Learn How To Play The Guitar For Absolute Beginners

Provided to you by Moon Jams (www.MoonJams.
com) | For the best online guitar lessons featuring HD

video & experienced teachers visit: JamPlay & Guitar Tricks today!
1
Table of Contents
How To Hold The Guitar..........................................................................................................4
Fingers, Frets, And Strings......................................................................................................5
The Parts Of The Guitar..........................................................................................................6
The Names of the Strings........................................................................................................7
How To Tune Your Guitar........................................................................................................9
How To Strum The Guitar......................................................................................................11
Your First Guitar Chords........................................................................................................12
Musical Strumming Tips........................................................................................................13
Provided to you by Moon Jams (www.MoonJams.com) | For the best online guitar lessons featuring HD
2
The Beginners Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to

Basic Guitar Techniques
The guitar is a mainstay in virtually every form of Western music, as well as being popular
throughout the rest of the world. It is one of the most ubiquitous, most recognizable, and most
legendary musical instruments within our society today, and it has contributed to the rise of
more music legends than any other instrument. Every so often, one hears about a drummer, a
bass player, or a pianist achieving a certain level of fame but, in such cases, the situation is
nearly always presented as being all the more extraordinary simply because the instrument of
choice for the musician in question is not a guitar.
In the ensuing topics to be covered within this ebook, you will be introduced to a series of
basic tips, tricks, and techniques for setting out on the road to becoming a successful guitar
player. This guide will include such topics as the handling of your instrument, becoming familiar
with your first chords, and learning how to strum properly.
This is by no means an exhaustive guide to the guitar, nor is it meant to be any kind of a
guarantee towards personal success: attitude, desire, and a deep, emotional regard for the
music are much more important than how you hold your instrument especially to begin with
(according to legendary modern rock musician David Grohl, Nirvana sounded awful when they
first got together, and it took a lot of angry eardrums to get them to where they ultimately wound
up).
That being said, if you feel like you have the necessary qualities to make for a successful
guitar player -- whether your ultimate goal is to make it big, to play the occasional bar, or just to
have fun while entertaining those who are closest to you -- then this guide certainly cant hurt
and it might just save you a few initial fumbles at your first practice session.
Lets get started!
3
How To Hold The Guitar

Its important to walk before you can run. Bearing that in mind, you first want to practice while
sitting in a comfortable chair with a hard, solid back for support. You dont want to have to focus
on your own posture while taking your first steps with a musical instrument; just focus on one
area at a time. Eventually, itll become a duck walk for you, and youll be able to cakewalk your
way across the stage or is that the other way around? Nevermind. Read on!
To begin with lets get one thing straight. Unless youre Jimi Hendrix, a guitar is made for
either a right-handed or a left-handed person, specifically. You want to learn to play with an
instrument that is appropriate to your dominant hand! Jimi, incidentally, almost certainly would
have done the same had he (1) had access to the resources that he would have needed to buy
the guitar that was best for him, and (2) known any better when he first got started.
If you think youre the next Hendrix, thats fine. Knock yourself out, and do what you like, but
you certainly dont need a guidebook for that.
The body of the guitar (the big part, with the obvious hole in the front thats the front, by the
way) needs to be on the same side of your body as your dominant hand. If the guitar you are
using was made for your handedness, the topmost string -- when holding the guitar in its proper
orientation -- should be the thickest. The thinnest string should be on the bottom.
It might be worth mentioning that a small but significant number of beginners find that it feels
awkward to them to strum with their dominant hand and fret (manipulate the strings along the
neck, which is sometimes also known as the fret, of the guitar, to produce individual notes)
with their off-hand. This is truly the easiest way to go about learning, and youll pick it up before
long!
4
Fingers, Frets, And Strings

As was previously discussed, the guitar should be cradled in your arms so that your dominant
hand can manipulate the strings over the body of the guitar, and your off-hand can fret to
produce individual notes.
To position your fretting (off) hand, first extend your hand in front of you -- palm up. Now,
make a loose fist, to the point where your knuckles are bent, and your thumb fits loosely in
between your first and second fingers -- not tightly, you want to be able to fit something between
your fingers and your palm. Something like the neck of a guitar, perhaps! This is how your hand
should look when wrapped about the neck of a guitar.
For now, just practice positioning your off-hand once or twice. It shouldnt be particularly
difficult; if you need to, take another look at your hand when its loosely clenched into a fist, and
then try it again. Before long, you should be able to close your hand securely about the neck of
your guitar without looking, which is what were going for here.
Double-check, at this point, that your guitar is the proper model for your dominant hand. The
topmost string, closest to the ceiling (and the sky, and your chin, and most likely the closest
bird) should be the thickest string.
That thick string, incidentally, is the low E string. Following that, from thickest to thinnest and
from top to bottom, you have the A string, the D string, the G string, the B string, and the
high E string -- the thinnest, and lowermost string. The thicker a string, the lower the frequency
of sound it produces when it vibrates. The thinner the string, the higher the frequency of sound it
produces when it vibrates.
5
The Parts Of The Guitar

There are many different styles, varieties,
makes, and materials of which the worlds guitars
are comprised. Most of them however -- if not
indeed all -- have a few major features in
common (please note: the illustration, at left, is
more specific than the description this article
provides; you dont need to remember
everything right away).
First, there is the body of the guitar,

which is indeed called that.
Next, the neck, which is indeed called

that, but might also -- as was mentioned
earlier -- be known as the fret (and to
others, the stem, although this isnt a
widespread term).
Not to be confusing, but fret might also refer

to that specific area along the neck of the guitar
where fretting of the strings occurs; this part of the guitar doesnt have a technical name of its
own, although it falls just short of the nut and the headstock read on.
At the end of the neck is the part of the guitar where one end of each of its strings is
anchored. This is called the headstock.
The specific anchor-points affixed to the headstock, to which the strings are attached,
are called tuners. These allow you to tighten or loosen each of the strings individually,
thus changing their pitch (a process otherwise known as tuning, which works much the
same for other string instruments, including the piano).
6
Affixed to the neck of the guitar, just below the headstock is something called the nut.
This is simply a grooved or notched piece of material, which can be made of almost
anything. It serves to guide the strings, in parallel to each other, along the length of the
neck and body of the guitar, by assuring that they stay notched in place at the one end
(just below the tuners).
Within the body of the guitar is a large hole, which helps the guitar to produce louder,
deeper sound by opening up its acoustically designed body that is, assuming that your
guitar is an acoustic model. If its an electric guitar, it likely wont have a hole; instead,
the strings will be elevated over a series of small microphones which will help to
enhance and amplify the sounds produced through manipulating the guitar strings.
If it is present (i.e., if you are using an acoustic guitar), this hole that helps to produce sound
is actually known as a sound hole. There is, almost
certainly, some artistic inspiration at work there.
Below the sound hole (or the microphones, if

applicable) is another piece of hardware
attached to the front of your guitar. This is called
the bridge. It serves simply to anchor your
guitar strings at the bottom end of the guitar.
The Names of the Strings

We previously went over the names of each of the
guitar strings; from top to bottom, they are the low E, the
A, the D, the G, the B, and the high E. A common
mnemonic that is often used to help beginning
musicians memorize the names of each of the strings
runs as follows: Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big
7
Ears. Its a little silly, but it does work. The diagram to the right provides an illustration of the
order of the strings plus a modest chord. Dont worry about that, just yet!
Just repeat it a few times to make sure youve got it. Some people find it helpful to visualize
every step of the mnemonic carefully; human beings have a very strong visual memory, so this
is likely to be quite helpful if youre having trouble otherwise.
If you ever feel confused or uncertain, just remember that the thickest string should be at the
top and the thinnest should be at the bottom, with all of the strings in between graduating in
order from thick to thin.
A couple of points merit noting here, just in case they arent immediately obvious (which they
might not be).
First, the name of each string corresponds to the note it plays by default otherwise known
as open, or without any fretting. So, for example, you would play the first string open to
produce a high E wait, what?
Yes. Its confusing, but thats how it works: after focusing on a top to bottom order for the six
strings of your guitar, it just so happens that the strings are numbered, and are generally
referenced within musical works, from bottom to top. So, the first string is actually the high E,
and the sixth string is the low E. The musical order of the strings, from bottom to top, is high E,
B, G, D, A, and low E.
Read this way, the mnemonic works out to be Ears Big Grow Donkeys And Elephants,
which makes a lot less sense. Everything else aside, however -- this isnt an attempt to trip
anybody up! In Western society, were used to reading measurements and lists from left to right
and from top to bottom. The mnemonic was designed to help you memorize the strings from top
to bottom, rather than in the order that they appear in musical notation. Do whatever makes the
most sense to you (and, if you were wondering, the strings are ordered in this fashion because
your hand, being upside-down, reaches the lowest string first).
8
How To Tune Your Guitar

There is such a thing as an electric tuner, but as a general rule, a good musician must know
how to properly tune his or her guitar. This is done by tuning one string first, and then tuning the
remaining five strings based upon how that first string sounds.
To begin with, make sure you have the strings memorized -- know which string
corresponds to which note, and what order the strings are generally listed in (at this point, being
able to recite them from bottom to top will prove extremely useful).
Take note of each tuner: note which string is attached to each one, and which way that
particular tuner must be turned in order to tighten a string (thereby raising its pitch) or loosen it
(and thus lower its pitch). Be wary of tightening your guitars strings too much, as they will
subsequently snap under the strain.
Start by tuning the low E string, also known as the bottom E string. The low E string is
ideal for tuning first, because its relative thickness makes it less likely to detune quickly, and it
can be used as a reference to help you tune your other strings once it has been tuned
successfully.
To tune your low E string, youll need to find a way to listen to a low E note. This can be done
by listening to a tuned piano while pressing the appropriate key, by using another guitar or other
instrument for comparison, or -- in the modern digital age -- by looking up a quick soundbyte
online!
If you have an A440 tuning fork, its A note will also work as a reference but dont let this
confuse you! If that feels like it might throw you off, stick to looking up the low E note online.
Pluck your low E string the sixth string, otherwise known as the bottom string, which is the
one at the top see? Youre getting it! Listen to your sample low E note online. Pluck the string
9
again, then listen to the sample again. Then, pluck the string and listen to the sample at the
same time. Tighten the low E string until it sounds like your online sample.
When youre almost there, youll hear the sound of your guitar string and your sample
(whether its from the internet, or a piano, or another guitar) combine, whereupon there will be a
slight waver in the sound. Continue to gently tighten your low E string until the waver gradually
disappears. This wavering sound is known in the music industry as dissonance, and its the
result of a slight difference in pitch -- an indication that youre almost there! with your tuning
process.
If the wavering grows less strong, but then begins to intensify again, youve tightened your
string too much and are now experiencing dissonance in the opposite direction. Loosen your
string slightly -- very slowly, and gently. Dont worry; this process can definitely take some
adjustment! Its very much a part of the art form. Dont expect to get it perfect the first time out!
Now the tuning process gets a little more complicated from here on out, since youll need to
fret your already-tuned strings to tune those which you havent gotten to yet! Fretting, as was
mentioned earlier, refers to compressing one of the strings near the end of the neck of the
guitar, thereby changing the pitch of the string. Literally, just press down on the string in the
indicated location well, here. Heres a handy chart for you to follow; bear in mind that, aside
from which strings are fretted, and when? Tuning each successive string works the same way
as tuning the low E (otherwise known as the 6th) string worked.
Listen for dissonance, and adjust until it goes away!
To Tune This String...
The A String (5th String)
The D String (4th String)
The G String (3rd String)
The B String (2nd String)
The Top/High E String (1st String)
Pluck While Fretting as Follows!

Bottom/Low E String (6th String), 5th Fret
A String (5th String), 5th Fret
D String (4th String), 5th Fret
G String (3rd String), 4th Fret
B String (2nd String), 5th Fret
Please note that the 5th fret is used in every instance of tuning, except when tuning your B
string -- the 2nd string from the bottom and the second-thinnest string on the guitar.
10
How To Strum The Guitar

Strumming is what your dominant hand does to the strings of your guitar near to its sound
hole. Youve seen many people do this before!
Cradle your guitar against your thigh on your dominant side. Make sure that the elbow of your
strumming arm is elevated and out of the way, so that your forearm and elbow dont interfere
with the strings.
Dont support the guitar with your arms while youre strumming. This is very difficult to do
properly, and you want to learn to strum before you start going all willy-nilly and coo-coo and
whatever other euphemisms suit your fancy-pants. Rest the guitar on your lap, and help to hold
it in in place with your strumming-side elbow again, just make sure its not in the way of the
strings.
Do you want to use a guitar pick? The answer is simple: you want to start with one.
Certain famous guitarists, notably Johnny Cash, never used a guitar pick, but you need
to be able to get clear enough sound with your fingers to go without it.
Start by holding the pick between your thumb and the bottom knuckle of your first
finger, with the point of it aimed at your chest.
Spend some time practicing strumming. Youll want to familiarize yourself with the sounds
that each string makes. Strum in the area between the sound hole and the bridge; going directly
over the sound hole itself will producer a deeper sound with more bass, while strumming closer
to the bridge will give you a higher note with more treble.
11
Your First Guitar Chords

A chord, on a guitar, is a sequence of notes which are played in quick succession -- often,
though not always, simultaneously. This will take some practice, as it involves strumming
several strings more or less at one time. Youll want to spend a while practicing; this will not be
something you master overnight. You will make a mistake. It may take several practice sessions
before what you produce sounds like a chord. This is perfectly normal! Playing the guitar is
seriously awesome. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it, and then it wouldnt be nearly
as awesome. Its going to take practice!
The best choice for a first chord is a low E chord. Starting with the sixth (top) string, try to
strum all of the strings at once, getting them vibrating more or less at the same time. If you hit
either the high or low E string a little harder than the rest, congratulations; youre a perfectly
normal beginning guitar player. Everybody does that at first. Everybody.
Well, everybody but the people who manage to strum both E strings a little harder than the
rest.
Either way, youre playing; from this point on, its going to be a lot of practice, but youve got
the bare essentials down. A lot of the rest of whats out there is fine detail that youll pick up on
your own! For practice, try mastering one of the simple chords presented in the following
image:
Playing
your First Song
There are several leading opinions about which is the best song to pick for your first song to
play, once youve got the gist of chords and fretting nailed and youve been practicing a bit.
12
Ultimately, its up to but from our perspective the best option -- if you want to play something
that sounds decent early on, but which doesnt have a lot of complicated chords involved (thats
highly recommended, by the way) -- is Americas 1972 classic Horse With No Name.
Other possibilities, ones which we would say are almost as well-suited to being your first
song, include Buffalo Springfields For What Its Worth and just about every guitarists House of
the Rising Sun (which dates back to 18th century England).
Musical Strumming Tips
Exercise your wrist. A good strum relies upon strong, precisely controlled wrist
movements. The next time you see a famous guitarist on stage, check out their
forearms. They might not be Popeye, but theyre probably pretty impressive.
Try upstrokes. An upstroke is a chord played in the opposite direction from what youve
already practiced that is to say, from the thinner cords on up. Youll want to practice
these. Theyre more difficult, but you ultimately want to get the same smooth sound of
synchronized, vibrating strings no matter which direction you start from. Many fasterpaced songs, particularly in modern rock, make being able to work a chord in either
direction invaluable.
In partnership with the previous tip, learn the alternating up-and-down rhythm. The
end goal of learning how to do upstrokes is to eventually be able to go back and forth,
alternating between the two.
Practice modifying your sound slightly. One of the main ways that this is
accomplished is by using the palm of your strumming hands to reduce, or dampen, the
vibrations of your strings.
Try a more complicated chord. Practice a chord where you skip the fourth string, or
the 2nd.
13
Recommended: Guitar Tricks & JamPlay

Online Guitar Lessons
The best learning you can get when starting out is from an online teacher. It is in this
setting that youll be able to easily grasp new concepts being taught to you and allow you to
understand & retain the information more effectively. If you are on a limited budget and can not
afford a private teacher then online guitar lessons are your best bet. By going the online route,
you save yourself the prep time you wouldve spent organizing and packing your equipment as
well as commuting to and from class. With guitar lessons online, there is no traveling involved
and best of all, you always have the option to revisit your instructions and come up with a
custom learning schedule. So save yourself the time, money and the hassle of traveling with
some pretty heavy equipment and go with online guitar lessons today.
Review Summary
Guitar Tricks
if youre absolutely new, then this is the best place to begin as their content is
specifically tailored to beginner guitarists
Over 8,000 online lessons in archive to keep you busy
500+ song lessons from artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Boston & Pearl Jam
boasts 45 professional teachers from every imaginable genre
HiDef videos with 3 camera angles and notation
14
Chord and scale libraries

Jam Track software included
Very active forum with students and passionate instructors
Most affordable guitar lessons online
60-day refund guarantee if youre not satisfied for some reason
Click To Begin Your Free14 Day Trial At Guitar Tricks
JamPlay
JamPlay is definitely a solid alternative to going with the more expensive private guitar
lessons route
Archive of high-quality videos containing 4,400+lessons
offers 24/7 support from 74 professional guitar teachers
a killer tool set that includes a tuner, chord library, scale library, games, quizzes,
progress meters and jam tracks
live lessons & webcam/chat sessions
15
Very affordable at only $17 monthly

members can conveniently learn from people who make a living playing guitar in
genres such as:
Rock
Blues
Jazz
Fingerstyle
Metal
Classical
Bluegrass
Country
Funk
Celtic
Hawaiian
If youre committed and dedicated to taking your guitar playing to the next level, then I
would highly recommend JamPlay for the reasons noted above.
Click Here To Check Out JamPlay For Yourself
16

Learn How To Play The Guitar For Absolute Beginners

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Learn How To Play The Guitar For Absolute Beginners

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Provided to you by Moon Jams (www.MoonJams.

com) | For the best online guitar lessons featuring HD

The Beginners Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to

How To Hold The Guitar

Fingers, Frets, And Strings

The Parts Of The Guitar

First, there is the body of the guitar,

Next, the neck, which is indeed called

Not to be confusing, but fret might also refer

Below the sound hole (or the microphones, if

The Names of the Strings

How To Tune Your Guitar

Pluck While Fretting as Follows!

How To Strum The Guitar

Your First Guitar Chords

your First Song

Musical Strumming Tips

Recommended: Guitar Tricks & JamPlay

Chord and scale libraries

Click To Begin Your Free14 Day Trial At Guitar Tricks

Very affordable at only $17 monthly

Click Here To Check Out JamPlay For Yourself

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi