How to Play an Electric Guitar From Scratch

Learning the electric guitar begins with chords and scales.

The electric guitar is one of the most widely used instruments in music. It can be found in rock, country, jazz, blues and even classical music. Guitar makers such as Leo Fender and Les Paul helped defined the instrument, and players ranging from Jimi Hendrix to John McLaughlin have inspired countless kids to pick up the guitar and learn how to make music with it. While becoming a skilled guitarist can take take years of practice, learning the basics of the instrument isn't difficult. With a little desire and persistence, you can begin teaching yourself to play electric guitar.

Things You'll Need

• Electric guitar
• Amplifier
• Guitar pick
• Guitar chords/scales book

Instructions

1. Familiarize yourself with your electric guitar. There are six strings, numbered one through six, from highest to lowest. The neck of your guitar is divided into frets. Between each fret is a note, which you will play by pressing your finger down on the neck of the guitar with one hand and picking it with your other hand. The open strings of the guitar, from one to six, are E-B-G-D-A-E.

2. Get a beginner's instruction book with guitar chords and scales. Until you begin to pick up the basics, having these materials on hand can be useful to refer to when you find yourself stuck. You can buy these instruction books at a music store or find them online at no charge (see Resources). There's no substitute for practicing regularly, and learning basic chords and scales gives you a foundation to work with.

3. Learn basic chords. Three or four basic chords will allow you to start making music on your guitar right away. One of the best ways to stay interested is to start learning to play songs. The basic chords to start with are C, G and A. After you've begun playing these chords, you can add a new chord or two a week, depending upon the speed with which you learn. There are countless chords in music. The more of them you know, the more songs you can play. In the beginning, stick with learning and practicing chords from an instruction book.

4. Practice both hands at the same time. Playing electric guitar is a matter of fretting notes (placing your fingers on the neck of the guitar to make notes and chords) and strumming. The chords you learn are used to practice these techniques. When you make a chord, you're working on fretting the notes. When you play the chords by strumming the strings, you're working on playing rhythm. Start by playing chords with a simple up and down strumming motion. Later on, as you progress, you can vary the strum patterns to fit the style of music you want to play.

5. Play a simple major scale. C major is a good pattern for a beginner. Once you learn this pattern, you can play the scale anywhere on the neck of the guitar. Playing scales helps strengthen your fingers for playing solos later on, and scales also help you learn where the notes are on your guitar. To play the C major scale, play the third fret on the fifth string, the fifth fret on the fifth string, the second fret on the fourth string, the third fret on the fourth string, the fifth fret on the fourth string, the second fret on the third string, the fourth fret on the third string and the fifth fret on the third string.

   After you have learned to play this pattern, you can begin it anywhere on your guitar neck and play a major scale named after the note you begin playing the pattern on. Armed with this major scale pattern and learning new chords regularly, you will have the tools to begin progressing in your guitar playing.

6. Play songs. You can find music books for guitar at a music store or online at no charge (see Resources). Begin with simple chord arrangements. Choose songs that feature the chords you've learned, then simply strum the chords and sing along. From there, it's a matter of practicing on a regular basis, but in the meantime, you'll be playing the electric guitar well enough to entertain yourself and others.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase a digital guitar tuner. Until your ear becomes accustomed to hearing notes, you'll need to stay in tune. A digital tuner will help you keep the electric guitar in tune so the music you play sounds right.

References

• Cyberfret: Beginner's Guide to Playing the Guitar
• Cyberfret: 7 Basic Beginning Guitar Chord Shapes
• ABC Guitar: Learn Every Major Scale on Guitar

Resources

• Chordfind: Online Guitar Chord Dictionary