Since you are reading this article I assume that you or one of yours want to learn how to play guitar. Well, some people have ineffective ideas when they attempt to learn basic guitar. They tend to pick a song that they like, grab a guitar for the first time, and attempt to play the song of their choice. It’s not surprising that these kinds of people give up easily and forego the idea to learn basic guitar. Their approach to learning how to play the guitar is simply wrong and definitively not how you learn to play guitar the easy way.
As with any instrument one is trying to learn, knowing and practicing the basics should be the first in line. Playing an entire song follows suit. Each song is basically composed of chords that are repeated throughout its duration. Before you can play a song on a guitar, you should first learn basic guitar — play basic chords and be really familiar with them. This is how you can learn to play guitar easily.
Instructions from a Qualified Teacher
Getting a good, qualified teacher will matter a lot if you really have the intentions to learn basic guitar. Why do you still need to get a teacher? Why not just study by yourself? By getting a teacher, you are sure of sticking to your schedule. It will be very easy to slacken and miss appointed study times if you try to learn basic guitar by yourself. If you have a teacher, appointments and schedules will most probable be maintained. Your teacher will be there to remind you to always come on appointed days. The teacher will be able to show you correct finger positions, point out errors you might be committing, and he will most surely give honest feedbacks on your progress. Furthermore, the teacher can design a course for your progress; steadily ensuring your mastery of the basic chords first then progressing to the more difficult ones.
Another option is to learn to play guitar with DVD or a downloadable or interactive guitar course online. This is a cheap but effective way to learn and more and more people Learn to Play Guitar Online. Maybe you too should consider that option?
Practice Regularly
Besides a good instructor, practicing is definitely crucial in playing any sort of musical instrument. Despite having a teacher and taking classes, you can’t improve without regular practice. Practice is to be done outside at your own discretion, seeking to improve upon good points and self-correct bad ones. At least an hour of practice will help you improve in tremendous fashion. Famous guitar players have been reported to practice for long hours on their own due to their dedication to the instrument. If you are dedicated to the guitar as well, you should follow their example and practice as much as you can. This is the best way to learn basic guitar.
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Guitar string bends are an expressive technique that almost add a voice to your guitar playing.
In theory they are fairly simple to perform. All you have to do is strike a string on your guitar and then push the string either upwards or downwards to raise the pitch.
It sounds like a piece of cake but it’s not that easy…
In practice this ’simple’ technique is a tough one for most new guitarists to master.
So how do you play guitar string bends?
Below is a useful guide on how to play a string bend…
You perform a string bend by fingering a string and then ‘pushing’ that string up or down, in effect bending it.
When we do this we basically shorten the length of the string, which in turn raises the strings pitch. The more you shorten the string (bend it) the more the pitch rises.
It takes a lot of strength in your fingers to bend a string to the correct pitch and the technique is much easier to perform if you wrap your thumb around the neck and use it as a pivot point.
Once your thumb is in the correct position you are ready to do the bend. In general you will need more than one finger, and normally 3 to bend a string the required amount.
When you first try to play a bend you are not going to be able to change the pitch very much at all. Don’t let this failure get to you.
And that brings us to the last point.
If you don’t bend to the correct pitch you haven’t played the bend correctly.
A clever technique you can use to practice this is to play a note on a particular string, move your finger to a lower fret (1 fret lower when you’re starting off) and try and bend the string at the lower fret so you sound the previous note.
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It can be tricky learning guitar chords, no doubt about it.
Everyone is offering you advice about what chords to learn, how to learn them.
All this help and advice people are offering about the number of chords you need to learn is especially annoying and distracting when you’re still struggling to play three, two or even one guitar chord.
I’m sure you’ve been told over and over again about all the different chords you need to master.
When you look at songs and guitar tabs they sometimes seem to have hundreds of chords with funny names listed. Cadd9/Ab anyone?
I used to wonder how anyone could play anything with so many random chords floating about.
Would I have to learn every single chord? That could be an absolute nightmare.
How could I find out what chords were the most important?
The minute I started thinking about all the chords I had to learn it made me dizzy.
Here’s some good news for you.
You don’t have to learn every guitar chord. Or at least you don’t need to learn every guitar chord the way you think you do. Once you have learned a certain amount core guitar chords something really strange happens. It’s like a switch goes off inside in your head and suddenly everything changes.
Whereas before you had to consciously sit down and learn each and every new guitar chord you can suddenly play any chord on sight.
Once you reach that point (it’s not too difficult) you can safely say you have mastered guitar chords.
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When you try to learn how to play guitar for the first time, the best way to do so is to start with the basics. However, for most people, the basics seem boring and repetitive, that they give up after some time. Note that your favorite music artists who are very good at playing the guitar started out as beginners as well. But because they persevered practicing, they became pros. You too should start out small, such as learning and playing basic chords. You can either hire a professional guitar coach or learn guitar chords by watching video guides on the Internet. Or you can learn to play guitar with DVD.
DVD vs. an Actual Coach
You are able to learn to play guitar easily and faster when there’s someone telling you how to properly hold a guitar, how you place your fingers on the chords and playing them so you know exactly how each one sounds like. When a professional guitar coach is not available, watching how to learn guitar chords on instructional DVDs is a great alternative. If you are motivated enough to learn the basics, this is how you learn to play guitar the easy way. The only difference, of course, is the coach on the DVD will not be able to give you feedback, unlike a coach who’s in front of you and can see your progress. However, you can basically get the same information and techniques when you wish to learn guitar chords on instructional DVDs or downloadable or interactive learning programs online
Practicing Chords
Every song you wish to play on the guitar is composed of a few chords repeated throughout its entirety. Many people find learning the basics to be very boring and a drag. When you learn guitar chords via instructional DVDs, you will also have to deal with the basics, just like having a real guitar coach around. Taking time out to watch such instructional DVDs and setting regular schedule to practice is the best way to learn guitar chords. When it becomes boring, you should not give up. No one ever said that there is a shortcut to learn guitar chords. It takes time and a lot of hard work. But once you become very familiar with the positioning of the fingers on the strings and recall and play a chord in an instant, in no time you will be able to play on the guitar almost any song that you like.
Learning Advanced Lessons
Once you think you have mastered all of those chord lessons from watching learn guitar chords DVDs or learn how to play guitar online, then you can move on and try to learn playing an entire song. You will see that you will be able to play it with much comfort and ease. This is because you have learned the foundations of playing a guitar by watching guitar chords DVDs. Visit the nearest music supplies store to check if they have advanced instructional DVDs to learn more guitar playing techniques.
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Guitar finger picking is an interesting alternative to strumming with a pick.
With a little practice it can be the basis for interesting and compelling solo pieces.
Using guitar finger picking it is much easier to skip strings and play non-adjacent strings at the same time, so there are advantages ,even for new guitarists.
Basic Guitar Fingerpicking Technique
With guitar fingerpicking style you play the strings directly with your fingers instead of using a pick.
There are a variety of different styles of playing fingerpicking guitar. At the most basic level though the rules below dictate what string to play with what finger.
You use your thumb to play the 3 bass strings of the guitar. The index finger is used to play the 3rd string, the middle finger is used to play the 2nd string and the ring finger is used to play the 1st string.
The pinkie finger is not used in fingerstyle guitar playing Normally you would keep it as close to the ring finger as possible so it doesn’t interfere with your playing.
Once you have your fingers in the correct position over the strings it time to play an arpeggio.
Let’s try with a D chord. Simply finger the D chord, pick the 4th string with you thumb then 3rd string, second string, 1st, 2nd 3rd.
Make sure to use the correct finger for each of the strings.
Once you are comfortable using each finger to strike the right string, try changing between chords playing the pattern above.
Remember to change the bass note each time. By playing around with picking arrangements, some really interesting parts can be created.
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Don’t Be So Tense
It’s very important to be relaxed when you are learning guitar strumming patterns. If you are tense when playing your strumming will sound amateur and stiff to your audience. An important elements of any great guitar players style is relaxed arms, shoulders and wrists while playing. A relaxed guitarists strumming patterns will sound free and easy almost flowing with the song rather than fighting it.
Make Certain That You Hold Your Pick Correctly
One of the most important elements of guitar strumming is how you hold the pick. You need to hold the pick firmly between your thumb and first finger. It should be held in place by the pressure of the thumb.. Try and keep the pick held at an angle of 90 degrees to the strings as you strike them.
Make Sure To Keep Time
Rhythm and beat are really important when you are playing guitar. Try and practice with a metronome. If you don’t use a metronome at the very least tap your feet to keep time when strumming. If it helps count the beats out loud when you are first learning.
Don’t Start Learning Without a Plan
It’s important to listen to the strumming pattern of the song you want to play. Try and hear each up and down strum. At first this will be difficult, but it will get easier. Eventually the strumming patterns will be obvious to you on first listen. Write down the pattern clearly on apiece of paper and then practice till you can get it to work. This works better than blindly strumming away hoping to get it right.
Don’t Think That You Have Top Learn Lots of Guitar Strumming Patterns
Concentrate on just one or two strumming patterns at first. You would be amazed how easily you will pick up new patterns once you mastered the first few.
String Damping Techniques
Learn how to do string damping. String damping is when you mute the strings immediately after playing them to produce a percussive effect. Guitar string damping techniques work very well with strumming. As an added bonus string damping can hide your mistakes.
Build Your Finger Strength
Building your finger strength using devices like a grip master will help you change chords quickly. the more confident you are changing chords fast the more variation will be able to introduce into your strumming patterns
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Learn Guitar Scales Using The Crabwise Method
Crabwise guitar scales are an amazing way to master several scales in one practice session. This is how you can play guitar scales ‘Crabwise’. Start off by playing the F major scale. Only play the scale on the first 3 frets and all the strings. When you reach the last note reverse direction and play up the strings in the G major scale
Learn Guitar Scales on The Entire Fretboard
When most people learn scales they learn one position, then the next, then the next. Learning guitar scales this way can make your playing sound very ‘boxy’. Instead of learning scales by potions try learning them in strings pairs right up and sown the neck. This will program into your mind that the scale is over the entire fretboard and will have a remarkable effect on your playing.
Play With Repetition in Mind
Repetition is what makes music great. When you first learn scales you may be tempted to avoid repetition but this is a mistake. Repetition lets the listener get the feel for the song and makes your playing more entertaining.
Learn Guitar Lead in Both Styles
Lead guitarist play along to songs in one of two common ways You can play with the chords or you can play in the key. When you play the key you will use the same scale throughout the song. When you play with the chords you will change scales to match the chord being played. Both work great but it’s important you know the two ways.
Teach Yourself Guitar Scales as Intervals and as Notes
Learn guitar scales at first by learning the notes of the scale. Once you have mastered the notes try learning the scales in terms of scale intervals. Then learn then as notes plus intervals. This will program your brain to the exact layout of the scale you are learning.
Learn Your Favorite Riffs Then Learn To Change Them
The number one way to learn guitar scales is by learning your favorite guitarists riffs then chopping and changing them to see if you can make them better. This will give you a huge insight into the structure behind great guitar solos and why one note was used used rather than another.
Pay Attention To Dodgey Notes
You will notice that sometimes you can play a note that is technically correct in a guitar scale but it sounds wrong. Pay attention to these notes and store the knowledge for future reference. so you can avoid using them in that context again.
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Guitar Scales Get You Ready For Playing
Playing guitar scales to warm up before you start playing some real songs works really well. They are a great way to switch your brain into a sort of guitar playing mode and get your fingers stretched and ready.
Guitar Scales Are Exercise For The Fingers
Try thinking of playing guitar as a sport and playing scales as sort of going to the gym. Playing guitar scales is great ‘exercise’ for both strengthening and conditioning your fingers for playing and for getting your brain used to musical patterns and sounds. To be in top playing condition you really need to play scales regularly to keep your fingers in peak performance shape.
Playing Scales Help Your Strumming Hand Too
The next time you are playing guitar scales concentrate on correct alternate picking with your strumming hand. Practicing scales while concentrating on your strumming hand can dramatically improve you picking and strumming abilities.
Learning Guitar Scales Helps You Memorize the Fret board Layout
Sometimes when you learn scales you don’t pay attention to the fact that you are learning every note on the fretboard.Learning guitar scales is the single greatest way to ‘download’ the fretboard layout into your brain.
Learning Guitar Scales Will Help You Learning Guitar Chords
Guitar scales are the basis for guitar chords so it goes without saying that the more knowledge you have of scales the more you will be able to manipulate the guitar to make it do everything you want
Learning Guitar Scales Will Give You Amazing Pitch Recognition
Learning guitar scales is an amazing way to imprint the sounds of notes and note and common note combinations into your brain. By the time you have mastered the common scales the pitches and sounds of common note combinations will be set in your mind.
Learning Guitar Scales Makes You Play Faster and Cleaner
When you learn guitar scales your finger movement will become faster and more fluid over the entire finger board.
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Learning guitar scales nearly drove me crazy.
The whole process was long frustrating and to tell you the truth, at first, I just didn’t see the point of it.
You see, when I first started learning guitar all i wanted to do was to play my favorite songs. I had no interest in learning the background theory. I way a D.I.Y guitarist doing it all by myself.
The idea of learning guitar scales, guitar modes and all the background theory scared the heck out of me.
To be perfectly honest…
- I never practiced them
- I didn’t want to waste time memorizing boring note combinations or dull sets of sounds repeated over and over again.
- I hated the mind numbing repetition
The really important thing I didn’t realize at the time was that by being stubborn and avoiding guitar scales I was holding myself back from mastering guitar.
There were so many benefits when you learn guitar scales that I had never thought of:
1. Learning guitar scales helps you build your finger strength. This in turn will improve the rhythm side of your guitar playing.
2. Learning guitar scales gives you a greater knowledge of the fret board and opens up new and interesting ideas and sounds
3. Learning guitar scales improves your hand eye co-ordination dramatically
But then when I started to pay attention to them I realised something terrible.
I had no clue where to start. The sheer amount of scales I thought I needed to learn was simply overwhelming. It was like a Pandora’s box. Every time I learned something new about guitar scales it opened up a whole new range of problems.
I needed help but I didn’t know where to look.
Why couldn’t someone just tell me what guitar scales I needed to learn, how I should learn them and most importantly how the heck could I use scales to play those smooth effortless solos all my guitar heroes seemed to play with ease.
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I’m sure you are a do it yourself guitarists just like me.
Most people that learn to play guitar have never had any formal training. At most they learned from a few books or a good home study course.
There is nothing wrong with this way of learning guitar but it does have some disadvantages.
One of the main problems is when you learn by yourself there is no one to force you to learn to read music.
The majority of people that teach themselves to play guitar are more interested in playing than learning the boring theory.
The fact that most guitarists do not read music means they need another system of notation that takes very little time and effort to understand. this system is called TAB.
Learning guitar tab will tell you:
- whether you need to use a capo or not
- The guitar techniques you need to use like hammer-ons, pull-offs and bends
- Guitar notes that you need to play
- The strings that you need to play the notes on
- what guitar tuning the song is in
The list above sounds wonderful but guitar tab has it’s problems. The biggest single problem is there is no way to tell how long each of the notes should be played for or the speed and beat of a song. There have been attempts to include this info in tab but they are never very effective and there is no standard method. What this means is learning a song you don’t know using guitar tab will be difficult.
With that said learning guitar tab does offer many advantages. It’s widely used so you can get the tab for nearly every song easily. It can be written in text only format so it’s great for the internet and you can learn it very quickly. Have a look at the video below to get the basics.
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