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.
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
As an adult, time is your scarcest resource. Between work, family, and life admin, the idea of finding a spare hour every day to practice guitar feels completely unrealistic. The good news? You don’t need an hour. If you can carve out just 20 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week, you will progress faster
How to Practice Guitar When You Only Have 20 Minutes Read More »
The Rise of Free Guitar Tutorials The internet has completely democratised music education. Right now, there are millions of hours of free guitar tutorials on YouTube. Therefore, an obvious question arises for adult beginners. Why should you pay for a teacher when you can get information for free? Fortunately, you can learn basic chords this
Guitar Lessons vs YouTube: Can You Really Learn for Free? Read More »
How to Choose Your First Guitar: A No-Nonsense Guide for Beginners One of the biggest mistakes beginner guitarists make is buying the wrong instrument. Usually, it’s either something extremely cheap that is physically brutal to play, or something far too advanced and intimidating. The best beginner guitar is simple: it’s the one that makes you
