills.

• Aim for Perfection: If we cover certain songs in the lesson, keep playing along with the song until you can execute it perfectly, from start to finish.

 

2. Watch Live Performances

• See the Artists in Action: Watch how the actual artist performs the song live in front of an audience. It's not only fun to watch, but it will also keep you motivated and inspired.

 

3. Be Selective About What You Listen To

• Listen to 'Good Music': I've often emphasized how crucial it is to listen to high-quality music. If you need inspiration, search for lists like the 'Top 100 Guitarists of All Time' and delve into their work.

• Study the Legends: Watch performances by legendary guitar players like Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Gary Moore, and many others to observe their technique and style.

 

4. Supplement Your Learning with Theory Videos

• Get Different Perspectives: Search YouTube for explanations of the theory topics we are currently covering. For example:

  • If you're a beginner learning Major/Minor chords, search for how other teachers (even piano teachers!) explain the concepts. It's okay if you don't grasp every detail immediately.

  • If you're an advanced player learning Dorian or Phrygian mode, search for examples of how these modes are applied in actual music.

 

5. Use Backing Tracks for Practice

• Scale Practice: Search for a specific key (e.g., 'C major backing track') and practice your scales and lead playing over it.

• Rhythm Practice: Search for specific grooves (e.g., 'Funky drum beat 90 bpm') to practice your rhythm and timing in a musical context.

 

 

👎 The Wrong Ways to Use YouTube or Google

 

1. Trying to Cover Songs Without Understanding the Fundamentals

• Avoid Mindless Copying: Do not try to learn a song just by following a YouTube cover or a guitar tab from Google without first understanding its key, chords, and scales.

• You'll Miss the Point: You might be able to play the song eventually (and there’s a high chance you’ll play it incorrectly), but you will never understand how the song is constructed. It’s like driving from California to New York without knowing you're traveling east.

• The Tab Pitfall: Guitar tabs rarely tell you crucial information like which finger to use or the correct picking pattern (down/upstrokes), leading to the formation of bad habits.

 

2. Chasing Viral Techniques on Social Media

• Be Wary of Flashy Players: Many videos on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are focused on showing off techniques that look fast, cool, or impressive to gain subscribers.

• Build a Solid Foundation First: If you attempt to learn these advanced techniques without a strong foundation, it will ultimately hinder your growth.

• Bad Habits are Hard to Break: Keep in mind that once a bad habit is learned, it is extremely difficult—sometimes even impossible—to correct.

 

3. Memorizing Chord Shapes Without Understanding Harmony

• Chords Are Constructed, Not Memorized: A guitar chord is something you should understand how to build. It is not just a shape to be memorized without any understanding of music harmony.

• Ask Your Teacher: If you need a specific chord, always ask me!

The Infinite Shapes: If you start memorizing chord shapes, you will face thousands—it's impossible. But if you understand the harmony behind them, you can create virtually any chord shape you need.