More than any other instrument, the guitar has long reigned as the “cool” instrument. After all, there’s a reason why girls in movies (and real life) swoon over the guitar player in the band. Though playing the guitar is seriously awesome — and has some cool psychological benefits as well — it is definitely not for everyone. Keep the following things in mind before you start strumming.

1. Pay some pretty pennies

Depending on the brand and type of guitar you choose to purchase, expect to shell out a decent amount of dollars. For example, a Gibson acoustic guitar can be found for less than $100, but it the sound quality may not be as good as a $600 Fender dreadnought. If money is an issue for you, especially if you are on the fence about playing, then you may end up with a few hundred dollars burned and a dusty guitar idle in the corner.

2. Where do I put it?

The physical dimensions of a guitar only matter depending on where you live. If you live in a house, storing a guitar shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re shacked up in a cramped apartment or a dorm room at college, however, chances are you will not have the space to house your instrument.

3. Get ready to learn

No matter what instrument you play, you will have to memorize notes, fingerings, or chords. For guitar, this is an especially daunting challenge: this source cites the magic number as 2,341. Of course, you will never need to know all of these, but you will need to learn the basic chords as well as any unique ones that you encounter in new songs. If diligent memorizing is not your specialty, then the guitar may not be your jam.

4. Sing your heart out

The piano may not beg for a singer, but the guitar does – the voice and the guitar go hand-in-hand. Though it isn’t a necessary component to playing guitar, it will benefit you if you’re a singer. While there are songs that you can learn that don’t have lyrics, you may find it fun to learn songs you know and like. You could play your guitar along to a YouTube video of the artist singing the song, but this isn’t as beneficial as actually singing the song yourself. When you sing along, you’ll keep better track of the beat, be able to tell if the chords are correct, and feel more involved in your playing. If the thought of singing gives you stage fright, then you may want to reconsider.

5. No pain, no gain... Literally

A surprising and often unknown side effect when first learning guitar is the physical pain your fingers will endure. To play a chord, your hand and other fingers not being used in the chord cannot touch the strings, and the fingers used in the chord have to press down on the strings very hard. If you don’t press hard enough, you will not be able to make a sound. This will result in your left hand being contorted in ways it isn’t used to. More so, your fingertips will seriously hurt after just one song. Many guitar novices have let the pain get to them and given up before giving the guitar a chance. If you practice regularly and diligently, your fingers will get used to the pain and it won’t hurt to play anymore. However, if even temporary pain is not for you, then don’t pick up a guitar.

6. Your fingers must like it rough

The more you play, the more your fingers will get used to pressing on strings constantly. In response to the pressure, your fingers will develop calluses on the tips. This will actually make playing easier, but sometimes they just look unsightly. Seasoned guitar players love rocking the look, but if the appearance of your fingers means a lot to you, then consider another instrument.