Should guitar playing be easy?

There are different opinions on this.

Some say guitar playing is hard and you just need to grit your teeth and suffer through the difficulty to eventually play songs you wanna play. You should eat broccoli every day for years, and then you can finally allow yourself a bowl of ice cream. 

Some say guitar playing is easy. If you know the right hacks and tips, it will be a fun journey the whole time. If you love the work, you will never work a day in your life.

I used to be in the first camp, but in recent years I've moved closer to the second camp.

I'm not denying that learning guitar has its challenges at times. It's not a natural activity like walking and talking. It takes mental and physical training to get better. It takes effort.

So how can guitar playing be easy?

1. Take things slower

When playing something that feels out of control, slow down. It will immediately feel easier.

2. Play smaller sections

When playing something that feels overwhelming, select a smaller section. Play it several times until it sounds good. Then do another small section.

3. Simplify

When playing something that feels too complex, make it simpler. Drop some notes from the chords. Play only the most important notes of the melody. And so on.

So will guitar playing always be easy? No. Even if you take these steps, mental work is involved any time you learn something new.

But taking these 3 steps will make guitar playing easier. And that will help you enjoy each day of your guitar playing journey.

Keep making music!