Updated on 7/29/2024
Seems like it should be easy to learn how to play guitar.
Who wouldn't want to become a rock god?
But unfortunately many people give up learning the guitar.
Success isn’t determined by your gear, budget, age, or the music you like.
Instead, it is your approach and the amount of practice time you spend on appropriate musical goals.
In this beginner guitar lesson we have put together some of the best ways to learn how to play guitar.
Finding The Guitar
If you already have a guitar then skip to the next step.
For those who are still trying to navigate the guitar market, remember; your gear budget isn't the main factor in being a good player, far from it
But it is a factor.
Do you need a pro guitar to start?
Of course not, but buying something cheap probably won't work either.
A low priced guitar will more often than not lead to a low quality instrument.
If one string is not intonated right the whole thing will sound terrible, which tends to happen with "cheap" instruments.
Also, the action of the guitar cannot be so low that the strings touch frets or so high that it’s impossible to press down, which also tends to happen with cheap instruments.
It is important to research a decent guitar that will be playable so you can actually learn the guitar right.
But the better question might be; acoustic vs electric guitar?
You definitely won't need to break the bank.
A few hundred dollars will get you a quality instrument, especially on the used market.
Start On The Basics
This might sound obvious, but stay with me.
The very beginning of your online guitar lessons will effect how you continue to learn more advanced topics down the road.
Many beginner guitarists rush ahead into trying to do things that they aren’t ready for, so be realistic.
Some things may not click right away and that’s OK.
It takes repetitive practice for topics and sounds to stick in your brain and muscle memory.
Any time you feel lost, simply back up to the step that you understood.
Not sure where to start? Try a Custom Lesson Plan where you'll get a detailed lesson pathway tailored specifically for you.
Here are a few topics you should start with on your guitar learning journey:
Setup And Tuning
Study how your guitar makes sound and chords, look at the tuners, nut, and bridge to get an idea of these mechanisms.
The guitar has to be tuned right, or when we strum it will sound awful.
Standard tuning is EADGBE and that’s where you should start.
Open an online guitar tuner and dial in your strings.
Even the pros sound bad on out-of-tune guitars.
So take a moment and tune up before every practice session.
How To Hold The Guitar
Hand positioning and posture may vary depending on your preferred genre, but comfort is essential in all cases.
When you first start playing the guitar, it might take some time to get comfortable.
Other things to consider are the size of the body-shape of the guitar; a jumbo size might not be the best guitar for a smaller person to learn on.
Your fretting hand and fingers should have clear access to the fretboard, with no interference from your body or clothing.
It's wise to explore hand positions to find the best way to learn guitar and what feels most comfortable and effective.
Avoiding bad habits is important at this stage.
Getting these fundamental, and seemingly simple concepts down in the beginning will help you play better down the line.
If you learn to play guitar with too much tension in your wrists, then you’ll be forced to re-learn the basics when you get to more advanced techniques.
Practice Space And Time
This stage is where many people fail because there is a lot of time with no success, followed by sudden breakthroughs.
To get to the 'breakthrough' stage you need to set aside daily practice and immerse yourself in guitar.
Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Regular daily practice, even 10 minutes of focused practice, will take you further than 1 hour on the weekend.
It's really about getting the guitar in your hands consistently.
While less important, your practice space deserves a second thought.
It doesn't need to be fancy or official; the bedroom is the best place!
But the key here is removing distractions.
Do you have a video game controller within reach in your practice area?
Is your phone open to social media?
You can make some great gains only practicing 10 minutes per day, but this needs to be undistracted, focused practice time.
We'll go over some specific practice routines you can try later in this article.
Picking and Strumming Techniques
Strumming and Rhythm
How that we've got our practice routine and space dialed in, let's get to the good stuff.
Strengthening your strumming rhythm will help you build a solid foundation.
For example, the "bum ditty" or bass picking technique involves alternating between low and treble strings, creating a country or folk vibe.
If you'd rather go down the punk vein, try all-downstrokes when playing chords like G-C-D.
Gradually introduce down-up alternating strokes for that classic rock sound.
The best way to learn guitar strumming is to start with simple rhythms like quarter notes.
As you improve, incorporate more complex rhythms like 1/8 or 1/16 notes.
Do all of this on one chord, don't worry about changing chords quite yet.
It's a great idea to get your rhythm solid first.
Then, when you start changing chords, you'll only have one hand to think about at a time.
Using A Guitar Pick
The guitar pick is your best friend.
This took will enable you to play the guitar, straight up.
There is fingerstyle guitar, but for today we will be focused on classic techniques using a pick.
As always, start simple with some open chords.
Slowly strum down and then up, plucking each string one at a time.
When you have a clean sound, try strumming a bit faster.
You can also try alternate picking, striking up and down on each individual string.
There are many ways for beginners to learn to pick.
The goal is to make sure it is clean, sounds good, and the rhythm is working.
Also, go ahead and buy a couple packs of picks.
You will loose picks, and picks do wear down over time and use.
It's a great idea to have lots of extras laying around.
Learn Songs You Love
The best way to learn guitar is by starting with songs that resonate with you.
Seek out guitar tabs, chords, videos, and lessons for your favorite songs and try playing them.
The best approach for anyone starting out is learning 3 chord songs.
Once you have just 3 chords under your belt (typically C, G and D) you'll instantly be able to play hundreds of songs.
There are also plenty of easy guitar songs out there to add to your beginner repertoire.
Bookmark any that you really enjoy to come back to for regular practice.
Pay attention to chord progressions in different songs.
You’ll start to see similarities across different genres.
You might be amazed at how many mega hit songs are actually pretty simple to play.
Guitar Chords
The easiest four chords to learn first are usually G, E, C, and D.
As mentioned above, with these guitar chords you can truly play hundreds, maybe even thousands of songs.
Modern music follows standard chord progressions and rhythms that are repeated over and over.
The melody is often the only part that changes.
By learning your basic chords and specific sequences you will be able to play many songs early on in your guitar journey.
Learning open chords is the best way to learn guitar.
The next set of chords to learn will be power chords and barre chords.
Barre chords will be the open 'E' chord shape, but starting on other locations on the fretboard.
Note - 'barring' on the guitar means to press down multiple strings with one finger.
So you can barre differnt notes, even if you're not playing the specific 'E' chord shape.
Power chords are probably the most simple guitar chord shape.
For example, a G power chord is fingered as 355XXX with your index finger on fret 3 and your ring and pinky finger on fret 5.
You can even barr your ring finger across the two strings on fret 5.
Learn how to read guitar tabs for an easy way to understand chord fingerings and diagrams.
More Chords Equals More Flavor
As you study scales and chords you will learn that their emotional qualities come from the distances of the notes.
A major chord often sounds strong while a minor has a sad vibe and we can further add notes to create more flavor and sonic qualities.
For example a G major - C major - D major has a country or pop vibe but play it as G major - C major - D7 and it quickly gets more rocking.
This is because we added a minor blue note over a major chord prorgession.
Extending your chords will seem complicated as a beginner guitar player but the more songs you play the easier it will get.
A Cm7b5 may seem like a super advanced chord but it’s just a more flavorful Cm.
Don’t fear your chords, each time a new one comes up memorize it and always pay attention to the ones that come before and after.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The most crucial principle in learning how to play guitar is consistent and dedicated practice.
It's easiest to do this with a guitar practice routine you can follow.
A proper practice has a light stretch, warm up of fingers, and then slow and steady repetition of something we are working on.
After warming up we want to play a familiar song or scale, something that is not taxing on the brain.
As our fingers loosen up and we get in the groove it is time to switch to something harder.
Pull out a tough song, find a hard technique, or just turn on a song and tab it yourself.
Do something that is challenging near the end of practice, if it is too hard simply save it for next time.
Eventually the hard stuff becomes easy and then you find a new challenge.
The main problem you will face in practice is other distractions by people or social media.
You need quiet time to focus and work on specific aspects of music, if you scroll online your guitar playing will never get better.
Practice should also take place every day, take a break here and there but stick with it to make noticeable progress.
Simply Play Guitar
Whether you use Guitar Tricks online lessons or simply want to play music by ear the old fashioned way, just keep playing as much as possible.
There are many methods for learning how to play the guitar.
You can try online guitar lessons with Guitar Tricks, ear training, song composition, or any way that works for your time, budget, and situation.
The key is to believe in yourself, stick to realistic goals, and most of all do not judge your progress with others.
Music is just an expression and we each have a unique approach.
Study your basic chords, scales, rhythms, and then put your own stamp on it!
That will always be the best way to learn how to play guitar.
FAQ
Can I teach myself to play guitar? Yes, it is possible to teach yourself to play guitar, but the best way to learn guitar often involves a combination of self-study and formal lessons. Online guitar lessons and resources can help beginners get started.
What should a beginner guitarist learn first? For a beginner guitar player, it's essential to start by learning basic chords and proper hand positioning, as these form the foundation of guitar playing. Familiarizing yourself with chords like G-C-D, which are common in many songs, is one of the best ways to learn guitar effectively.
Is 30 minutes a day enough to learn guitar? Spending 30 minutes a day practicing the guitar can be a good starting point for beginners. However, progress varies from person to person, and the best way to learn guitar is to gradually increase practice time as you become more comfortable with the instrument.
Is there a fast way to learn guitar? While there's no "fast" way to learn guitar that guarantees instant mastery, consistent practice and effective learning strategies are the best way to learn guitar efficiently. Set realistic goals, break down complex techniques, and focus on building a strong foundation. Using online programs like Guitar Tricks is a great way to set and maintain goals.
How long does it realistically take to learn guitar? Realistically, the time it takes to learn guitar varies depending on individual goals and dedication. Learning the basics and playing simple songs can take a few months, but becoming a proficient guitarist may take several years.
How long does it take to fully learn guitar? Learning to fully master the guitar is a continuous journey, and there's always room for improvement. While you can become a competent guitarist within a couple of years with consistent practice, the best way to learn guitar involves ongoing learning and refining your skills.
Which guitar is best for beginners? The best guitar for beginners is typically an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars are versatile and offer a solid foundation for learning chords and basic techniques.
Is it easier to learn Electric or acoustic guitar? Both electric and acoustic guitars have their unique characteristics, but some beginners find it easier to start with an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars don't require amplification and tend to build finger strength faster.
