If you have always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, you may not have been able to fulfil this wish for budget reasons. Taking up any musical hobby comes at a cost. There’s the one-off price to be paid for the instrument, and it’s accessories as well as the ongoing expenses, including sheet music and lessons. But learning to play the guitar is so enjoyable and rewarding that it seems unfair to let money get in the way. Fortunately, there are ways that you can cut down costs so that you can learn this fantastic skill without blowing your budget. Let’s take a look.
Buy second-hand. Buying a guitar brand new is a special experience. However, it will be an expensive one. Why not save this luxury for when you have enough money to afford it, and in the meantime purchase a pre-owned instrument. You can buy second-hand guitars and accessories from certain online music stores, auction sites like eBay and charity shops. Beware though, some second-hand guitars, if they are rare, can be priced very high. So give yourself a comfortable budget and stick to it.
Ask your family and friends. Your relatives and friends may have a guitar or guitar equipment that they would be willing to sell to you for a reasonable price, let you borrow, or even donate to you. If nothing comes up within your close network of family and friends, you could try reaching out to your wider group of friends via Facebook and Twitter.
Free guitar lessons. It may seem too good to be true, but they are possible to find. You can find out about free guitar lessons on Stringpluck or, again, asking any people you know who play the guitar if they would be willing to help you learn. If they are willing to dedicate their time to teaching you, you’ll probably want to say thanks. Doing a skill swap, where they help you learn guitar and you teach them a skill that you have creates a win-win situation.
Self-teach. Another way to keep costs low is to teach yourself guitar. There are a number of affordable books you can read and free online videos that you can watch to assist your learning. It may be a lot more challenging this way, but many famous musicians taught themselves, so it can be a very fruitful way of learning.
Play at gigs. Once your technique begins to improve, you may wish to play at events like parties or small gigs. Not only will this give you the chance to practise playing in front of a crowd, but you may also be paid for it. The money that you make can go towards your brand new guitar fund or on lessons.
So, there are ways to learn the guitar when you are strapped for cash. We hope that you find them of use and that they help you to pursue your guitar ambitions.
