How to Start Guitar Lessons
Guitar is one of the first instruments many kids want to try and play. Adults often take the instrument up later in life. Many students of the guitar seek the help of a guitar teacher, while those who can't afford the expense of a teacher or who prefer to work on their own often struggle to teach themselves. Whether you use a teacher or decide to teach yourself, you can learn the guitar easily by following a few simple steps--so you can be playing songs in a just a few days.
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Instructions
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Purchase your first guitar. It can be an electric or an acoustic. An acoustic is easier to start with because you won't need to have an amplifier to go with it. You can buy a guitar at any local music shop or even a flea market. The guitar doesn't have to be new, as long as it feels comfortable to you when you hold it. The main thing is to make sure you can push the strings down to the frets easily and that the neck of the guitar isn't warped, which you can determine by holding the guitar out and looking along the neck to make sure it isn't bowed.
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Familiarize yourself with the open strings on the guitar. They are, starting with the thickest (bottom string, named because the pitch is lowest) string first; E, A, D, G, B, E. Placing your finger on each fret raises the note by a half step. The notes in the musical scale are C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B and C. (There is only a half step between E and F and B and C, even though there is no sharp or flat between the notes.) This pattern remains the same for any major key, with the name of the scale being the note you start on.
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Teach yourself a few of the most basic chords. You can do this with a beginning chord book or an online database of guitar chords (see Resources). Before even scales, learning a few chords is a good way to keep your interest in playing. Then you will be able to strum them and play musical progressions that will give you a sense of accomplishment. C, E minor, A minor, G, A, and D chords are good beginning chords.
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Practice a few basic scales. Scales are essential for familiarizing you with the neck of your guitar and where you can find the notes. They also help you develop finger strength and the callouses you will need to progress comfortably with your playing.
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Play simple, recognizable music to begin with. You can find plenty of easy free guitar songs online (see Resources). These might not be the songs you want to play, but playing them will help you hear how the chords you're learning go together to create songs. Use the songs to strengthen the coordination between your left and right hands.
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Get a guitar teacher if you feel it will help you progress more quickly, but look for one who is willing to teach you in the same way you've been teaching yourself. Look for guitar teachers in your local newspaper, or try finding an online course (see Resources). If you go to a local teacher, discuss your goals with him up front to make sure he can lead you in the direction you want to go.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep playing. Practice really does make perfect.
References
Resources
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