The guitar is a versatile musical instrument that sounds great both as an accompaniment and as a solo. The soft and deep timbre of the classics, sonorous and loud acoustics make people fall in love with this music. Many of them once hearing guitar music light up with the idea of learning how to handle the instrument. Those who wish to engage in this business ask the question: “is it possible to learn how to play the guitar yourself?”, “how to learn to play the guitar from scratch at home?” etc. Below we provide answers to these burning questions. So let's go!
But before learning
Answer yourself - "why?". Yes Yes! This is not a joke or an attempt to demotivate you. There are several types of guitars, and each of them is used to perform different genres of music. Therefore, before you take up your studies, you need to understand what exactly you want to play on a six-string guitar. Let's take a little excursion. Usually guitars are divided into two types: classical and acoustic.
The first have soft nylon strings, deep sound and they are suitable for playing classical pieces, flamenco, ballads, romances and other instrumental compositions. Acoustics is equipped with loud and sonorous metal strings, designed to play chords and perform accompaniment. Instrumental compositions are also performed on it, but they sound completely different. In general, the difference between guitars only plays a role if you want to play classical music or play chords. In the first case, ONLY a classical guitar will suit you, in the second case, an acoustic guitar, for other options it is better to go to the store and listen to the difference in sound. So, if you have already decided on the guitar, let's move on.
How long do you need to practice?
The second question that arises for beginner guitarists is “how much does it cost to learn how to play the guitar for beginners?”. There is no single answer. Professional musicians study 6-7 years at school, 3-4 at college and 4-6 at the conservatory. But don't be alarmed, the duration of training depends more on what exactly you want to achieve and how much effort you are willing to spend on the road to the goal.
For example, to learn a very simple song from scratch with chords, 1-2 weeks is enough, for a light instrumental piece, it will take about a month. Mastering techniques like barre, slides, flageolets, legato is usually obtained only after 6-12 months of playing. Therefore, if you are looking for the answer to the question “how to quickly learn to play the guitar”, then the only answer is “no way”.
Understand that learning is not an easy process, but often a tedious task, where you have to hammer the same thing for hours in order to achieve a result. But the sound of music coming from under your fingers is worth it, believe me. If you are planning to "seriously" learn to play, then you will need to practice daily for at least 20 minutes for as many days as it takes to learn all the songs and compositions that you want.
Is it difficult to learn how to play the guitar? Undoubtedly, it is both difficult and long, but when you are truly passionate about the process, you will not interfere with the time and effort spent. But if you can't wait to start the game, then we have done for you
General principles of the game
From a technical point of view, guitar playing is the process of holding the strings at the frets with your left hand and plucking them over the rosette (hole in the body) or hitting them with your hand/pick with your right hand.
The first thing to start with is the setting of the hands. That is, the position of the hands that they take during the game. At first glance, it may seem like a trifle, but both the technique and the convenience of the game depend on it. If you miss this moment, which plays a significant role, then after a while your hands will quickly get tired, and some tricks will not work. Therefore, pay attention to the setting of the hands.
The next step is to learn sound production - the hand movements that are made to extract sound. When you have learned to combine your right hand with your left and try to pinch the strings with your left hand and at the same time extract the sound with your right. At this stage, find some special exercises and play them.
You can learn about the correct positioning of hands and sound production on the pages of our website. If you do not find suitable information - write in the comments, we will definitely help you with the right lesson! At the same time, it is useful to read information about the structure of the guitar, frets, strings, finger markings, etc. If you have enough enthusiasm, start learning music theory.
How to play chords
When you can already extract sounds from the guitar in different frets - learn chords. Yes, we recommend that you start with common chords and leave the songs aside for now. Look on the Internet for how to play the most common chords on the guitar (A, am, C, D, dm, E, em, G). First, learn to put your fingers on them so that all the strings sound good and do not rattle. Then practice moving from one chord to another, slowly at first and then speed up. Try playing longer chord sequences in a row, the am, C, em, dm sequence sounds nice. When you feel confident, choose an easy song and study a fight or bust to it.
The list of the simplest songs:
- Careless angel - Aria.
- Eighth grader - Cinema.
- Chunga-Changa.
- Perfect - Pink.
- Love the way you lie - Emineb ft. Rihanna.
- Paparazzi - Lady Gaga.
How to play bust
Picking is a way of playing where you take turns pulling the strings in any order. Couplets of many songs are built on it (the same careless angel). There are many options for enumeration, there is no need to learn everything at once. To learn how to fingerpick the guitar, put in any chord and slowly play it several times in a pattern, when you remember it - gradually speed up, and then play a sequence of several chords. This is the best way to study. Here are the diagrams of the simplest searches:
The bottom line in the picture represents the highest string on the guitar, the bass string.
Learn to fight
It is better to learn to play a fight on the guitar in the same way as busting. You can learn them as needed, or you can immediately sort out a few of the most popular ones. The second option is useful for those who want to try to compose their own songs. The most common fights and their schemes:
The arrows indicate the direction of movement of the hand or pick, the sign "x" indicates the muting of the strings. There are also fights "six", "eight" and many others. From the names it is easy to understand that they determine the number of hits and muffles. There are many variations, the main thing is that the fight fits into the score (six - score by 6, eight by 8, and so on), otherwise you can experiment and try to make a combination yourself.
How to learn to play instrumental or classical pieces
After the first stage, start studying the simplest etudes and grasshopper-type melodies. But first, master the skill of reading music or tablature.
Notes are a graphic recording of musical works on 5 rulers, where one symbol denotes a sound of a certain height. The difficulties that may arise here are a lot of time spent memorizing notes on the frets of the guitar and on the record. But the plus is that most of the works are recorded with notes and having learned them once, “all doors” will open before you. So playing the guitar by sheet music is cool, though difficult.
Tablature - visual schematic images that show which fret on which string you need to clamp. The main plus is that they are easy to learn to understand and read them faster than notes. But not all musical compositions can be found in tabs.
Choose a simple melody for yourself and start, slowly, learning it in small parts. First, we achieve ease in playing one part, and then we move on to studying the other, connect them, add another piece, and so on until the end of the melody.
When you have learned several compositions, learn the techniques:
- legato;
- barre;
- harmonic;
- minced meat;
- glissando.
Their descriptions are easy to find on our website. Gradually complicate the compositions, we recommend that you download some music archive or a collection of tablature.
The learning process takes place gradually, in small steps. You learn to play songs on the guitar and works are more difficult than the previous ones, and with them new tricks and techniques. Each success brings you joy and pleasure, but before it you have to work hard and make an effort. How much time will it take? Learn while you enjoy it.
Free video lessons for learning to play the guitar at home. Here you can learn techniques, secrets, tips and much more about learning. For you, this is all without registration, without viruses and without puzzles. Everything is very easy, the main thing is to have a desire. You still need diligence, and this will be very useful. If you want to learn how to play the guitar on your own, then come to us for video lessons.
The time has come when you took up a musical instrument, and now you will amaze those around you with an amazing game. You will become a talented guitarist if you learn everything inside and out. Probably, one cannot find a more popular and beloved musical instrument than the guitar. If you have long dreamed of mastering this stringed instrument, but do not know where to start, do not despair. It is absolutely not necessary to look for a teacher, pay him money and study at a convenient time for him. Our resource contains a diverse selection of free YouTube videos for learning to play the guitar for beginners and already experienced performers.
What is the secret of such popularity of the instrument all over the world? Probably, there is something close to the human soul in the guitar, its music is able to enchant the listener and, of course, it is relatively easy to learn to play the instrument in a short time, if there is a desire.
Especially the ability to play the guitar is useful for young people. Girls adore guys who can play romantic music and sing lyrical ones. Therefore, do not waste time, but quickly use our resource, where you can watch online video guitar lessons and master this instrument on your own. The girl with the guitar also looks very beautiful and, most importantly, mysterious. So the young ladies will also be interested here.
For those who want to learn the guitar from scratch, step-by-step online lessons are perfect, in which all the nuances and secrets of the correct and beautiful playing are explained in an accessible way. With the help of our site, you will have the opportunity to watch video lessons for inexperienced guitarists for free and learn your favorite instrument at home in your free time. From them, beginners will learn how to play chords and they will be able to learn how to master them masterfully. Who knows, maybe in a few years, thanks to these lessons, you will only be performing your difficult solo at your own concert in front of an audience.
You can learn to play the guitar online with the help of video lessons presented on the site. We have prepared a large list of training videos from YouTube that will allow you to learn how to play this musical instrument in a short time. Training is conducted by experienced guitarists who themselves studied this technique. Take self-learning to play the guitar from scratch using our website for free.
For those who have been singing songs with the guitar for a long time, they cannot but be interested in the instructions for playing different songs with practice without registration. Having mastered the most famous guitar hits, you will become a welcome guest at any holiday and the soul of any campaign.
We have videos of interest to find performers with a variety of levels of instrument proficiency. Inexperienced guitar beginners will be able to improve their skills with the help of the simplest instructional videos. Guitarists, whose playing level is average, will be interested in dismantling the game of songs by domestic and foreign performers. Seasoned musicians will find videos for themselves, which show how to correctly perform the most complex guitar compositions. Do not forget that in playing the guitar, as in other activities, the main thing is practice.
Many consider mastering the guitar an overwhelming task that takes many years. This is partly true, but only if you want to own the instrument at a professional level.
Much more often, people want to learn how to play the guitar in order to perform their favorite songs in a company or just for fun. In this case, training will not take much effort and time: in two or three months, you can easily learn the basic chords and ways of playing.
Do not give up, even if you already had a bad experience. Talent is only a tenth of success. Much more important is determination and regular practice.
What you need
- Guitar.
- A wish. It is even more important than the instrument itself.
- Time for practice. It's easy for you too if the desire is strong enough. Especially since 30 minutes a day is enough for you.
- Teaching aids. There are no problems with them at all: you can buy a tutorial in a bookstore, watch video tutorials on YouTube, and find chords on the Internet.
As you can see, nothing supernatural.
Choosing and buying a guitar
We assume that you have the desire and time. It remains to acquire the tool. They say any guitar will do for a beginner, but that's not true. When the strings hit the frets and cut into the fingers, and the guitar does not hold the tuning, there can be no question of any progress.
A bad instrument will almost certainly discourage you from learning.
Therefore, it is better to find a good guitar. At first, you can borrow an instrument from one of your friends, and then, if things go well and you like it, get your own. Not necessarily expensive and branded, the main thing is more or less high quality.
There are two main types of acoustic guitars: classical and dreadnought (western). It is believed that classical guitars are more suitable for beginners because of the wide neck and nylon strings. The first feature reduces the chances of accidentally touching an unnecessary string with your fingers, because the distance between the strings is greater than that of a dreadnought. Yes, and the nylon strings themselves are softer than metal ones, so they do not dig into the fingertips so much and fill the corns less.
On the other hand, if the performance of classical compositions is not included in your plans, it is better to take a dreadnought right away. Such a guitar sounds louder and more sonorous due to metal strings, and it is more convenient to take chords on a narrower fretboard. Again, when playing on metal strings, the fingers will roughen faster and there will be no more calluses.
As a compromise, you can take a dreadnought and replace the metal strings with nylon ones, at least for the duration of the training.
When you go shopping for a guitar, take a friend with you who knows how to play: each instrument has a lot of little things that a beginner may simply not notice. Choose a guitar not only for its appearance, but also for its convenience. Pay attention to the possibility of adjusting the neck, the mechanism of the tuning pegs, the strings.
Acquaintance with the guitar
The tool is bought (or borrowed from friends), and you are one step closer to the goal. Take a close look at the guitar.
The larger part is called the deck. A neck is attached to it, ending with a head with pegs: with the help of them, the strings are pulled.
The fretboard is divided into frets by metal frets, against which the strings are pressed to extract the sound. The first fret is at the headstock, the last is at the soundboard.
There are only six strings. The countdown starts from the bottom, thinnest.
Guitar tuning
Before you try to play, the guitar needs to be tuned. Don't worry, even a beginner can do it. And without this skill, you won't be able to play.
By tuner
You will need a tuner in the form of a separate device (you can buy it at a music store or on the same AliExpress) or a smartphone application. In both cases, the tuning consists in alternately tightening or loosening all the strings in accordance with the tuner's prompts.
Fifth fret
This method does not require any additional equipment. Its essence is that the strings, clamped at certain frets, sound in unison and they can be adjusted relative to each other.
According to the rules, the first string should be tuned to the note E, using the tuner (for example, its online version) or another tuned instrument as a reference. However, this only makes sense when playing in a group, so that all instruments sound in the same key.
If you play alone, and even more so if you just study, then the first string can be tuned arbitrarily, approximately picking up its tension. All others are configured like this:
- Press the second string at the fifth fret and loosen or tighten until it sounds the same as the open first string.
- Press the third string at the fourth fret and tune in unison with the open second string.
- Press the fourth string at the fifth fret and adjust to the open third string.
- Press the fifth at the fifth fret and adjust to the open fourth.
- The sixth is clamped in the same way on the fifth fret and tuned in unison with the open heel.
It sounds complicated, but it's actually quite simple. Each string, pressed at the fifth fret, should sound in unison with the previous, lower string. The only exception is the third string: it must be clamped not on the fifth, but on the fourth fret.
The setup process itself is also extremely simple. For example, to tune the second string, you need to weaken it, and then pull the open first one and gradually rotate the second peg until the sound of both strings merges into one tone. That's all.
Trying to play
Finally, we got to the most interesting - the actual game. It seems that there is nothing complicated. Know yourself to press the strings with your left hand and hit them with your right: you have seen it a million times and probably tried it yourself. Why doesn't it work then? Strings rattle, fingertips burn, and joints get tired and numb.
It's all about the experience that comes with practice.
Take your guitar and sit on the edge of a chair or sofa with your legs crossed or your left foot on a low stand, such as a stack of books. So the tool will not rest against the chair and move off the leg.
The right hand should be relaxed, and the hand should not be crooked. The left grip covers the neck, but the thumb is always parallel to the frets. It is also not necessary to squeeze the bar that there is strength, otherwise the brush will quickly get tired.
You already know that fret numbering starts at the headstock, and strings start at the thinnest, bottom. Try playing random notes by pressing the first string with your index finger at different frets. Try to press the string all the way down to keep it clear. It will not be easy, but over time the technique will work out.
Try playing other strings, and also connect other fingers, letting them get used to it.
Playing melodies on one string
Just making sounds is boring. Therefore, to make it more interesting, you can learn simple melodies on one string and practice on them. Here are some example tunes.
The classic "Grasshopper sat in the grass":
"Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple:
Intro to "Iron Man" Black Sabbath:
Melody from the movie "Boomer":
The Imperial March from Star Wars:
Take some time to play one string. Bring your actions to automatism and achieve the coordinated work of both hands. Practice until the melodies sound smooth and clear, without stops or hesitation.
During this time, the fingers will get used to the loads, which means that it will be possible to move on to more complex things.
Playing chords
The next step you have to climb is playing chords. It's much more difficult than single-string melodies, but don't get discouraged. By learning the chords, you can already play full-fledged songs.
The principle here is the same, but it will be necessary to press not one string, but several at once: usually three, less often two or four. There are many chords. However, for the performance of most songs, only five or seven are enough. To begin with, let's learn three main, so-called thieves' chords: Am, Dm, E.
All chords are indicated by Latin letters depending on the main note:
- C - before;
- D - re;
- E - mi;
- F - fa;
- G - salt;
- A - la;
- H - si.
If there is a small letter m next to the chord designation, this means that the chord is minor. If there is no such prefix - major. Chords are read either by letter designation or by name. For example, "a-em" (Am) or "G major" (G).
Chord diagrams are called fingerings. They draw a neck with strings. The frets are signed with Roman numerals. Arabic designate the strings and - in circles - the fingers with which you should press the strings (1 - index, 2 - middle, and so on). A zero opposite the string means an open sound (unpressed string), and a cross means that the string should not sound.
Let's get back to our thieves' chords. Here are their applications:
To play the Am chord, you need to press the second string on the first fret with your index finger, the fourth string on the second fret with your middle finger, and the third string on the second fret with your ring finger.
The rest of the chords are taken according to the same principle: we look at which frets and which strings need to be pressed.
On these three chords, you can already play simple yard or army songs. But it is better to learn three more chords, with which the repertoire will expand significantly. Here they are:
With the first two difficulties should not arise, but the third is slightly different from the previous ones. It uses barre - a technique when all the strings on one fret are clamped with the index finger. Barre chords are a little more difficult than open chords, but with practice you'll get the hang of them.
As always, to make learning more interesting, you can practice right away on some song. For example, on the canonical "Pack of Cigarettes" of the "Kino" group or "Watchmen" from "Boombox".
You can also search the Internet for any other songs that you like (for example, by searching for "louboutin chords"). If unfamiliar chords come across in the selection, you can try to find another one or just learn something new.
Fight and bust
There are two ways of sound extraction: busting and fighting. Some songs are played only by strumming or only by fighting, others by both ways. The chords used are the same, the only difference is whether you finger the strings or hit them.
There are a huge number of busts, as well as fights. And in different songs they are, of course, different. Usually, in the analysis, along with the chords, it is indicated which sorting or fight should be played.
Let's take a look at some of the most common examples. The rest you will learn along the way.
What's next
Now that you've learned the basics, learned the chords, and got your hands dirty, the main thing is to keep practicing. Fingers will hurt and tangle when transposing chords, and strings won't always sound.
Never stop and just keep playing. Every day you will get better and better, and in the end you will achieve your goal.
Finally, a few tips that will help you learn to play the guitar on your own and not let you despair:
- Always use multiple sources of information to fill in possible gaps and inaccuracies from one teacher to another.
- Play every day: Regular exercise will give you confidence. Remember that talent is only a tenth of success, everything else is practice.
- Once you learn a couple of songs and can sing them with ease, be sure to invite your friends over and play for them. Listeners will help develop and point out shortcomings.
How to choose a guitar
Before learning to play the guitar, you need to find the right instrument. But having visited the store, the novice musician begins to involuntarily get lost in the whole assortment and variety of models. Therefore, when choosing a guitar, you need to follow certain actions.
Initially, you should pay attention to the strings, which are iron and nylon. Nylon strings are better suited for training, as iron strings will cut unaccustomed fingers.
Next, you should inspect the guitar visually for the integrity of the body, the absence of dents or cracks. The top and bottom decks should be made from a single sheet of plywood, and all joints should be well taped. It is necessary to ask the seller about the material from which the tool is made. It is better to purchase a guitar made of pine.
The neck must be perfectly flat, without distortion, otherwise the beginner will not be able to properly tune the instrument. It is better to give preference to a guitar with a neck that is bolted rather than glued. This will allow, due to the bolted connection, to change the distance between the neck and the strings and align it a little in case of curvature.
Important in the sound of the guitar is the condition of the tuning pegs, as it is tuned with their help. They should be tight, without gaps, spin well and not creak. It remains to check the acoustics and sound of the instrument. In general, the strings should "sound" and not "rattle". Given all the features, it is still better to entrust the choice of a guitar to a professional in order to be able to purchase a quality instrument.
How to learn to play the guitar
To play the guitar, in addition to acquired skills, you need an ear for music. If not, it will be quite difficult to learn the game. The main stages that you need to go through when learning are reading tablature, learning how to build chords, possible ways to perform accompaniments, as well as going through practical exercises. It is also important to choose the right way to learn how to play the guitar in.
One of them is printed tutorials - a free guide that collects the main initial lessons. They describe in detail the structure of the guitar, frets, notes, chords and more. A potential student decides when to study, but this method is more suitable for patient, diligent people. If a person lacks self-discipline, it is not worth doing self-study, as this can take forever.
Video tutorials on the Internet are also a free option. The guitarist himself chooses lessons and practices them. However, an inexperienced user may unknowingly miss out on useful information or rush from one lesson to another in a hurry. There is also the possibility of constant distractions to others, which will interfere with learning.
The best option that provides an individual approach is considered a private tutor. Using this method, there is a chance to get a quick result, study at a convenient time and not be distracted by household trifles. But not everyone can afford to pay a tutor for lessons.
popular in recent times became paid video courses, which are compiled by teachers, and include only the necessary information. Lessons are designed "from simple to complex", while observing the sequence of obtaining knowledge. You just need to insert the disk and repeat the necessary chords and fingerings after the teacher, after which, in a free mode, consolidate what you have learned. The lesson can be reviewed as many times as necessary to learn the material. The cost of such lessons is much cheaper compared to a tutor, and the result is not worse.
By choosing the appropriate learning method and showing perseverance, patience and dedication, you can learn the basics of playing the guitar in a short period of time, and then polish your knowledge over time.
How to play chords
Learning to play the guitar begins with the main stage - learning chords. Each chord has a combination of several notes, which are indicated in the form of letters of the Latin alphabet from A to G, making them easy to remember: the first note is “la” (letter A), and the last one is “sol” (letter G).
Chords are different in character of sounding due to minor and major frets. Major means cheerful, joyful, minor means sad, calm. The letter “m” is always present in the designation of a minor chord, while everything remains unchanged in a major. Also, you can’t do without accidental signs in music - sharp (#) and flat (b), which raise or lower the chord by half a step, respectively. For example, G#m means "G sharp" in a minor scale.
To learn chords, you will need fingerings - these are chords on the neck of a guitar, in which strings are indicated horizontally, and frets are indicated by numbers vertically. Each scheme corresponds to one chord. On it, dots indicate the places on the fretboard in which it is necessary to press the strings in order to get one or another chord.
For convenience and ease of play, you can find a songbook on the Internet, which presents a large number of chords with words located above them. This is where the applicators are needed. According to the proposed scheme, you need to put your fingers on the necessary frets and play a chord once.
It is better to practice on simple chords, for example, Em (E minor), Am (A minor), C (C), since most of the others require knowledge of the special “barre” technique, in which you need to hold several strings of the same fret at the same time with one finger. With a large barre, all the strings are clamped at once, but this will require lengthy training.
There are many ways to play the guitar, but the most common are picking, when the guitarist alternately picks the strings and parses the chord into sounds, and fight - playing a chord with one blow on the strings. In the game of combat, the following designations are present:
1) P - hit from the top string to the bottom;
2) V - blow from the bottom string to the top;
3) + - mute the strings with your thumb;
4) x - the same with the edge of the palm.
For a beginner guitarist, in order to get a clear sound when playing with a strike, it is better to strike with the tips of your nails, and not with your whole hand. If when playing simple chords you get a melody, and not just a set of harmonies, then you can start learning songs and continue to please your friends with good music.
