Guitar Playing Guide for Beginners
Are you keen on playing guitar? Looking for a great guitar playing guide? Well, look no further! If you want to be the next Eric Clapton, or [insert famous guitarist here], then this is the guitar playing guide for you.
But before we get too excited, keep in mind that learning to play a musical instrument takes time. The guitar is no different. I know, I know, the legends make it look so easy, don't they? And it will be easy, if you practice and keep at it. But if you quit after making one little mistake, you'll never see your name in lights, now will you?
So take a deep breath, pick up your guitar, and let's start with the basics...
But before we get too excited, keep in mind that learning to play a musical instrument takes time. The guitar is no different. I know, I know, the legends make it look so easy, don't they? And it will be easy, if you practice and keep at it. But if you quit after making one little mistake, you'll never see your name in lights, now will you?
So take a deep breath, pick up your guitar, and let's start with the basics...
Guitar Playing Guide: First Things First
Holding Your Guitar
Most people prefer to hold their guitar in the Casual Position, shown here:
But, if you want to do it like a professional, there's always the Classical Position:
And as you become more comfortable with your instrument (or if you decide to upgrade to an electric guitar), there is the Standing Position:
All right, you're probably wondering what all those little thingamajigs on the guitar are called. Well...
Strings
Each string of the guitar has a name:
As shown in this guitar playing guide, a standard guitar has six strings (although you may come across guitars with up to 12 strings).
Most people prefer to hold their guitar in the Casual Position, shown here:
But, if you want to do it like a professional, there's always the Classical Position:
And as you become more comfortable with your instrument (or if you decide to upgrade to an electric guitar), there is the Standing Position:
All right, you're probably wondering what all those little thingamajigs on the guitar are called. Well...
- Head or Tailpiece: This is the very top part of the guitar, where the strings are wound. The tuning machines are also located here.
- Tuning Machines: These are the little "tuners" connected to each individual string. You use these to tune your guitar.
- The Nut: This is the "border" between the head and the neck of the guitar. It is usually white in color.
- Neck or Arm: This is the long part of the instrument, where the strings and frets are.
- Fingerboard: The fingerboard is the front of the neck of the guitar.
- Frets: Frets are separated by little metal "boundaries" (similar to the nut, but not quite the same). The frets help vary the tone of the notes you play (the closer to the head the fret is, the lower the note, the closer to the body, the higher the note). Classic and acoustic guitars have 19 frets, electric guitars have 20 - 22 frets.
- Face or Table: The face is the front part of the body of the guitar.
- Sound Hole: The sound hole is located on the middle of the face of the guitar. It acts as the guitar's natural "amplifier".
- Bridge: This is what keeps the strings of the guitar in place.
Strings
Each string of the guitar has a name:
As shown in this guitar playing guide, a standard guitar has six strings (although you may come across guitars with up to 12 strings).
Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart. -- Andre Segovia
Hands and Fingers: Those Things at the Ends of Your Arms that can Make or Break You
Your Right Hand
It might seem as if the right hand's job is insignificant, but as a matter of fact, it plays an extremely essential role in your guitar playing. Yes, your left hand does do most of the work, but that doesn't mean you can simply leave your right hand to fend for itself.
Your right hand plucks the strings. For this you can use either your fingers or a pick.
Your Left Hand
Your left hand plays each note and chord on the frets of the guitar. It will take lots of practice before your fingers get used to doing this, but you will find that - if you don't neglect to train your fingers - it will get much easier.
The fingers of your left hand are numbered from 1 - 4: Your index finger is number 1, your middle finger is number 2, your ring finger is number 3 and your little finger is number 4. Your thumb doesn't have a number because it is curled around the back of the neck of your guitar, and you never really use it to play anything.
Remember: When playing guitar, or any other instrument, it is recommended that you keep your nails as short as possible (I know this is a hard one for the girls, but, what can I say? Life is full of tough choices, and this is one of them. Manicure or guitar? Well, you know what they say: you win some, you lose some).
It might seem as if the right hand's job is insignificant, but as a matter of fact, it plays an extremely essential role in your guitar playing. Yes, your left hand does do most of the work, but that doesn't mean you can simply leave your right hand to fend for itself.
Your right hand plucks the strings. For this you can use either your fingers or a pick.
Your Left Hand
Your left hand plays each note and chord on the frets of the guitar. It will take lots of practice before your fingers get used to doing this, but you will find that - if you don't neglect to train your fingers - it will get much easier.
The fingers of your left hand are numbered from 1 - 4: Your index finger is number 1, your middle finger is number 2, your ring finger is number 3 and your little finger is number 4. Your thumb doesn't have a number because it is curled around the back of the neck of your guitar, and you never really use it to play anything.
Remember: When playing guitar, or any other instrument, it is recommended that you keep your nails as short as possible (I know this is a hard one for the girls, but, what can I say? Life is full of tough choices, and this is one of them. Manicure or guitar? Well, you know what they say: you win some, you lose some).
With a guitar I would be able to express the things I felt in sounds. -- William Christopher Handy
Playtime
How to read Tablature (TAB)
A system has been developed to be used in a guitar playing guide to help you to quickly get a visual indication of where your left hand's fingers should be placed. It is called tablature.
Tablature or TAB helps you to easily see where on which fret your fingers are supposed to be. TAB uses numbers, instead of regular musical notation, so it should be fairly easy to understand.
TAB is very much the same as a guitar's fret/fingerboard. Here's the fingerboard of a guitar:
And here's what it looks like in a written layout (that is basically what TAB is: the fret board of the guitar in written form).
The lines symbolize the strings of the guitar. Now look at the frets of your guitar. As I mentioned earlier, there are between 19 and 22 frets. If there is a number on one of the strings (those lines) on the TAB illustration, like this, for example, it means you should press down the bottom string in the first fret:
If the number were a 3, it would be in the third fret, and so on. But if that number is a zero (0), it means you don't press the string in any fret at all. You simply play it on its own. We then say the string is "open".
In this introductory guitar playing guide, I have only shown you the basics of tablature. If you have a hard time with tablature, don't quit just yet. These things take time to master.
A system has been developed to be used in a guitar playing guide to help you to quickly get a visual indication of where your left hand's fingers should be placed. It is called tablature.
Tablature or TAB helps you to easily see where on which fret your fingers are supposed to be. TAB uses numbers, instead of regular musical notation, so it should be fairly easy to understand.
TAB is very much the same as a guitar's fret/fingerboard. Here's the fingerboard of a guitar:
And here's what it looks like in a written layout (that is basically what TAB is: the fret board of the guitar in written form).
The lines symbolize the strings of the guitar. Now look at the frets of your guitar. As I mentioned earlier, there are between 19 and 22 frets. If there is a number on one of the strings (those lines) on the TAB illustration, like this, for example, it means you should press down the bottom string in the first fret:
If the number were a 3, it would be in the third fret, and so on. But if that number is a zero (0), it means you don't press the string in any fret at all. You simply play it on its own. We then say the string is "open".
In this introductory guitar playing guide, I have only shown you the basics of tablature. If you have a hard time with tablature, don't quit just yet. These things take time to master.
Where to from Here?
There are so many ways of learning the guitar, be it online lessons, visiting an actual instructor, or reading a book. But if you are extremely eager to start, I would suggest you consider an online class. You learn how to play your instrument, and you don't even have to leave the house. It's a great guitar playing guide for the somewhat impatient beginner. 
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elliemcduling
I know how hard it can be to start to learn how to play the guitar. I have a passion to help others and make it easier for them to get the best guitar... more »
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