How to Learn to Play the Acoustic Guitar

For music lovers and those with a creative mind, there is little that is more pleasing than playing a musical instrument. While learning to play the acoustic guitar is no easy task, with patience and perseverance it is a skill which can be deeply satisfying. Regardless of your age, there are a few tricks that can help you as you learn to play. Read on to learn how to play the acoustic guitar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Beginner nylon string guitar
• Quality lesson books and/or professional instructor
• Electric guitar tuner

1. Purchase an inexpensive beginner guitar with nylon strings, even if your end goal is to play a steel string acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. Like any musical instrument, you must build your chops, in this case, your fingers. Nylon strings are not as hard on sensitive fingers and make applying proper pressure easier.
2. Make sure that you have quality lesson books and/or a professional guitar teacher when learning to play the acoustic guitar. Having step-by-step instruction will prevent you from learning bad habits and can increase the speed at which you learn.
3. Use an electric guitar tuner to keep your strings tuned instead of trying to tune by ear while learning how to play. Make sure that your guitar is properly tuned before each and every practice. If you need help learning how to use your tuner, you can ask for help in the music store where you purchase your equipment or ask your instructor for guidance.
4. Begin with basic scales and chords, even though it may seem boring. By learning chords and scales first, you increase your musical knowledge as well as finger posture, dexterity and technique. Learning music basics will make playing full songs much easier and less frustrating when you are finally ready.
5. Start off with simple finger picking instead of beginning with a pick. You can strum full chords with your thumb; however, finger picking allows you to play each individual string and adjust finger positioning when holding chords when necessary. When playing with a pick, it can be difficult to hear a single string which is muffled due to poor positioning. When you can hold chords correctly with each string sounding out, begin practicing with a pick.