5 Basic Steps To Start Playing The Guitar
Congratulations for taking this first step to find out about how to start learning how to play the guitar.Like many many beginners before you, I am sure the first question is, “Where do I start?”.
1. Step One : Getting Started
The first thing you should know is, learning to play any instrument takes both practice and commitment. A beginner must be willing to commit to practice, at a minimum, a few times a week, initially may be only 10 to 20 minutes per practice session, then later extending to half an hour a session. It goes without saying that if you practice fewer days, or less time, generally it will produce little, if any, results. Those that practice more frequently tend to progress at a much faster rate than those who practice a minimal amount of time.
Keep in mind, it takes time, patience and dedication to play on a professional level. You won’t be playing note-for-note covers of songs from your favorite bands overnight. However, if you devote the time to learning and practicing you will be amazed at how fast you get there.
If you’re convinced that you have the time and commitment to learn, then getting started is really not that difficult. In addition to acquiring a guitar, you only need a few other things.
2. Step Two : Purchasing a Guitar
In fact this should be part of Step One, but lets consider that after you have made the commitment as mentioned in Step One you are ready to “really start”.
So Step Two is you must get a guitar. If you do not already own a guitar there are a few things you should know when you start looking for one.
Many a times a guitar shop or your friend who is already plaaying the guitar will ask you this most common question “do you want an acoustic or electric guitar?”.
One suggestion is, choose what grabs your attention the most! If you are really interested in playing acoustic guitar, then that is exactly what you should learn on. If your interest lies in playing electric and you are forced to play acoustic then you are much more likely to give up and quit playing altogether. If you stay with the instrument you’re likely to end up with at least one of each at some point anyway.
CLICK HERE FOR SOME SIMPLE GUIDES TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT GUITAR
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a city with more where there are musical instrument shops then don’t be afraid to shop around. Get differing opinions about different brands. Consider the recommendations you receive and why. You can check out this site for more information about choosing your first guitar.
If you’re looking to purchase an electric guitar keep in mind the added expense of having to purchase and amp too. However, a beginner can get by with a small practice amp that is relatively inexpensive.
You will also need a case for your guitar. Not all guitars are sold with cases so be sure to ask about one when you are negotiating the sale.
If buying from a shop is not so convenient then you can always buy ONLINE and there are MANY CHOICES to look at ONLINE too.
3. Step Three : Start Slow – Learn The Chords First
Everybody learns differently and some people are naturally gifted with more talent than others. As a result, there is no single best way to learn. However, my experience has taught me that anyone with a genuine interest and desire can successfully learn to play guitar.
Of course it’s important to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of standard notation. It will pay off when you advance into reading tablature because you will be able to pick up the rhythms and subtleties of a song much faster.
It will seem slow and possibly a little boring at first but remember it takes time and commitment to play at a professional or even intermediate level. If you stick with it, then it won’t take long for you to get to an intermediate level. At that level you’ll likely focus on playing cover tunes more than anything.
So to start of playing it is best to master the Common Guitar Chords
Chords are the backbone of most guitar music. As a beginner, mastering the most common chords allows you to play along to popular songs and even start writing your own. Technically speaking, a chord is a group of three or more notes played in one smooth strumming motion. Chords are classified according to the overall effect they produce. Major and minor chords, which create happy and sad sounds, respectively, are the most basic chords you’ll need to play beginner-friendly songs.
Getting to grips with how chords are formed gives you a basic introduction to music theory and helps you understand the ways you can alter them to create more interesting sounds. All chords are built from certain notes in scales. The C major scale is the easiest, because it just runs C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
What are “Open” Chords. “Open” chords get their name from the fact that they generally include strings played open. This means that the strings are played without being pushed down at a fret, which makes chords including them easier to play for beginners. When you start to learn chords, you have to focus on using the right fingers to press down each note and make sure you’re pressing the strings down firmly enough. Play each note of the chord one after another (known as playing an arpeggio) to check if any are being accidently muted or need pressing down harder. If you find that you’re accidently muting a string with one of your fingers, try lowering your thumb so the tip reaches around half way up the back of the guitar neck. This gives your fingers a better angle to approach the fretboard.
The hardest thing about playing chords when you get started is changing between them. To effectively change between chords, you need to be economical with your movements. Spend a bit of time thinking about where your fingers need to be for each chord, and work out the most efficient way to move from one to the other. For example, from a C major, you can flatten your index finger so it covers the first string too and move your middle and ring fingers both down a string to switch to an F. Easy changes to start with are between C major and A minor and G major and E minor.
The good news is you’ll get better with practice. If there’s just a small gap in your playing when you change between chords, you can normally get away continuing strumming anyway until your fingers catch up.
4. Step Four : Do it the right way!
You have just begun the three most fundamental and importants steps to learning the guitar. You still know absolutely nothing about playing the guitar right?
Well, you are wrong. Now you know what you need to know about getting started. Commitment! And …get the guitar first!
For Step Four, you MUST get help. To really play the guitar, you must either enrol with a guitar class or enrol with an ONLINE program. There are many many ONLINE programs.
It is absolutely important that you learn to play the guitar in the PROPER sequence of learning. That is why you have to take a proper class or enrol on a good ONLINE PROGRAM to learn to correct way. DON”T try to learn to play the guitar by watching youtube videos on an adhoc or trial and error way. That is the worst method to learn how to play any musical instrument. Go to a proper guitar class if there is one near you. And enrol on a good ONLINE PROGRAM to allow you to continue and practice at home on your pace.
For the Absolute Beginners it is strongly advised that you MUST invest in at least ONE Guitar Guide Book. Usually this cost less than $50 but you can even get a very good Absolute Beginners Guide Book when there is a discount offer.
Here are a few that you can check out :
1.Teach Yourself to Play Guitar: A Quick and Easy Introduction for Beginners
2. Guitar Book For Adult Beginners
3. Guitar Book For Beginners:How To Play Your First Songs In 7 Days!
5. Step Five : Play On! Have Fun And Play On!
Finally Step Five is consistency. The real secret to your joy and success in playing the guitar is ……you must play the guitar! Play on! Have fun and play on!
To help you on your way here are some additional tips. Give your instrument some love. Always clean and maintain your guitar so it’s always at its best. Don’t be afraid to questions and doubts to other guitarists you know. Listen to music! Not only your favourite style but every style. Practice consistently. Try t0 practice everyday . That would be ideal! Always warm up.
Become a guitar geek. The internet is the best source of information for this. Don’t try and take on too much. If a song or an exercise is too difficult for you, you may end up getting frustrated and giving up on the whole learning guitar thing. Not cool!
So have fun! It’s all about having fun! And play on!
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