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Guitar Lessons: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

By Curtis Dean,

24 Jan 2020

Learning how to play the guitar would require time and dedication.

You need to put your time on it and you also have to consider purchasing a guitar that has a great quality.

There are a lot of things that you need to learn as a beginner.

But first, you have to put in your mind that being a musician is a lifestyle.

It is something that you can do during your past time but it can also become your profession.

Aside from that, there are different benefits that you can get when you know how to play the guitar.

If you are a beginner and you want to take guitar lessons, here are some of the things that you have to consider: Know the Parts of Guitar Before you can start playing the guitar, you have to start familiarizing yourself with its different parts.

This is a great starter that will give you more confidence to learn.

The body, the frets and the tuners may seem to be the most important parts of this instrument but familiarizing yourself with all of the important components will make it easier for you to become an expert in playing it.

You have to know that a guitar has 6 strings and learning the different characteristics of each can give you a better understanding on how to produce great sound.

This most basic part for beginners is the first thing that is being taught in guitar lessons.

How to Hold the Guitar Another significant thing to consider is how to hold the guitar.

This depends on what hand you are using to strum.

Firstly, you can think of the most comfortable position.

As a beginner, you can sit on a chair with your back straight.

If you are right handed, you should put your guitar on your right leg.

After that, hold the guitar against your chest while you make sure that the neck of the guitar is horizontal to the floor.

Keeping your back straight will save you from pain especially if you are going to play for few hours.

Fretboard Basics First, you need to observe the neck of your guitar.

You will find strips of metal that divides your fretboard into blocks.

These are called frets.

You will also notice the little inlays that are on top of the guitar neck; these are called fret markers.

You have to know that the simplicity you will find in the piano parts is not present on the guitar.

In playing the guitar, learning about the fretboard is very important because it will determine the steps that you need to take to produce great music.

Tuning the Guitar This is probably one of the most challenging parts of learning how to play the guitar.

You need to know how to tune the instrument.

A tuner can help you do this easier.

To begin, you have to start tuning the bottom E string or the thickest string.

Practice will help you do this accurately.

Secondly, you tune the fifth string and go to the next four strings consequently.

Remembering the tuning pattern is also an important reminder for beginners.

Guitar Chord Basics If you are a beginner, you have to start learning how to play five major chords, A-E-D-C-G.

The most important thing that can help you and guide you will be a diagram.

In reading one, you have to know that the Top E string is your guide in positioning your fingers.

For you to easily learn, you can watch guitar lessons for beginners on YouTube and familiarize yourself with the positions of the fingers.

After learning this, it will be much easier for you to play the guitar and to memorize chords.

How to Read Guitar Tab First, you have to know that Guitar TAB is a method that is used to write music for guitar.

TAS has 6 horizontal lines and these represents the 6 strings you find on your guitar.

The top line is the first string of the thinnest string and the bottom line is the 6th string or the thickest.

There are numbers that you will find on the lines so that you will be able to determine the fret where you will be playing the note.

You have to take note that if the string has no number then you do not have to play it.

If you see “0” on the string, it means that it can be played open.

This can easily be understood while you are looking at a diagram.

Memorizing all these tips will provide you with an easier way to play the guitar.

Basic Guitar Chords As a beginner, you are encouraged to start learning basic guitar chords.

Start with the Basic Em (E minor) Guitar Chord.

This is very important because this is often used in playing a lot of songs.

Aside from that, you should also start learning the Basic C Guitar Chord or the C Major Chord.

For starters, you can practice by playing notes of the chord individually.

The main goal of this exercise is to make sure that all the notes are sounding perfectly.

After confidently accomplishing this, you can now try switching between cords.

In strumming, you can start with one measure, continue with beats 1 and 3 and end by strumming on 4 beats.

Aside from the diagram and the videos for beginners that you will find on YouTube, you can also consider taking guitar lessons.

This way, you will be assisted by a teacher who is considered as an expert in guitar playing.

Your passion in music is a very significant determinant on what you will be able to achieve while you are learning to play the instrument.

If you are not dedicated in what you are doing, it would be harder for you to learn.

Practice is a very important element.

Always find time to practice and to play the guitar every day.

This way, you will not forget what you have learned.

If you want to be a musician, your discipline is a significant factor that will lead you to your success.

Always make sure that you are giving yourself enough motivation.

After all, playing the guitar can help you relax.

This is perfect especially if you are bored and you want to try something new.



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