10 Useful Reasons Why Guitar Is The Best Instrument

The popularity of the electric guitar has been on the rise for the last seventy years. With the blues music and the beginning of rock and roll, there have been countless guitar players that inspired people to learn.

Since Gibson released their electric guitar, and Fender followed, the popular music was born. But why the guitar? Is the guitar easy to learn? Is there a reason for the popularity of the instrument? There are a lot of questions regarding this, so let’s try to answer all of them.

The Guitar Is A Good First Instrument

Many people had their first contact with music by finding an old guitar and figuring out the chords and licks. Musicians like Clapton, Sting, Knopfler, were all self-taught.

The main reason for that is music theory. Now, let me explain. When you start learning the piano or violin, it will be nearly impossible for you to figure it out all by yourself without any help or without the knowledge of music theory. The guitar is different.

The main reason is that guitar pieces and popular music is not extremely complex. You cannot compare popular music with Rachmaninoff. You would certainly have to be a wunderkind to learn something as complex and difficult as that, all by yourself.

Unlike the violin, the guitar has frets which clearly mark semi-tones. You won’t have to rely on your talent or your ear to know where is a half step located. Now, I’m not saying that all guitar music is simple, it’s just that the basics are a bit simpler than those on different instruments. Plus, we are in contact with the guitar while listening to almost any song. The instrument is closer to the beginner and might be a bit easier for learning.

The Guitar Basics Are The Easiest Amount Other Instrument

It is very easy to get into the guitar and start playing it right away. But If you might be asking yourself if the guitar is the easiest instrument, then I would have to say that the answer that there isn’t an easy instrument. You will have to invest your time and to work really hard in order to consider yourself a guitar player.

I don’t believe that there was ever a single person in the world that could claim to possess complete knowledge of the instrument. While learning guitar is not super hard for learning. You will have to work really hard if you would want to master any instrument.  

The Guitar Is One Of The Most Popular Instrument

Although the guitar isn’t the most popular instrument it is definitely in the top five. Different sources place it in different spots along with the list but all of them are above the 5th place on the list.

If you start comparing those lists along the year you will see that the guitar rose up the ranks. You can see different lists (creative soul music, connexeo, Quora) on the web that name it as the 2nd most popular instrument, right after the piano. I won’t be surprised if someday it will surpass the piano and become the most popular instrument.

If we look through history, the guitar wasn’t always that popular. It wasn’t until the beginning of blues and rock and roll, that guitar got popular. Most of the kids get in touch with their first instrument in some kind of music school.

It is more likely that a kid would learn piano or oboe at music school. But if we look at the popularity in the past seventy years, there was never an instrument that went sky high that fast. Thanks to Elvis, B.B. King, Buddy Holly, Django, the guitar became one of the most popular instruments in history.

Guitar players became cool. During the 18th century, music was something that was a part of the scenery. People would come to the ball, and the music was just part of it. It was never as popular or available as today. We all remember (or at least we heard of) Beatlemania and “Clapton is God” graffiti. There are so many people out there that found their purpose in the guitar.

The Guitar Is Expressive

There aren’t many feelings that are better than being able to express yourself through the instrument. Music genres like blues, soul, and even grunge are all driven by raw emotion. And the most important part is that people can understand that.

Learning beautiful techniques like bending notes, slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs will let you express yourself in ways you wouldn’t have with other instruments.

The Guitar Is Versatile

Now, this is the big thing. You can play probably any music genre on the guitar. Whether you are a fan of rock, pop, metal, blues, classical music, ska, or anything else. You can do it on the guitar.

Violins haven’t changed almost at all. But the guitar evolved so much throughout history and in the last hundred years. You can find different variations, colors, sounds, shapes, etc. There was never an instrument that became so customer friendly.

Resources For Playing Guitar Are Easy To Find

With the popularity of the instrument, the resources are infinite. You can find books, online tutorials, YouTube lessons, and you probably know a few people that play guitar.

It’s not obscure science anymore. Resources are available and rather easy to find. Guitar teachers aren’t some mythical creatures that exist only in legends. You can find a great teacher easily.

Additional Guitar Gear Is Available

Playing an electric guitar requires pedals, amplifiers, capo, peg turners, etc’. all of those are available at your local music shop. If you like the vibe of electronic music, you can check thousands of delay pedals that will let you create incredible sounds.

If you are a fan of more vintage sound, reverb pedal might be the right thing for you. But you can also customize your guitar as well. Changing pickups or bridge or virtually any part of the guitar is possible. If you like heavy metal, you can get humbuckers that are the size of the single-coil pickups in no time. Everything is available and customizable.

Furthermore, the guitar itself isn’t expensive. While the professional models can cost thousands of dollars, you can always compare the price of the cheapest piano and the cheapest guitar. Buying a decent guitar is still possible.

You will not have to give a fortune for an instrument that will last you a lifetime. And after all, if you don’t like something you can easily replace it. Even the best pickups are in the price range of several hundred. The prices of other instruments like pianos and saxophones are far away from guitars price.

You will have to spend a fortune on a good piano, and after that, you will have to find a place where that piano would be. The guitar doesn’t take much space, you can put it under your bed if you like. And what is most important, the price is reasonable. In recent history, the guitar has become rather accessible to almost anyone.

You Can Teach Yourself To Play The Guitar

The most famous guitar players in the world have been self-taught. We already mentioned how accessible information is. You can listen to music and figure it out by yourself. There are limited frets so eventually, you’ll find the right one.

My friend used to say that whatever you play, the worst-case scenario is that you’ll be half a step wrong. Whether you choose to learn all by yourself, or to find books online, YouTube tutorials, it is possible. It won’t be easy. But you’d be surprised how much progress you can make.

Develop Muscle Memory

Muscle memory is one of the most important things when it comes to learning instruments. Our brain tends to misplace information. One day you might forget where that F sharp note is. But guess what, your muscles will remember.

If you invest enough hours into playing guitar, your fingers will remember it long after your brain forgets it. It is not a rare situation that when you ask a guitar player about a certain song, he looks at you with empty eyes. But as soon as he grabs the guitar, he’ll be able to play it almost perfectly.

Because of all the shapes and patterns that are used for playing guitar, muscle memory is something we’re really proud of. And one of our most important tools

Guitar Patterns

One of the most intriguing things about learning guitar is realizing that there are patterns. The shape of the F major barre chord is identical to the shape of the G major chord.

Furthermore, you can use that shape to play all of the major chords that exist! Isn’t that amazing? You will have to learn several shapes and learn the “names” of the frets and you’ll be able to play every chord in the world! The main difference is that you don’t even have to know what a triad is to play a C major chord.

Most of the players I met have little to none music theory knowledge. In addition, this doesn’t apply only to chords. It applies to everything. Every scale, arpeggio, chord, lick, works the same for any key. You would just need to find the right position and you’ll be able to use the same knowledge to play the song in both E minor and D minor.

While it is super useful to know it the music theory, not knowing it is not as punishing as it might be with other instruments. The guitar is certainly one of the most beginner-friendly instruments.

Conclusion

Almost every list I found online puts piano at the number one place of The Most Popular Instruments. And I agree. The piano has been the main instrument for hundreds of years. It is the most perfect one as well. So refined and noble. A perfect mix of technique, theory, and creativity.

But for some reason, the guitar has always been on the number one place in my heart. No other instrument made me feel the way the guitar did. I’ve been playing guitar for over a decade, and no instrument will ever come near the guitar.

Most of the modern music (after the ’30s) is made with guitar as a central instrument. People who became guitar legends were regular guys that showed that anyone can be a musician with enough will and practice. They managed to inspire generations and millions of players.

I don’t believe that ever was an instrument that changed lives, inspired, and moved as many people as guitar did. Because of that only, the guitar will always be the best instrument in the world.

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