Rock and roll is here to stay, and anyone who loves rock'n'roll music loves the guitar. Most good musicians make playing a tune on the guitar look effortless, so when you pick up your first guitar and expect to be proficient in a matter of minutes, do not be disappointed if you are not. It may take you a little longer to get really good, but if you give yourself a chance you too can learn guitar.

But what is the best way to go about learning to play guitar?
There is more than one way that you can learn guitar, and depending on how you learn one method will undoubtedly work better for you than others will. So take a minute to figure out which method works for you and you will be surprised at how quickly you actually can learn to play your guitar.

Books on Theory

There are literally thousands of books written on guitar theory that take a little more cerebral approach to teaching you to play your guitar. These books are written in simple and more complex styles, and it is a good idea to check out the book before investing in it. Sometimes, the lesson is lost before it ever gets off of the page, so while the idea of learning from a book may sound great, sometimes it falls short in the execution.

Lessons on Video

Videotapes and DVDs are a wonderful way to learn any musical instrument, and they are available in music stores. With the advantage of being able to see and hear the lesson sometimes this medium translates more easily for learning how to play the guitar. By making the process easier to understand, using a video may help you be successful enough to make practicing fun. However, if you are having a problem understanding something, you cannot ask the video a question, so that is where a teacher might prove to be a better choice.

Individual Lessons

If you are really serious about learning to play the guitar, you may want to invest in some private lessons. You will learn more quickly because the teacher can tailor the lesson directly to your style of learning. By having lessons and music that can offer almost instant success you are more likely to stay enthusiastic and engaged in your instrument. A private instructor can also help you keep from developing bad habits that will only need to be corrected at a later date. However, they'll be expensive.

Listen and Learn

If you have a good enough ear to learn to play the guitar this way you can really have a lot of fun. By using technology to help you hear and feel the vibration of the notes, you may actually be able to learn guitar just by listening.

Always remember that you are playing the guitar because you enjoy it. If it gets too stressful or difficult, you may need to rethink your method of learning. Sometimes mixing methods will yield the best results and will help to keep it fresh. Remember as you practice that there are any number of ways to learn guitar and have fun, so if your practice sessions are becoming more of a chore than a joy, perhaps it is time to switch learning gears.

Online Lessons

Learning guitar online has a number of benefits not available from other mediums. I would recommend online learning as the best way to go if you're starting out. Here's why:

• Online courses will generally cost you about the same as one or two real world lessons from a teacher.
• Most good online guitar teaching courses have multiple facets to their content. For example, there could be a blues section or a special module on writing songs. Usually, the content covers not just beginners lessons but also intermediate and sometimes expert skills.
• You can learn at your own pace.
• There is a community element to provide support. Often there will be a forum where you can ask questions of and help other students. Even the tutor might hang out in these forums.
• They employ multiple learning mediums. Most good online courses will include text, PDFs, videos and audio. Everyone has a different learning style and a good course will cater to all different styles.
• One of the best online learning systems is Jamorama. It's a software system so you don't have to wait for delivery of DVDs - you can start straight away. Read more about Jamorama here.