Did you ever want to pick up a guitar and try playing some tunes? Maybe you've always wanted to learn an instrument but never had the time. Maybe you did try years ago, but you gave up and have since forgotten all of the chords. Well, now's a good time to start!
1. Buy equipment
To learn how to play the guitar, you must first purchase a guitar if you don’t have one already. You don’t need to spend much on your first guitar but as a beginner, you need a guitar that is playable and will stay in tune.
Another essential step includes purchasing a guitar tuner. There are 4 main types: microphone based tuners, vibration-based tuners, pedal tuners, and smartphone tuners. Microphone-based tuners need to “hear” the guitar in order to tune. Vibration-based tuners clip on the guitar and tube by vibration. Pedal tuners are very accurate tuners for electric guitars. Lastly, smartphone apps can tune your guitar quickly and cheaply. There are many free guitar tuning apps to choose from! Just search for “guitar tuner” in the app store and choose the app you'd like (How To Tune A Guitar).
You’ll need a capo. The Jim Dunlop Guitar Capos are great! You will also need a guitar strap and guitar picks. A pick thickness of 0.65-0.73 is best for beginner guitar players.
2. Learn how to play basic chords
To play any song, you need to learn how to play guitar chords. Some examples of guitar chords are: D chord, C chord, G chord, E-minor chord, etc. To play the D chord, start by placing your index finger on the third string at the second fret, your middle finger on the first string at the second fret, and your ring finger on the second string at the third fret. Leave the fourth string open. Strum the bottom four strings. Pay attention to the sound. That’s the D-chord!
To play the C Chord, Place your index finger on the second string at the first fret, your middle finger on the fourth string at the second fret, and your ring finger on the fifth string at the third fret. Leave the first and second strings open. Strum the bottom five strings and you’ll hear the C Chord!
To play the G chord, Place your middle finger on the fifth string at the second fret, your ring finger on the sixth string at the third fret, and your pinky finger on the first string at the third fret. Leave strings two, three, and four open. Strum all strings. That’s the G Chord!
To play the E- minor chord, first place your middle finger on the fifth string at the second fret and your ring finger on the fourth string at the second fret. Leave strings one, two, three, and six open. Strum all strings. That’s the E-minor Chord!
3. Watch YouTube videos
There are hundreds of thousands of people who learned how to play the guitar from watching videos. There are millions of videos about learning how to play an instrument. You can search for any video about learning guitar, and I guarantee that you will find a video about it. Check here for some extra tips on how to learn guitar without a teacher.
4. Practice! Practice! Practice!
As a beginner, expect your fingers to hurt from playing the guitar. But don’t be discouraged, this is normal. Continue to practice and practice and eventually you’ll improve your muscle strength. The more you practice, the less painful it will be. Here are some useful articles on how to hold a guitar and how to care for a guitar.
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