Are you finding difficulties in learning how to play guitar? Learning guitar on your own could be hard especially if you are new in using the instrument. Playing guitar is an art and therefore requires good skills.
Finding a tutor, on the other hand, could be hard sometimes. They could also be there but might be charging high lessons fee. If this is what’s troubling you then don’t worry. My step by step guide will equip you with all you need to know when it comes to learning to master the art of playing guitar.
The success of your lessons on how to play guitar greatly depends on how well you master the functional parts of the guitar. To get you started on your guitar journey here are some of the basics that you need to understand as you learn how to play guitar.
Posture
How should you hold your guitar? How you hold the guitar greatly contributes to the output of the sound.When playing the guitar you should avoid, seating on a chair with arms, slumping down into a low sofa and perching on a high stool which are the most common errors that beginners make.
You should always be seated at a 90 degrees angle and always ensure that your arms are freefrom any hindrances.
Fretboard
This is that part of the guitar where you press your fingers to play different chords.
Bridge
This is where the strings are held in place on the guitar.
Machine Heads
These are the keys that are used to tune the guitar. They are used to alter the pitch of each string, learning how they work could be so effective in mastering the guitar learning process.
Note and chord
It is important that you first understand the difference between the note and the chord. A note is a pitch, what you hear when you pluck one string while a chord is a group of notes played together simultaneously.
Fretting chords correctly
When doing this always use the TIPS of your fingers. You would prefer not to utilize the fleshy part, where your fingerprints are.
Utilizing the tips of your fingers permits the greatest space in the middle of each string. This mean notes can ring obviously without being suppressed or stifled by wrong fingers.
For most chords, your thumb ought to be pointing the neck and ceiling the roof
Step 1: Choosing a suitable guitar
Considering that there are many types of guitar it is obvious that they play differently. Some of them could be easy to use while others could be a bit difficult.
Your chances of success in learning guitar depend on the choice of guitar that you use. For this reason, you need to have a guitar that best suits you with regards to your body shape and size.
When out to buy one, you should always try them to check if they are comfortable to use and easy to handle. You should be keen in this step as it forms the basis of your guitar journey.
Step 2: Tuning your guitar
If you will be performing on stage then you definitely know that keeping time is very important. You don’t want to spend a large amount of time tuning your guitar and this is why mastering it could be so useful.
In tuning, first begin by mastering the natural musical alphabet which is the top seven letters of the alphabet;A,B,C,D,E,F, and G.
During tuning make sure that you are the correct key for tuning. If you are tuning B string, trace it from the fretboard to the headstock to locate the key, ensure that you are using the correct key.
However, there are lots of tuners that can help you in finding the right tune for your guitar. They consist of clip-on tuners, pedal tuners, handheld tuners, and smartphones.
Step 3: Mastering chords
Here is a quick guide on how to play chords, for instance, let’s take the G6 chord, you can use this chord as a substitute for any G chord.
How to play this cord:
- Placing your second finger on the third fret of the Low E String.
- Place your first finger on the second fret of the A String.
- Strum all 6 strings.
Step 4: How to hold a pick
- Do a thumbs up sign
- Place your pick on the highest point of your forefinger, with the pointy edge confronting you.
- Lower your thumb to hold the pick.
Step 5: Strumming an acoustic guitar
When you strum, you need to have a decent swinging movement from your elbow and only a little wrist development. 90{fd10870cb5a1dc9999cdfd14c28092c15dc67ac0cdaff9065a5829829aa0c5ed} of the strum originates from your elbow.
Always ensure your wrist is pleasant and straight and not angled inwards.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that learning a guitar may be hard, mastering the contributing factors towards gaining all the skills necessary could be so effective.
This step by step terms with the common acoustic guitar terms clearly explained will be so instrumental in guiding you through your learning experience.
However, guitar skills are gained through massive practicing, hence you should keep sharpening your guitar skills by playing it regularly.
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