How to play the guitar?

Question

I got a guitar for my birthday. I have no idea how to play any kind of music. I would love to learn how! help please?

Answer 1

That's a very broad question to ask on an answer board. It generally takes six months to a year to master the basics of guitar, and at least three to five years to make it to a journeyman level. This is a situation where you would be much better off learning from a person. If you have a friend who already plays, you might get them to show you a few things. Lessons are also available at your local music stores, Community Colleges, and of course there are private teachers. There are a lot of things you have not yet shared with the board that would help to let us know what kind of help you need. These include:

1. What kind of guitar did you get? (Electric, Acoustic, nylon string, steel string?)

2. What kind of music do you want to play? (Fingerstyle Classical, Rock, Country, R & B, Folk, Gothic, Heavy Metal etc.)

3. Do you own or have access to a tuner. DO you know how to use it?

4. Do you have any musical background at all, or will you be starting from scratch?

These are typical questions that I ask my students when we start classes. I teach fingerstyle Classical guitar at the Elementary and Middle School level. I can give you some links to get you started, but you are probably going to look at them and realize that you really do need someone to guide / mentor you through this process. If there is anything more I can do, you know where I am. Best of luck and I hope to see you back here with slightly more specific questions.

Answer 2

The best way to learn is to have a teacher. If you can't afford one then I would go to a music store, like Sam Ash, they have a bigger selection of books then Guitar Center, and tell them what style of guitar that you want to play. Their pretty good at helping you because most of them play. Try and get a book that has a Cd in the back, this way you can make sure that your doing things right. Don't get discouraged if at first your fingers and hands hurt, that's normal, it may take a month of daily playing to develop callouses on your finger tips, most people give up too soon because of pain. Take it easy at first play for about twenty minutes daily, and after a while you'll see that pain goes away. Try to follow the rules in the book, hold that thumb in the middle of the back of the neck of the guitar and not over the neck, later on you'll see why, you'll be able to make cords easier, and it will help with speed. Everything in the beginning will seem difficult some people think impossable but with time and patience each day you'll see it gets a little easier. If you stick to twenty minutes daily your hand won't get to bad and before you know it you'll develop those callouses and it will get much easier. I guarantee you if you do this for a couple of months you'll see that I'm right and things that you thought that you would never be able to do will start to come easy. Guitar is not as easy as some people think, it takes time, just like anything else worth learning, you didn't learn to read in three months. Get a cord book also, and when you get bored with the beginners book try to learn a few easy cords, like D, Am, E, Em, G, F, and Dm, you could strum hundreds of songs with just these few cords, learn to play them slowly and smoothly, in time you'll be able to do it without even thinking about it. This will be a diversion from learning the preliminarys. Good luck !!!!!!!

Answer 3

Go to ur local music shop. Buy a tuner & a book of chords & possibly a plectrum. Tune the guitar from the lowest string E A D G B E. Hold it comfortably, & with ur left hand press some chord shapes from the book. A D E are good. Practise them individually and changing between them. It will take time, & ur fingers will hurt, but it will wear off after a while. Easy songs are like Going to the Zoo, He's got the Whole World in His Hands, Hope this helps, & happy picking.

Answer 4

They are special matters. Playing guitar is special than gambling guitar hero. The evaluation does not paintings. Some folks don't seem to be as musical adept at gambling devices as others

Answer 5

Hi well you need lessons.. There are also books , cd's , and tapes that you can buy that will get you started..Check with your local village hall they might have someone who comes in and does that.. At least they do where I live my son takes lessons there.. They cost 16.00 per 1/2 hour.. So make sure you really want to play.. Good luck with your lessons !!!

Answer 6

get a book and learn.