Learning to Play the Guitar

Recently someone asked me how to get started playing guitar, so I thought I'd share a few thoughts about the first steps every new guitar student should take:

1) Get a guitar (see my previous blog entry on buying your first guitar for more information about finding the right instrument for you)

2) Get a guitar instructor
Whether you are young or old, whether you want to learn to play hard rock or smooth jazz, there's simply no substitute for a good teacher. You can't get your black-belt in karate by watching YouTube videos, and you can't learn to dance by reading a book about it. So why should guitar--a similar physical skill--be any different? I used to think that being self-taught was a badge of honor, but on my own I was only able to master the skill of making mistakes. Hiring a teacher to save me from my own misguidance was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

3) Learn how to read chord diagrams. They look something like this:

The letter at the top represents the chord name. All chord names have a letter (A through G with an optional sharp or flat) to indicate the root note of the chord, and they may also have additional modifiers such as "7" or "m" to indicating the type of chord to be played. The dark line at the top of the diagram represents the "nut" at the top of the guitar neck (the picture next to the chord diagram below shows the correct orientation for a guitar chord diagram relative to the guitar itself; the white horizontal band between the guitar head and fretboard is the "nut"):

  

The vertical lines in the chord diagram represent strings (with the lowest/thickest string on the left and the highest/thinnest on the right). The XX's at the top (just under the chord name) indicate that these particular strings should not be played as part of the chord. The O indicates that the string should be played "open," meaning that no finger should be placed on the string. The black dots represent finger positions, and the numbers at the bottom represent left-hand finger numbers (1=index finger, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky).

4) Learn how to change quickly and smoothly from one chord to another. This can take a lot of practice, and to make it more interesting I recommend choosing simple songs (such as Christmas songs, hymns or folk songs) and try to get to the point where you can change chords without having to pause your strumming. Here are some useful chords for beginners: D, G, Em, C, D7, A, A7, Am, G7. While playing, pay attention to the position of your finger relative to the frets. Too far back (toward the head of the guitar) and you could end up have to press quite hard to avoid string buzz. Too far forward (toward the body of the guitar) and you could end up on top of the fret itself, which produces an unsatisfactory muted sound. Here is the ideal position (just behind the fret):

Curl your fingers around the guitar so they only touch one string at a time, and use the tips of your fingers to play. This is the most sensitive part of your fingers, and it may hurt at first until you build up calluses. Be patient, it will get better with time and practice. When switching from one chord to another, look for opportunities to use "anchor fingers," which are fingers that don't have to be moved during a chord change. For example, when switching from C to D7 the first finger doesn't have to move at all. This makes it easier to get your other fingers in the right place. If you don't have an anchor finger, look for a "guide finger" that can be slid along the same string to a different fret when making a chord change. For example, when switching from a D to an A chord the third finger can remain on the second string and be slid from the third fret to the second. This makes it a little easier to "land" the chord in rhythm.

5) Practice, practice, practice
There's no substitute for practice. A high IQ may help you retain theoretical musical knowledge, but learning to play a musical instrument requires physical learning that can only be gained through frequent, consistent practice.

6) Don't give up
Many people don't realize how much time it can take to learn a new instrument. In the beginning the effort is great and the rewards are few, but if you stick with it then you'll be richly rewarded for your hard work. As someone who has traveled that road, I can promise that great things await you if you persevere.