Learning how to play guitar can be quite difficult at times! There are many different styles of music that use guitars, so there is no one exact way to learn how to play the instrument. However, most beginner guitarist’s start by learning their position first!

Your position refers to where your hand or fingers are when you are playing the guitar. For example, if you were holding the pick up like this, then your index finger would be in the second fret, your middle finger would be in the third fret, and your thumb would be touching the top of the neck. Your pointer (index) finger would be slightly bending down as it moves through the strings. This is the position of your open chord.

Many beginning guitarists get confused about which string to press with their picking hand while in this position. It is easiest to just remember the order of the strings from highest to lowest; bass, treble, middle. Simply always go from highest to lowest, never vice versa.

Learn the basics

The first thing you need to do is learn how to play your guitar! There are many ways to learn how to play the guitar, so whatever style you choose does not matter too much at this stage.

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Many people start by learning how to strum the instrument, which is definitely a starting place if you’re ever going to be able to take it seriously. Strums can be done using either fingers or picks, but it really doesn’t matter which one you use as long as you can produce a nice steady rhythm.

Next up we should teach you how to make some basic notes on your guitar. This will include things like playing individual strings, producing different types of sounds (using open chords, for example), and laying down background music. All of these skills are very important when it comes to playing rock music on guitar!

From there you could begin trying out songs that you already know how to play on the piano. These might be easier to pick up than something new, so feel free to add those in later! Keep practicing and doing both exercises until you feel comfortable enough to try more advanced ones.

Practice often

It’s true, practicing guitar can be kind of boring at times! Technically speaking, you don’t have to practice every single thing you learn, but it is always helpful to do so.

Practicing music goes beyond just picking out notes and figuring out how to play songs by ear. By incorporating some basic fundamentals into your practice routine, you will start to see improvements in your playing speed, accuracy, and fluidity.

It takes a little bit of time to develop these skills, but they are totally worth it. Once you get the hang of them, you can pick up any instrument easily!

There are many ways to spend your time practicing, so choose one that works for you. Some people focus more on technique than anything else, while others may like to quickly review what they learned before moving onto something new. No matter who you are as a person, there is an approach that will help you succeed.

Music theory is very important when learning how to play the guitar, but that isn’t necessary a skill everyone has.

Use a metronome

A very important tool for anyone wanting to play music is a device that helps you keep time! The best way to learn how to play guitar is by learning the instrument as a whole, and then breaking down each part separately.

The hardest thing about playing an instrument is probably just keeping time. You have to know what minute of the song goes where so your guitar can make sound effects and continue flowing naturally. There are many ways to use a metronome to help you do this.

A metronome works by ticking at a steady rate. It usually uses beats per minute (bpm) or pulses per minute (ppm). Most people use bpm when using a clock source such as a phone or computer, while some use ppm. No matter which one you choose, they all work similarly.

You attach the metronome to an instrument channel or input in order to hear the ticks more clearly. By having a constant flow of information, the instrument knows when to start making sounds and how long to hold them for.

Use recording software

In your first lesson, we learned how to use some of YouTube as a tool to learn guitar. Now it’s time to take things one step further!

You can actually create your own music by creating and editing songs in recording software. There are many ways to do this, but most contain similar features such as microphones, instruments, tracks, and computer programs that help you edit sounds.

The easiest way to start is probably using free or low-cost applications like Windows Media Player, Audacity, Pro Tools, GarageBand, and/or Melodyne. These apps all have intuitive user interfaces and feature sets that work well. They may also offer premium packages with more advanced features if you are willing to spend money.

These apps all rely on what they call “plugins” for their functionality. As you develop your ear and learning more about music theory, you will want to look up the plugins available and see which ones are compatible with their products.

Tone your guitar

After you get the basics of playing bass, chord structure, and notes down, it’s time to tone your guitar!

Tone is what makes up the essence or “spice” of an instrument. Some instruments have tonal qualities that are more distinctive than others – think about how different the sound of a violin is from that of a cello.

The same goes for guitars! Different brands and models have their own unique tones that make them stand out.

Finding your ideal tone is like finding your perfect wardrobe – there is one set number pants or jeans that never looks bad on you, and then there are always new shades of black dress shirts that look great with white or dark leather shoes.

I know not every person loves heavy metal music so maybe this article isn’t for you but I will give you some basic tips on how to play rock songs on guitar anyway!

You can learn how to play almost any song on guitar by learning the chords first and practicing using easy melodies and lyrics as guides.

Learn the chords

Now that you have your guitar, you can start playing songs! But before you do, you must know how to play some basic chords. A chord is three or more notes played simultaneously.

The most common type of chord for beginners to learn are major chords. A major chord contains at least one note that is either a second, third, or fifth degree (think about degrees as numbers such as 2, 3, and 5). These types of chords are referred to as power chords because they resemble powerful sounds that go well with music genres like rock, pop, and blues.

To play a major chord, first pick which string number it is. Then move your left hand down the neck by a third interval (one third) until all three strings are touching. At this point, add the needed strength by lifting up the middle finger. Finally, push down on the ring or index finger to create an octave relation, or matching pair of tones. Repeat these steps for each of the different chords in this article.

Know how to read chord charts

Chord diagrams are one of the most important things to know as a guitar player. They show you the chords for a song, and what positions they go in. By knowing this, you can start playing songs!

A chord diagram usually includes at least three parts: The root, or note value, the middle notes (or strings) and the endings, also called covers. For example, the first chord in a lot of rock music is the major second-chord position, which is the root, the third string (the middle note) and the fifth cover (ending). This means that if you take the root away, the chord will no longer sound correct.

Knowing your roots helps you begin to understand why some chords work and not others. A beginner might try to play a Cmaj7 using its ninth scale degree as the root, but it does not work because there is no lower case letter in the name. Similarly, a Dmi6 has an accidental marking – a sharped tone– so it cannot be used as an open position without changing the shape of the chord.

By learning the roots of common chords, you will make more informed decisions about chord usage and shapes.

Group with other musicians

When you start playing guitar, there’s a tendency to stick with your own style and technique, developing skills that only benefit you. But this is not a good thing!

Finding an audience for your music depends heavily on being able to play what others have already learned how to play. By learning new things, you limit yourself — which is why most people give up when they learn how to play an instrument!

By working with or even mastering songs by other artists, you can quickly expand your repertoire and expose yourself to new styles. Plus, it’s just fun to pick out melodies and riffs and explore rhythm patterns!

Group lessons are one of the best ways to achieve this. What makes group lessons different from solo practice is that you’re in a class with other students, so you get the supportive environment that everyone needs.

Some teachers will also organize competitions or assignments to hone your skill even more.