Avoid These 5 Bad Guitar Tips (And What to Do Instead)
Learn guitar smarter by avoiding these 5 bad beginner tips. I share myths that could slow your progress – and what to do instead to improve faster.
5 Common Guitar Tips That Are Actually Bad Advice (And What to Do Instead)
These days, there’s no shortage of guitar lessons online. Some of it is incredibly helpful—but there’s also a surprising amount of outdated advice still floating around that can actually hold you back. In this lesson, I want to help you steer clear of bad guitar tips that could prevent you from reaching your goals.
1. “You Have to Start on Acoustic Guitar First”
I hear this one a lot. People say acoustic guitars build finger strength and help you learn chords and strumming “properly.” And while acoustic is awesome, you can absolutely start on electric guitar – and I did! In fact, I didn’t even buy an acoustic until two years into my journey.
Electric guitars are often easier to play because the strings require less pressure, and you can still learn chords, strumming, and everything else. Plus, if you’re drawn to the sound of electric guitar like I was, you’ll be way more motivated to stick with it.
Don’t get me wrong—I love both types of guitars. But either one is a valid place to start.
2. “Don’t Bother With Alternate Tunings”
If you’re a late beginner or early intermediate, this tip might come your way – and it’s terrible.
Alternate tunings are when you change the pitch of your open strings. Some people call it “cheating” because you can get cool sounds with simple fingerings. But let’s be real: it’s just another tool to create music.
Think of legends like Jimmy Page (Rain Song), The Rolling Stones (Jumpin’ Jack Flash), Joni Mitchell, Bon Iver, Bob Dylan, and Elliott Smith – they all used alternate tunings to create timeless music.
If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for you!
3. “You Don’t Need Music Theory”
I partly agree – you don’t need to learn theory in a super academic way. But there are a few essential pieces of theory that will seriously boost your playing:
- Knowing the notes on the low E and A strings – helps with power chords, barre chords, and finding keys for solos.
- Understanding the major scale pattern – whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half. Learn it in one position, and you’ll unlock melodies, songwriting tools, and chord combinations.
- Ear training – hearing and recognizing intervals or scales ties directly into theory and real musical skills.
You’ll use this knowledge constantly, especially when playing with others or learning songs faster.
4. “Use Thick Strings and Picks for Better Tone”
This myth is often based on players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, who used super heavy strings. But thick strings make your guitar harder to play, and thinner strings can sound just as good – or better – depending on your playing style.
I personally went through a phase with thick strings and even got tendinitis. Now I use thinner ones and everything feels better.
Same goes for picks. Start with a thin pick – it’s more forgiving when you’re learning to strum. As you start picking melodies, you might want something medium-weight. Don’t feel pressured to use thick, heavy picks just because your heroes do. Find what works best for you.
5. “Just Practice Songs, Skip the Exercises”
I love playing songs as much as anyone. But only practicing songs can really slow down your progress.
People hear “practice scales” and think of boring repetition. But scales are in the songs you already play. Take Wild World by Cat Stevens – the little runs in that tune? They’re scales.
When you break down those tricky parts and turn them into short exercises, then go back and play the full song – it’ll sound way better. And that kind of focused repetition can be meditative. I actually enjoy it.
Final Thoughts
My goal today was to set the record straight and help you focus on what really works. If you found this helpful, and want to accelerate your guitar journey, you might be interested in GoodGuitarist Premium Membership.
I’ll walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to become a confident guitarist. Plus, you’ll get access to the Good Guitarist Community, where you can ask me questions directly and connect with other learners like you.
Thanks for stopping by – have fun practicing and I’ll see you in the next lesson!
