Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Buy and tune a guitar
• Method 3 of 4: Learn Power Chords
• Method 4 of 4: Improve your skills

Learning to play the guitar can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. If you're just starting out, it's important that you practice specific techniques before getting started on a full song. First you need to learn how to strum some notes on the guitar. Then come the simple basic chords (power chords). Once you get the hang of those techniques, you can start playing songs by reading tabs or you can build on what you know with books or by taking lessons.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Buy and tune a guitar

1. Buy or borrow a guitar. Decide whether you want to learn to play the guitar on an acoustic or electric guitar. Acoustic guitars don't need an amp or cords, so they're easier to set up when you're first starting out. On the other hand, electric guitars are often easier on the fingertips, which may allow you to keep practicing for longer. Decide what kind of guitar you want to start with, depending on your budget and the equipment you already have access to.
   • Nylon string guitars are often easier to use at first than steel string guitars.
   • It is best to start with a 6-string guitar instead of an 8-string.
   • Classical guitar strings are higher on the fingerboard, making it more difficult to produce clear-sounding notes, and heavier on your fingertips.
   EXPERT TIP

   Tune your guitar According to the standard tuning, possibly with an electric tuner. In standard tuning, your strings should be tuned E, A, D, G, B, E, starting from the top string. Turn on the electric tuner and hold it next to your guitar. Then pluck the top string. Adjust the top string tuning knob until the tuner indicates an E. Go down to the second string from the top and adjust the tuning knob until the string sounds an A. Continue this for the rest of the strings until the strings are in the standard tuning.

   • Before you start playing, your guitar must be in tune or it will not sound good while playing.
   • Standard tuning is best for beginners.
   • The bottom string, or E, is one octave above the top string, but still the same note.
2. Place the guitar on your lap and hold the neck with your left hand. Sit in a chair, straighten your back and straighten your shoulders. Place the guitar on your left thigh so that it rests comfortably in your lap. If you are left-handed and have a left-handed guitar, place the guitar on your right thigh and hold the neck with your right hand.
   • The body of the guitar should rest against your torso.
   • If you prefer to stand, use a guitar strap.
   EXPERT TIP

   Hold the first fret on the top string. The frets are the small metal strips that separate the square spaces on the guitar's fingerboard. Just before the first fret of the top string, hold the string down with the tip of your index or middle finger. Your palm should be facing up and your fingers should be bent as you push the string against the fret.

   • Your fingers should press down on the strings just in front of the fret, not on them (not on the metal strip).
   EXPERT TIP

   Pick the top string with your fingers of your right hand or a pick and listen to the sound. Hold the pick between your index finger and thumb in your right hand. Move the pick over the top string to make a sound. If the string sounds muffled or unclear, press harder on the fret with your left hand. Continue to strike the top string until the note sounds clear.

   • A metronome can help you keep time.
3. Play different notes across the entire fretboard. Move your hand from the first fret to the second fret. Try strumming or picking the strings with a pick and make a clear sound. Then alternately play the first and second fret. Try to stick to a certain size and keep going back and forth between the first and second fret while strumming. Once you've mastered alternating the frets, you can experiment with strumming different notes on the guitar's neck.
   • Practicing playing the notes builds the muscle memory you need to locate specific frets without looking at the guitar.
4. Play different frets on the fifth string. Pick the fifth string, or the second string from above, without holding any frets, to play an A. If you want to play a B, hold down the second fret on the fifth string. You can alternately practice the fifth and sixth strings to see how they sound.
5. Experiment with notes on the fourth string. Pluck the fourth string in the open position, or without holding the frets, to play the D. If you want to play an E, hold the second fret on the string. This note is the same note as the top string when played open, but at a higher octave, or tone.
   • You can play other notes on the fourth string further along the fingerboard.
6. Pluck the third string. The third string (the G string) is the third string from the bottom or the fourth string from the top. Hold down the second fret to play an A and then the fourth fret to play a B. Then play the fifth fret to switch to a C.
7. Play higher notes on the second and first strings. Playing the bottom two strings, or the first and second strings, will result in high octave tones. These strings are usually played during the solos, and you can make different chords with them. Practice playing the first and second strings as you did the rest of the strings.

Method 3 of 4: Learn Power Chords

1. Press the string with your index finger at the first fret on the top string. A power chord is a simple two-note chord popular in rock music. Press the top (sixth) string on the guitar's first fret to form the first note in the power chord.
   • The root note is the one at your index finger. Since you pressed the top string at the first fret, this power chord is an F.
   • The sequence of the strings, starting from the bottom, is from the first to the sixth string.
2. Hold down the third fret on the fifth string with your ring finger. To complete the chord, hold down the third fret on the second string from the top (the fifth string), while holding the first fret of the top string. It may take a little practice to hold down both strings at the same time.
   • This is known as a power chord and can be played anywhere on the fifth and sixth strings of the fingerboard.
3. Strike both strings to play the chord. Pluck the sixth and fifth strings on the guitar to play the F power chord. It should sound clear and the individual notes of the string should come together to form a full chord. Play the chord several times until your hands are used to the pose.
   • Do not strike the other four strings or the chord will not sound right.
4. Move your chord hand down two frets to play a G chord. Move your left hand down two frets, or a whole step, to play a G chord as a power chord. Keep the same shape as the previous chord, but this time on the third and fifth fret. Alternate the F and G chords to create a chord progression.
5. Use the same shape on the rest of the fretboard to play different power chords. You can play power chords on the fifth or sixth strings almost anywhere. For example, hold down the second fret of the fifth string and the fourth fret of the fourth string to play a B chord. Hold the same position and slide your hand down half a step (one fret) to play a C chord. You can do this at any position on the fifth and sixth strings.
   • If you are not sure which chord you are playing, use a tablature chart of chords.
   • A progression is a series of notes or chords that you play together to form a melody or song.

Method 4 of 4: Improve your skills

1. Take guitar lessons. A professional guitar teacher can teach you advanced techniques and music theory that will further develop your guitar playing skills. Search online for teachers in your area and, if possible, read reviews online to see student experiences. At the first lesson, tell the teacher what your goals are and how much experience you have so that the teacher can create a lesson plan.
2. Read guitar books and guides. Beginner guitar books and manuals contain lessons, exercises and examples to help you develop your guitar playing. In addition, some books may also contain tabs to help you play specific chords.
   • Popular guitar books for beginners include the Guitar Chord Bible, Complete Technique for Modern Guitar, and Guitar for Absolute Beginners.
3. Watch YouTube videos to learn more advanced techniques. There are a ton of tutorials on YouTube and other video streaming sites that will help you develop your guitar technique. Watch the videos to learn more about music theory, chords, notes and progressions.
   • Some popular YouTube channels for the guitar are JustinGuitar, GuitarLessons.com, and JamPlay.
4. Learn how to read and play tablature (tabs) for the guitar. Tabs are an easy way to learn how to position your hand to play certain numbers. The number on the tabs represents the fret you should play, while the lines on the tabs represent the string you should play the note on. The top string (the sixth string) is on the bottom line, the fifth string on the second line, and so on.
   • Tabs don't specify how long to hold a note or chord, so you will have to listen to the music you want to play in order to learn it.
   • For example, if the tabs indicate 1-1-1 on the top line, that would mean playing the bottom string (the first string) three times in a row.
5. Learn numbers that you like. The easiest way to play popular songs is to use guitar tabs. Find the tab for the song you want to play and then practice perfecting it. Start by playing simple songs that have just a few notes and chords, then move on to more elaborate songs with many different parts.
   • You can learn popular chords and progressions by playing well-known and lesser-known songs.