How to Serenade Your S.O. on a Date — With Help From JustinGuitar

The Short Version: Sometimes it’s hard to put into words how you feel for that special someone, but the right song can be the perfect instrument for a sentimental and romantic moment. The JustinGuitar website and app can assist guitar players who want to learn how to play a particular song and perform it as a gift or a gesture of love. Over the years, Australian guitarist Justin Sandercoe has created many instructive and practical resources that can mentor beginning, intermediate, and advanced players who want to work on their skills.

Justin Sandercoe picked up a ukulele at a young age and began strumming, humming, and dancing a little while he played. It was a fun hobby that started his journey to become a professional musician known as JustinGuitar. 

It just so happened that fifth graders at his school could learn to play guitar if they were the best at playing recorder. So, 10-year-old Justin spent his winter holiday learning every single song in the school’s recorder songbook until he could do them all perfectly. Needless to say, he was invited to join the guitar club.

His grandmother bought him an acoustic guitar soon after that, and he continued to practice and learn. 

“From the very first period of playing guitar I was trying to work out songs for myself on the records — invariably getting them very wrong — but trying,” he said about his early days. “I was a little kid, so it was just an adventure, really, and kind of fun.”

Justin said that, at first, he didn’t know how to play a G chord, so he had to go through his songbooks (which mostly featured songs by The Beatles) to find songs that didn’t use that chord.

Of course, the older he got and the more he practiced, the more songs he could play. By his teenage years, he was playing gigs with pub rock and funk bands across town. Eventually he got to the point where he was posting instructive guitar lessons on his personal YouTube channel. 

Today, Justin has decades of guitar playing experience behind him, and he has created a website (and a companion app) to pass along what he’s learned to passionate guitar players everywhere.

Whatever your skill level, you can get some song inspiration, chord practice, and professional guidance on JustinGuitar.com. And with enough practice, you could improve your skills enough to confidently serenade a significant other.

An individual can set the stage for romance by learning to play a few lovey-dovey songs on the guitar. This could be a fun, sentimental, and memorable gift idea for an anniversary or holiday. 

Instead of buying something that will sit on a shelf or go unused, you can create a memorable experience by serenading a loved one and putting in that extra effort to express your emotions. It’s a great way to show you care and make that special person smile — and perhaps join you in a duet.

JustinGuitar.com can be a musical wingman for anyone who would like to play a romantic song on a date night.

“At JustinGuitar.com, I break my courses down into modules and lessons, so you follow the programs at your own pace,” Justin explained.

This Lesson Map shows all the modules in grade color and provides an overview of what’s available. JustinGuitar has lessons for beginners, intermediate learners, advanced experts, and everyone in between. 

Whether you want to work on your scales, learn music theory, or get a handle on the basics, this learning center has a program made by a guitar player for guitar players.

If you already play guitar but feel a little rusty, you can get a tune up on JustinGuitar. He recommends exploring the Beginner Lessons, which help musicians learn solid fundamentals so they sound good when playing guitar. 

You can learn a love song or your partner’s favorite song, no matter what it is.

“Serenading your partner is one of the most romantic gestures you can do for them,” Justin said. “Once I even made a whole lesson for a student who wanted to propose to their loved one.”

Justin’s student chose the song “Beyond” by Leon Bridges. The acoustic ballad conveyed just enough romance and sentiment to make that proposal extra special. Now it’s a touching story the couple can tell and hold close to their hearts for years to come.

Songs have a way of working themselves into people’s lives and becoming part of a couple’s dating history. They may remind couples of their first date at a dance club or their first dance as a married couple, or it could reflect some other part of their experience falling in love.

A particular song can bring out a lot of emotion if played during a special occasion — perhaps on a dating anniversary or at a family gathering. It can tell the story of your relationship, and it can strengthen your union.

“Music connects people in a deeper way than we think,” Justin said. “Playing to or with your loved one will create super special memories together. “

If you’re new to guitar, start at Grade 1 and work your way along. JustinGuitar has Beginner Courses that make it easy to follow along at home. 

The modules map out a simple learning process that starts small and goes step by step. By the end of the first module, beginners will be able to play their first song. By the end of Grade 2, they’ll know all the essential open beginner chords and therefore can feel comfortable playing most of their favorite songs. More advanced players can explore Grade 4+ for intermediate techniques and beyond. 

Learning guitar can be a sweet gesture for someone newly in a relationship, but it can be even more meaningful for couples who have been dating a while and already have a musical history. Maybe she loves a certain song and always reaches for your hand when it comes on. Or maybe he is always humming a tune because he says it reminds him of you.

You can show that you care by learning the chords to that song and strumming your way into another person’s heart.

“If you’re living together and you start learning to play guitar from scratch, that’s likely to bring some funny moments too,” Justin said. “And if you don’t have a partner yet — I’m sure playing the guitar is a skill that will help you get a dating partner.”

Justin has come a long way from strumming on his ukulele. Through years of practice, he has mastered guitar chords and techniques much more advanced than G, and now he offers teaching modules to show other musicians how to improve their skills. 

Justin recommends new guitar players start the same way he did — by playing real songs. He has created hundreds of tutorials that highlight popular songs by The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Taylor Swift, and other iconic artists.

Learners can find the right songs to play and practice guitar in an enjoyable and natural way. The song list’s top search box is a great tool for individuals who already know which song(s) they’re looking for, but players can also discover new romantic songs by using filters for difficulty, chords, genre, and other key factors.

Want to upgrade the guitar learning experience? The JustinGuitar Lessons & Songs App has over 1,000 play-along backing tracks, a free tuner, and a practice assistant that can help make practicing guitar more fun and educational.

“Jamming with backing tracks is the best way for beginners to develop consistent, strong, and musical strumming,” Justin said. “It also avoids the worst mistake on the guitar journey — stopping the strumming hand! If you feel like your rhythm is not quite on point, then give the app a go.”

With JustinGuitar’s help, you can master the techniques you need to impress a date with your guitar playing and give the gift of music on many romantic evenings to come.