Welcome to the official Simon Morel guitar blog. Discover practical guitar playing tips, step-by-step practice strategies, and resources designed specifically for adult learners. Whether you are learning one-on-one at my studio in Petersham, NSW, or taking online guitar lessons globally, these articles will help you cut through the noise, skip the YouTube rabbit hole, and make real musical progress.
Learn proper guitar capo placement to keep your instrument in tune. Discover whether applying a capo from the bass or treble side works best, plus simple rules to avoid sharp notes and fret buzz.
How to Put a Capo on Your Guitar: Bass Side vs Treble Side Read More »
Think you’re too old to learn guitar? Discover 10 science-backed reasons why picking up the guitar after 40 boosts brain health, lowers stress, and builds real confidence.
10 Surprising Benefits of Learning Guitar After 40 Read More »
Hitting a guitar plateau does not mean you lack musical talent. Instead, it simply indicates that your current practice routine has served its purpose. By separating casual playing from structured practice and replacing vague goals with micro-milestones, you can break out of the open-chord bubble and reignite your progress.
How to Break Through a Guitar Plateau (When You Feel Stuck) Read More »
Practical Fretboard Logic: The 20% of Theory That Unlocks 80% of the Neck Many adult beginners believe that learning music theory requires years of boring academic study. However, standard textbook theory is often completely impractical for everyday guitar playing. As a result, many adults give up and rely entirely on static chord charts. Fortunately, practical
Guitar Music Theory for Adults: Unlock the Fretboard Easily Read More »
How to Sing and Play Guitar at the Same Time Learning a new song on guitar feels great. However, adding your voice to the mix can feel completely impossible. As a result, your hands usually stop moving the moment you open your mouth. In fact, this issue is the single most common frustration for adult
“I Have Bad Rhythm”: How Adult Beginners Can Master Strumming Timing Many adult beginners firmly believe that they were born with terrible musical timing. However, rhythm is not an innate genetic gift that you either have or lack. Instead, rhythm is a trainable physical habit built through correct muscle movement. As a result, anyone can
“I Have Bad Rhythm”: How Adult Beginners Can Master Strumming Timing Read More »
“I’ve been learning on an acoustic guitar. Should I try electric instead?” It’s one of the most common questions I get from adult students in my studio, and the short answer is simple: yes, if it makes you excited to pick up the instrument. The longer answer depends on your musical goals, your lifestyle, and
Should You Switch From Acoustic to Electric Guitar? A Guide for Adult Beginners Read More »
Why Barre Chords Feel Impossible (And How to Fix Them) For most adult beginners, the F major chord is a big hurdle. You might master open chords easily. However, your first barre chord often sounds like dull thuds and buzzing strings. Fortunately, struggling with barre chords does not mean your hands are too small. In
Why Barre Chords Feel Impossible (And How to Fix Them) Read More »
Every adult beginner experiences the frustrating “lag” when shifting between guitar chords like G to C or Am to F. Discover the three mechanical fixes that will instantly smooth out your rhythm and speed up your muscle memory.
How to Change Guitar Chords Faster: Smooth Shifting Guide Read More »
Why One-on-One Lessons Beat Random YouTube Learning We have all been there. You get inspired, dust off the acoustic or electric guitar sitting in the corner of your living room, and open up YouTube. Then, you confidently type in: “How to play guitar.” Instantly, millions of video results flash across your screen. You click on
