It’s impossible to think of guitar players these days without thinking about Ed Sheeran. This British twenty-eight-year-old has somewhat taken the guitar world by storm recently. As well as writing a string of top-hit singles for himself and other artists, he was brave enough to take on the Glastonbury main stage with just his guitar.
It makes sense, then, that Ed Sheeran’s standard might be what you’re aiming for if you’re considering learning to play guitar. But, as you might imagine, Sheeran didn’t get where he is through pure luck . In fact, his journey to guitar fame has been pretty long. And, if you want to reach his musical heights, you may well need to follow in his footsteps in these crucial ways.
Get yourself a role model
Admittedly, your desire to play guitar like Sheeran suggests you’ve already partly taken care of this, but it’s worth pointing out anyway. As you can see on https://www.biography.com/musician/ed-sheeran, Ed met Damien Rice backstage when he was just eleven and starting out on his guitar-based journey. It was this meeting which seems to have been the turning point for Ed’s determination. So, never underestimate how vital a role model can be. It’s down to you whether that’s Ed or someone else. You could even find inspiration from a few different musical figures to give you a real push in the right direction.
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Remember that Ed wasn’t built in a day
Many of us take up the guitar only to drop it again when we can’t pluck strings and keep rhythm within a few weeks. The reality is, though, that people like Sheeran didn’t simply pick up a guitar and pluck out a number one single. Instead, Ed’s been playing since early childhood. He spent a lot of that time teaching himself before embarking on guitar lessons in his teens. Remember, then, that you too are going to need plenty of practice. Start small with easy-to-play songs like those mentioned on https://www.musicianauthority.com/easy-guitar-songs/ and build yourself up. And, don’t underestimate how much use proper lessons can be if you’re serious about improving.
Focus on playing in front of an audience
Lastly, Ed Sheeran shows us that you should never underestimate the value of a live show. He did, after all, manage to reach the top of the charts before even signing with a label. And, he did it by playing his way around London. This is an effort he’s kept up even since reaching fame, with worldwide tours including hundreds of dates. Not to mention his appearances on stage with big names like Taylor Swift. The fact is that, as Sheeran shows us, playing live is invaluable. For one, it helps you to steer clear of bad habits that you’re liable to slip into from the comfort of your bedroom. If you play enough live shows, the chances are that you will also find a broader audience. And, that could be what takes you to the big-time, just like it did for Mr Sheeran.
