How to Play Guitar for Beginners

Tap to Read ➤ Stephen Rampur

If you want to know how to play guitar for beginners, you first need to learn the basics of guitar tablatures and then move ahead with other playing techniques. Read on to know basic guitar lessons for beginners.

''My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.'' - Joan Jett

Playing the guitar is not that difficult if you have a strong determination to learn the basics and practice on the techniques everyday. However, you also need to develop an ear for accuracy of sounds and tones. In order to become a good guitarist; you need to obtain inspiration from famous guitar players, different types of guitars, effects processors, playing techniques, and all major aspects in the music industry. Those wanting to play the instrument need to obtain some beginner lessons regarding reading guitar tablatures. Before moving on to how to play guitar, let us discuss some very basic, yet significant tips.

Basic Guitar Playing Tips for Beginners

Note that, as contrary to a common misunderstanding, guitar strings are counted from the bottom. This means that the thinnest and lowest string is the first string, whereas the thickest and topmost one is the sixth string. Along with playing chords, you also need to pay attention to the rhythm of the strumming hand. The rhythm and strokes should go in accordance with the changing of the tabs on the chording hand. To become a good guitarist and musician in just a couple of months, you need to practice regularly for at least two hours a day.

Though the playing style and pattern is quite similar in both acoustic and electric guitars, a beginner should always begin playing an acoustic guitar and not an electric one. Each of the guitar strings in a standard acoustic or an electric guitar gives out an open sound, which can be changed by holding certain notes on the fretboard.

In the following you will get to know how to read guitar tablatures, commonly used major and minor chords, and also good guitars that you can purchase for practice.

Reading Tablatures

A guitar tablature or just a tab, is a numerical and symbolic representation of six horizontal and parallel lines which depict the six strings on a normal rhythm guitar. On the six lines, there are certain numbers that tell the player which fret he needs to place his chording hand's fingertips on. If the number is '1' on any string, the fingertip should be placed on the first fret of that particular string. If the number is '2', then the positioning of the finger should be on the second fret, and so on.

In basic guitar chords, you may find a symbol 'X', which means that you need to mute that specific string or not strum it at all. If there is a '0' shown on any string, it simply means that you have to play the string open, with not positioning any fingertip on that string. Refer to the following basic guitar chords to get an idea of the C major chord played open, along with the numbers and symbols.

'C' Major Chord e(1st)-----0----------------------- B(2nd)----1----------------------- G(3rd)----0----------------------- D(4th)----2----------------------- A(5th)----3----------------------- E(6th)----X-----------------------

I hope the information on how to read guitar tabs was very much explanatory. Following are some open minor and major chords used commonly.

Major and Minor Chords

Major Guitar Chords

'A' Major Chord e-----0---------------------- B----2----------------------- G----2----------------------- D----2----------------------- A----0----------------------- E----0-----------------------

'B' Major Chord e-----2----------------------- B----4----------------------- G----4----------------------- D----4----------------------- A----2----------------------- E----X-----------------------

'C' Major Chord e-----0----------------------- B----1----------------------- G----0----------------------- D----2----------------------- A----3----------------------- E----X-----------------------

'D' Major Chord e-----2----------------------- B----3----------------------- G----2----------------------- D----0----------------------- A----X----------------------- E----X-----------------------

'E' Major Chord e-----0----------------------- B----0------------------------ G----1------------------------ D----2------------------------ A----2------------------------ E----0------------------------

'F' Major Chord e-----1----------------------- B----1----------------------- G----2----------------------- D----3----------------------- A----3----------------------- E----X-----------------------

'G' Major Chord e------3----------------------- B-----0----------------------- G-----0----------------------- D-----0----------------------- A-----2----------------------- E-----3------------------------

Minor Guitar Chords

'A' Minor Chord e----0------------------------- B---1------------------------- G---2------------------------- D---2------------------------- A---0------------------------- E---X-------------------------

'B' Minor Chord e----2------------------------ B----3----------------------- G----4----------------------- D----4----------------------- A----X----------------------- E----X-----------------------

'C' Minor Chord e-----3----------------------- B----4------------------------ G----5------------------------ D----5------------------------ A----3------------------------ E----X-----------------------

'D' Minor Chord e-----1------------------------ B----3------------------------ G----2------------------------ D----0------------------------ A----X------------------------ E----X------------------------

'E' Minor Chord e-----0------------------------ B----0------------------------ G----0------------------------ D----2------------------------ A----2------------------------ E----0-------------------------

'F' Minor Chord e-----1------------------------ B----1------------------------ G----1------------------------ D----3------------------------ A----X------------------------ E----X------------------------

'G' Minor Chord e-----3----------------------- B-----3----------------------- G-----3----------------------- D-----0----------------------- A-----X---------------------- E-----3-----------------------

If you are thinking about how to play the guitar, you should always purchase a guitar that is not too expensive but has a good tone. Following are some models you can consider for choosing the best acoustic guitar.

Good Guitars for Beginners

Yamaha FG700S Fender CD140S Seagull S6 Series Ibanez AC30NT Fender DG-8S Epiphone DR-100 Takamine G340

This was some information on how to play guitar. Remember that practice is the only key to good guitar playing. If you practice, you will yourself come to know various techniques employed in the skill. Playing along with songs will also improve your skill substantially.