How to Start Learning Guitar

Co-authored by Nicolas Adams

Last Updated: February 10, 2023 References

Learning how to play the guitar can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. If you're just starting off, it's important that you practice specific techniques before trying to tackle an entire song. First, you'll need to learn how to strum single notes on the guitar. Then, you should learn how to play basic power chords. Once you get those techniques down, you can play songs by reading tabs or you can reinforce what you know with books or professional instruction.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Buying and Tuning the Guitar

1
Purchase or borrow a guitar. Decide whether you want to learn on an acoustic or electric guitar. Acoustic guitars don’t require an amp or cords, so they are easier to set up when you’re first starting. On the other hand, electric guitars are often easier on your fingertips, which may enable you to practice for a longer period of time. Determine what kind of starter guitar you want based on your budget and the equipment that you already have access to.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Guitars with nylon strings are often easier to use at first than guitars with metal strings.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Nicolas Adams
  Professional Guitarist
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2019.}
- It’s best to start on a 6 string guitar rather than an 8 string guitar.
- Classical guitar strings are higher on the fretboard, which makes it tougher to create clear sounds and is harsher on your fingertips.
2
Tune your guitar to standard tuning with an electric tuner. In standard tuning, your strings should be set to E, A, D, G, B, E, starting from the top string. Turn on the electric tuner and hold it next to your guitar. Then, strum the top string. Adjust the knob connected to the top string until the tuner reads an E. Move down to the second string from the top and adjust the knobs until it’s an A. Continue this process on the rest of the strings until your guitar matches standard tuning.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Before you start playing, your guitar must be in tune or it won’t sound good when you play it.
- Standard tuning is what most beginners use.
- The bottom string, or E, is two octaves above the top string but is still the same note.
Advertisement
3
Place the guitar in your lap and hold the neck with your left hand. Sit down in a chair, straighten your back and square your shoulders. Place the guitar on your right thigh so that it sits comfortably in your lap. If you're left-handed and are using a left-handed guitar, you'll place the guitar on your left thigh and hold the neck with your right hand.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- The body of the guitar should be resting against your torso.
- Use a guitar strap if you don’t feel like sitting down.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Learning How to Strum Single Notes

1
Hold down the first fret on the top string. The frets are the square spaces on the neck of the guitar that are divided by small metal strips. Hold down the first fret of the top string with the tip of your index or middle finger. Your palm should be facing up and your fingers should be bent as you hold down the fret.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Nicolas Adams
Professional Guitarist
Expert Interview. 17 September 2019.}
- Your fingers should be pressing down the strings in the middle of the fret, not on the metal strip.
2
Pluck the top string with a pick and listen to the sound. Hold the pick between your index finger and thumb in your right hand. Move the pick over the top string to make a sound. If the string sounds muted or unclear, press down harder on the fret with your left hand. Continue strumming the top string until the note sounds clear.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- A metronome may help you stay on beat.
3
Move your left hand down the fretboard to play different notes. Move your hand from the first fret to the second fret. Try strumming and making a clear sound. Then, alternate playing the first and second fret. Try to stay on a specific beat and continue switching back and forth between the first and second fret as you strum. Once you feel comfortable alternating between frets, you can experiment with strumming different notes on the neck of the guitar.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- As you get used to playing single notes, you’ll build up the muscle memory that will help you locate specific frets without looking at the guitar.
4
Play different frets on the 5th string. Pluck the 5th string, or the 2nd string from the top string, without holding any frets to play an A note. If you want to play a B note, hold down the second fret on the 5th string. You can practice alternating between the 5th and 6th string to see how it sounds.^{[8]
X
Research source}
5
Experiment with notes on the 4th string. Strum the 4th string in the open position, or without holding down any frets, to play D note. If you want to play an E, hold down the second fret on the string. This note is the same note as the top string when played open but at a higher octave, or tone.
- You can play other notes down the neck on the 4th string.
6
Strum notes on the 3rd string. The 3rd string, or G string, is the third string from the bottom or 4th string from the top. Hold down the 2nd fret to play an A and then 4th fret to play a B. Alternate between the two notes to create a basic beat. Then, play the 5th fret to switch to a C note.^{[9]
X
Research source}
7
Play higher notes on the 2nd and 1st strings. Playing the bottom 2 strings, or the 1st and 2nd string, will result in notes at a high octave. These strings are usually played during solos are help make up different chords. Practice playing the 1st and 2nd strings as you did on the rest of the strings.^{[10]
X
Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Learning Power Chords

1
Hold down the first fret on the top string with your index finger. A power chord is a simple chord that’s popular in rock music and is comprised of 2 notes. To start the shape of the chord, press down on the first fret of guitar on the top string, or 6th string, to form the first note in the power chord.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- The root note is the note that your index finger is on. Since your holding down the first fret on the top string, this power chord is an F.
- The strings go in sequential order, starting from the bottom, or 1st string, and going to to the top, or 6th string.
2
Hold down the third fret on the 5th string with your ring finger. To complete the chord, hold down the third fret on the second string from the top, or 5th string, while holding down the first fret of the top string. It may take some practice to hold down both strings at the same time.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- This is known as the power chord shape and can be replicated anywhere on the 5th and 6th string of the fretboard.
3
Strum both strings to play the chord. Strum the 6th and 5th strings on the guitar to play the F power chord. It should sound clear and the string’s individual notes should come together for a full chord. Play the chord several times until your hands feel comfortable in the position.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Do not strum the other 4 strings because the chord won’t sound good.
4
Move your hand down 2 frets to play the G power chord. Move your left hand down 2 frets, or one whole step, to play the G power chord. Keep the same shape that you did when you held down the first and third fret, but this time hold down the third and fifth frets. Alternate between the F and G power chord to create a melody.^{[14]
X
Research source}
5
Use the same shape down the neck to play other power chords. You can play power chords almost anywhere on the 5th or 6th strings. For instance, hold down the second fret of the 5th string and the fourth fret on the 4th string to play a B power chord. Hold that same position and slide your hand down a half step, or 1 fret, to play a C power chord. You can do this on any position on the 5th and 6th string.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Refer to a note chart if you're unsure of what power chord you're playing.
- A progression is when you play a series of notes or chords together to form a melody or song.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Reinforcing Your Skills

1
Take guitar lessons from an instructor. A professional instructor will be able to teach you advanced techniques and music theory that can develop your guitar-playing skills. Search online for instructors near you and read reviews online to see past student experiences. Once you sign up and attend your first class, tell the instructor what your goals are and how much experience you have before they start teaching.^{[16]
X
Expert Source

Nicolas Adams
Professional Guitarist
Expert Interview. 17 September 2019.}
2
Read guitar books and guides. Beginner guitar books and manuals include lessons, drills, and examples that will help develop your guitar playing skills. In addition, some books may also include charts that will help you play specific chords.
- Popular guitar books for beginners include the Guitar Chord Bible, Complete Technique for Modern Guitar, and Guitar for Absolute Beginners.^{[17]
  X
  Research source}
3
Watch Youtube videos to learn more advanced techniques. There are a ton of tutorials on Youtube and other video streaming sites that will help you develop your guitar playing technique. Watch the videos to learn more about music theory, chords, notes, and progressions.
- Popular guitar Youtube channels include JustinGuitar, GuitarLessons.com, and JamPlay.
4
Learn how to read and play guitar tabs. Guitar tabs are a simple way to learn how to position your hand to play certain tunes. The number on the tabs represent the fret that you should play, while the lines on the tabs represent the string that you'll play the note on. Tabs put the top string, or 6th string, on the bottom line, the 5th string on the second to bottom line, and so on.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- Tabs do not designate how long to hold a note or chord, so you'll have to listen to the song that you want to play as you learn it.
- For instance, if the tab had 1-1-1 on the top line of the tab, that would mean that you strum the bottom string, or 1st string, 3 times in a row.
5
Cover songs that you enjoy. The easiest way to play popular songs is to use guitar tabs. Look up the tablature for the song that you want to play, then practice perfecting it. Start off by playing simple songs that only have a few notes and chords, then advance to more elaborate songs with many different parts.
- Playing other people’s songs will teach you popular chords and progressions.

Community Q&A

Question

How much time will it take to learn guitar 100%, if I practice 2 hours daily?

Community Answer

You can never learn an instrument 100%, but you are able to master a song faster the more you play guitar. You may take 3-4 days to learn your first song (depending on the difficulty) and after 6 months, you'll be able to learn a song in a day. Don't do power chord songs first, try basic chord structures.
Question

Is it okay if I play the guitar for fun, instead of being a professional musician/someone who does it as their main hobby? People on guitar forums seem to disagree, but I want to talk about it.

Community Answer

Sure! You’re free to learn the guitar for whatever reason and plenty of people play for fun. Not sure what forums you're on but perhaps you need to visit some where people do play for fun and don't turn it into something more. There are no "must do's" in relation to how you approach a love of musical instruments!
Question

What if there are no guitar instructors/teachers near me?

Community Answer

Keep looking for instructors, but in the meantime, start by learning online. There are lots of great tutorials on YouTube for beginners.