Learn to play the guitar at home. How to learn to play instrumental or classical pieces

A friendly trip is hard to imagine without a fire, favorite songs and warm company. And here one unsolved problem remains: “how to learn to play the guitar from scratch on your own?” If you are already ripe for this practice, if your hands are ready to play, if your soul is torn from familiar motives, and your fingers are looking for a support to sort through - congratulations, you are ready to learn how to play the guitar. We will try to guide you!

Learning to play the guitar: how to choose an instrument?

Of course, a great desire is already half the battle, but you also need a guitar. We really hope that you know that guitars today are:

• Classic.
• Acoustic.
• Electrical.

The guitar may have:

• Six strings.
• Seven strings.
• And even twelve strings.

In order to learn how to play the guitar, it will be enough for beginners to master classical instrument with six strings. It is advisable to take first nylon strings. They will help you keep your fingers intact - and this is extremely important in the early stages.

So, with the guitar decided, there are accessories. Since we learn on our own, we must be fully prepared that no one will tune the instrument every hour. In this regard, we need a tuner. You can also buy a case to easily travel with your instrument, a plectrum and a left footrest.

How to learn to play the guitar from scratch at home? For newbies:

So, you got your hands on a guitar, where do you start to make beautiful music pour out of it?

Or, in other words, how to learn to play the guitar from scratch? Of course, you will need video tutorials for beginners. But even this is not a guarantee of success.

Get ready that between your statement "I want to play guitar" and the real "I already play guitar" time will pass. Before your chords form into a complete melody, you will have to learn a lot of basics. But don't worry, all beginner guitarists go through this. The main thing is to give training at least half an hour a day. Practice regularly at home and soon you will surprise your friends with a decent game.

So, first study what elements the guitar consists of. Now this is your comrade, friend, assistant, adviser, and also the best outlet in life. Thus, you just need to know what the guitar is made of.

Every guitar has a head, body and neck. Take a close look at the photo of the structure of this musical instrument: pay attention to the frets, strings, frets and resonator hole - all you need to get sound. In order to properly hold the guitar, it is very important to know where the sides, bridge and nut are located.

Correct fit

First of all, you should understand how to properly hold the tool in your hands. Of course, you need to take the right attitude. It consists in always keeping the back straight, without leaning back, without throwing the body back. In this case, the left leg is on a hill. IN right leg the base of the tool always rests. Next, we will tell you how to learn how to play the guitar, and video lessons will also be at your disposal.

Correct hand position

We have not yet learned how to extract sound from the guitar. After all, the guitar requires a special approach.

Let's deal with hands:

• The left hand grips the neck well.
• The right hand is responsible for extracting a sonorous, clear sound. In order to do this, you need to relax it.
• Place your right elbow on the line where the bridge and the sides of your guitar intersect. To do this, you need to draw a conditional line from the stand to the shell.
• Get your fingers ready for fingering.

It is impossible to quickly learn how to play an instrument until you learn the position of the fingers. Each finger has own position, and is also responsible for its string. The numbering of all strings occurs from the bottom up, that is, in the order of falling sound: from the highest to the lowest. Since we have five fingers and six strings, the distribution will be as follows:

• Thumb - fourth, fifth, sixth string (p).
• The index finger is the third string (i).
• The middle finger is the second string (m).
• Ring finger - first string (a).

Now is the time to find out what the rhythmic pattern of the right hand is. It's the way you produce sound. Let's say you touch your thumb (p) on the sixth string. You put your index finger (i) on the third string, the middle finger (m) on the second, and the ring finger (a) on the first. Notice how your thumb and forefinger form a cross, and thumb ahead of the rest.

How to learn to play the guitar on your own from scratch: exercises!

• Let's try bass 3, 2, 1, 2, 3.
• Get your fingers ready to play.
• Hook your thumb on the sixth string - you get a low dull sound.
• Now pull the strings number 3, 2, 1, 2, 3 in turn.
• Repeat the plucking with your thumb on the fifth string.

Bass pick 3, 2, 1. Hook your thumb on the sixth string, and then pluck three strings together: first, third, and second.

Learning chords

It remains for us to install on the guitar left hand, which will help to extract chords or sounds that form a pleasant sound of a musical instrument. At first, it will be unusual to clamp the strings that are located on the fretboard, but with regular practice, your fingers will quickly get used to it.

• Bend your thumb, place it parallel to the frets.
• At the same time, the hand must also be kept slightly rounded, placing all fingers closer to the frets.
• The pads of the fingers touch the strings of the guitar only with their upper part, so it is better for girls to cut their nails.

We already know the order of string numbering, now we will study the numbering of frets (usually they are denoted by Roman numerals). One fret on the guitar takes place between two iron lines, which are located on the fretboard perpendicular to the strings. They are called frets. All frets are numbered starting from the beginning of the guitar head. Beginners tend to draw chord diagrams starting from the very first three frets (i.e. an Am chord in the key of A minor). In the diagrams, the guitar strings are numbered from top to bottom (1, 2, 3…).

On a guitar, it looks like this: you put your left index finger (first fret) on the second string, and middle finger- on the fourth string (second fret). There is also a place for the ring finger on the second fret, but already on the third string.

By analogy, the rest of the chords are taken to the Am chord: Dm, E, G, F, C. Their schemes can be easily found in any tutorial for beginners. You can also watch a video with an analysis of small nuances by chords and frets.

When you learn how to play chords, confidently playing the right strings, while not touching those that are in the neighborhood, you can move on to playing, picking or soloing the guitar by connecting right hand.

guitar as if best friend and, as befits any creativity in general, will set you up for the most the best way, soothe in Hard time. Many of those who took the guitar in their hands for the first time find it very difficult to make friends with it, but if you imagine all the problems in the way of mastering this instrument, you will easily succeed in such a matter.

Problems in mastering the guitar

• The opinion that learning to play the guitar is very difficult. This confidence is formed from someone else's negative experience, fear that you will have to learn a lot and your fear of starting. Well, you still have to learn the notes. As a result, you need to pick up a tutorial, or even more than one, and study a bunch of completely unnecessary information.
• How to learn to play the guitar at home? It is believed that talent is needed to play this musical instrument. Perhaps you were instilled with fear for your efforts in childhood, saying that you do not have a voice and hearing, so now if you dare to sing, it is only in front of a mirror.
• Confidence that you can learn to play any guitar. A beginner tries to learn from everything that comes his way, but the wrong guitar, which is suitable only for experienced "grandfathers", can discourage learning.
• Teachers' opinion that it is necessary to start with classical guitar. Extraneous experience, when your friend had to study unsuccessfully and for a long time, discouraged you from all the desire to learn something new.
• Inconvenience and pain after the first steps in mastering the instrument. The first stages of the exercise are the most difficult, because you develop the motor skills of your fingers, the skin on them starts to hurt, the brush quickly gets tired from constant tension, and the back starts to hurt from the wrong position of the body and hands. Pain can certainly turn away the most persistent.
• Repulsive sound. Perfectionism prevents you from easily mastering new horizons. As well as maximalism, which pushes you to study difficult songs, while bypassing the easy ones. And as a result, you will study only one song for months, achieving the best sound, take the instrument in your hands through force and, in the end, just give up the whole thing.
• Can't play and sing at the same time. When you learn to play and sing separately, you will immediately want to try to combine these skills, but without practice, the first attempts will be rather deplorable.
• There are no listeners. There are many reasons why you may not be listened to at all, but the main reason is your lack of love for your work and self-confidence.

We solve problems

• Don't listen to others. Three months of diligent training will be enough for you to play the guitar, and you don’t need to know the notes, but ear for music everyone has. Unless it needs to be developed, like a voice.
• Forget what you've been told. Regular workouts will give results in a month or two. Your singing will change a lot. The guitar will speed up progress, as it is a great stimulus.
• Choose your guitar. For beginners, it is better to take an instrument with a small resonator, as well as steel strings for further replacement with others, about 10 gauge or less.
• Get ready for work. Remember that the first two months of training, your fingers will definitely hurt. It is better to do it every other day, and after classes, lower your fingers into slightly warm water. Your posture should be as even as possible. Never lean over the instrument, do not raise the elbow of the right hand, do not clasp the neck of the guitar with your thumb.
• First, play various simple melodies. Choose those with a maximum of six chords. When you start to play more confidently, diversify your game, start improvising.
• Metronome. Get a metronome and play your favorite song slowly. The most important is the rhythm. After that, try to sing to the metronome, adjust your rhythm to the beat of the metronome. When you realize that you don't need the metronome, play without it, along with the original recording of the song.
• The reflection is your best friend. Tune your instrument and start playing while looking in the mirror. Remember that the singer must be open, must look directly at the viewer, and not hunch over his guitar at all. Of course, for this you will need to learn the chords to automatism.

You now know how to learn to play the guitar from scratch on your own.

How to learn to play the guitar from scratch on your own? Video lessons:

It's hard to imagine musical instrument, which would be more popular than the guitar. Contrary to popular misconceptions, playing it is not as difficult as people used to think. Of course, it will take years to comprehend all the subtleties and nuances, but to master the most basic tricks you can do it in 1-2 months, and in a couple of months you will be able to confidently play the songs of your favorite bands. So how do you learn to play electric guitar?

In general, learning to play on a regular acoustic guitar not very different from learning to play electric guitar, but of course there are a few differences. Works on acoustic and electric guitar different technique sound extraction. The electric guitar is most often played with a pick, while the acoustic guitar is played with the fingers. And if on acoustics playing with a mediator is also possible, then on an electric guitar you can’t really play with your fingers, because your fingers are not able to give such a sound as with a mediator. This is to the question of whether it is possible to learn to play the electric guitar, and not the acoustic.

Misconception #1

In order to learn how to play, it is not necessary to spend money on expensive and good tool. On the contrary, if you learn on a low-quality guitar, when you switch to a more intelligent instrument, it will be much easier to play.

This is a fairly common misconception among beginner guitarists looking for an instrument. It is dictated either by banal greed, or no less banal ignorance. As you know, a miser pays twice.

The professionalism of a guitarist is never measured by the degree to which he is able to play the instrument. Poor-quality guitars very often have protruding, unpolished frets, an uncomfortable neck, which can lead to incorrect hand positioning and even injuries (it’s not easy to scratch on bad frets, but very easy, especially when you play something fast).

Such guitars often sound bad, and this is fraught with injury to your hearing, and it is more difficult to restore it than scratched fingers. Buy name branded guitars famous guitarists is also not necessary, because it is far from a fact that you will definitely decide to realize yourself in this area further.

Now a quality tool for a beginner can be purchased at a very affordable price. For an electric guitar, it ranges from 8 to 15 thousand rubles. We will talk more about how to learn to play the electric guitar and choose your instrument in this article.

Misconception #2

I won't be able to learn to play the guitar because I have no hearing.

Everyone has a rumor. It's just that for someone it can be better and sharper, and for someone it is not sufficiently developed. Hearing can always be developed, since there are many exercises on the Web for this.

Another similar misconception: It's hard to learn how to play electric guitar without hearing. Yes, if for some reason you do not want or cannot improve your ear for music, you will not be able to pick up a melody by ear or transfer it from sound, but you can play without it - by notes or tablature.

Misconception #3

You have to sing along with the guitar, but I can't.

Is it difficult to learn how to play the electric guitar without singing? Maybe this misconception makes sense in the circle of non-professional guitarists, but at its core it is complete nonsense. If you want to sing and accompany yourself on an instrument - you are welcome, if you don’t want to - also no problem, focus on technique, on the complexity of the music itself.

Very often one can observe how the performance of complex and beautiful passages and melodies causes a very restrained reaction from people who are ignorant of music, and from three "thieves" chords that can be mastered in three days, if not less, the crowd is delighted.

Try not to pay attention to this, if you play really well, the musicians will speak positively about your work, and their comments are much more important for professional growth than the reviews of mothers, grandmothers, friends, etc. Never let anyone reproach you for being unprofessional because you play an independent part and do not sing - the opinion of the person who made such a remark to you should not have any effect on you - some influence.

Tool selection

The price is never the quality, but the chance to buy for 20 thousand is much more than for 5. Check with your familiar guitarists. For starters, you can choose an electric guitar for a small price, but a well-known and trusted brand.

• Epiphone;
• Ibanez;
• Fender squier;
• Yamaha;
• Jackson.

Take a tuner to the store, tune the instrument, check that all the strings sound and do not mow up or down in sound. Run your hand along the side of the fretboard to see how well the frets are polished, twist the pegs. Make sure that you like the guitar in terms of color and shape, this is a very important psychological point: a nice-looking instrument will provide motivation for learning.

First steps

You bought your first instrument, brought it home, unpacked it, sat on the sofa and thought about how to quickly learn how to play the electric guitar.

First, set it up, even if the store has already set it up. A tuner is used for tuning, it can be purchased at the same music store. Take the guitar in your hands in the way that is comfortable for you, the main thing is that you do not experience discomfort in the muscles of your arms and back.

Connect the guitar to a combo amplifier, if there is none, for the first time you can download it to a PC special program, replacing it, and connect the guitar to it. No need to rush to find the notes of your favorite songs and solos, for now you can still play them, but scales and simple melodies can be learned to play. On an electric guitar, the principle of learning is slightly different from acoustics, but in general there is nothing complicated there.

Extraction with the right hand

The strings on the frets are clamped with the left hand in order to change the pitch of the sound, and with the right hand this same sound is extracted, this is how all guitarists play: both right-handed and left-handed. There are special left-handed guitars, where the opposite is true, but as practice shows, they play well on right-handed models, besides, left-handed guitars are a bit more expensive.

Position your right hand so that the forearm rests on the curve of the guitar, and the hand itself hangs over the strings like a twig. With your thumb, try to extract the sound from the highest sixth string. To do this, simply gently pull the string down and slightly away from you. The sixth, fifth and fourth strings are considered bass strings: the sound is extracted from them with the thumb. The index finger is responsible for the third string, the middle finger for the second, and the ring finger for the first.

The extraction of sound from the lower strings occurs as follows: with the pad of your finger, you pull the string from the bottom up and a little towards yourself. To fix the extraction with your right hand, you can play busts. The simplest is played like this: sixth string, third, second, first, second, third. Don't forget that each string is "attached" to a specific finger.

Such enumeration is used in the intro of Metallica's Nothing Else Matters. After two weeks of practice, when you feel more confident with the instrument, you can try to learn the intro of this song in full. A beginner is not advised to go further than the introduction, since in this song there is a barre technique that can cause difficulties for a beginner. Other iterations:

• bass (sixth, fifth or fourth), third, second, third, first, third, second, third;
• bass, first, second, third;
• bass, third, second + first (pull at the same time), third;
• bass, third + second + first.

Extraction with the left hand

The thumb is located behind the neck of the guitar and is pressed against it, as if leaning. It’s not worth pressing it on purpose, it will adhere to the neck itself when you start playing. Form a kind of dome from the brush, as if holding an apple. The strings should be pressed with the pads of the fingers so that when pressed, the finger retains its shape, does not blur along the fretboard, and does not turn out.

Important: do not press with the pads that we see when looking at our palm with reverse side, but those that we see when we look under the nails. All fingers of the left hand should produce sound of the same quality.

Exercise for the left hand

• "Snake" - you pinch index finger string, make a sound with your right hand, then hold the next fret on the same string with your middle finger, without releasing your index finger, and again make a sound. As a result, all 4 fingers should be in a line on the string. Then we do the opposite: we remove the little finger, we extract the sound, we remove the nameless one, we extract it, and so on.
• "Spider" - the beginning is the same as in the "snake", but after all our fingers are on the string, we do not remove them, and transfer the index finger to the string higher, but in the same fret, while the rest of the fingers remain on the same line. So alternately rearranging the fingers "crawl" up, and then also "slide down." Make sure that in these exercises all the notes sound clear, do not rattle, press the strings tightly. Gradually increase the pace.

How to read tablature?

Every guitarist who thinks about how to learn to play the electric guitar from scratch also thinks about what he should play. You can do this either by notes or by tablature. IN musical notation in itself there is nothing complicated, but few people manage to understand it on their own, the teacher's explanation would be the most successful option: this is the question of where to learn to play the electric guitar.

Tablature is much easier to use. It has six rulers, the top one is the most thin string. On these rulers there are numbers indicating the frets. Thus, we see from which string and at which fret we need to extract the sound. The only significant disadvantage of tablature is that it is almost impossible to follow the rhythm on them. Yes, the creators of the tablature try to compensate for this in every possible way: they make spaces between the numbers where there are longer notes, but you won’t be able to follow the rhythm the way you would by notes, by tablature.

What should a newbie play?

• Pop rock band type imagine Dragons, green day, 30 Seconds to mars, Sum 41 - their songs are very simple and suitable for getting your hands on.
• More classical stuff like Scorpions, AC/DC songs. You don't have to take complicated solos, you can just learn some riffs.
• If you want something more complicated, then you can pay attention to Metallica and Megadeth (before four months of training, it makes no sense to start these songs). Nothing else matters, Fade to black, Muster of puppets (very beautiful solo, it's easy and your listeners will appreciate it), Enter sandman, Trust, Promise (one of the few Megadeth ballads).

It's famously to take guitar chords, to be the center of attention of any company - many people dream of this. How to learn to play the guitar, how difficult and long is the process, can you do it yourself?

Where to begin?

To begin with, decide for what purpose you want to learn how to play the guitar? If you intend to become professional musician, then serious and long preparation is indispensable. Then you have a direct path to music school or private lessons with a good teacher.

But, most likely, you just dream of learning how to play your favorite tunes, as they say, for the soul - to please your friends at gatherings and parties.

Then you will have to master the basics of guitar science on your own. There are good old printed tutorials, there are more modern options- video tutorials, master classes on the Internet offering guitar chords for popular songs for beginners, as well as online schools guitar games.

Browse different variants and choose the most suitable, better - detailed step by step guide understandable and accessible.

The course of study you choose should focus on beginners and build on the principle from simple to complex.

How to choose a guitar

You can rent an instrument from a friend, but it's better to have your own. Experienced guitarists advise: to learn how to play the guitar, start with its classical version. Although some game masters recommend acoustics.

Nylon strings are suitable for beginners - they are easier to press with untrained fingers and there will be less inevitable pain. On metal strings move on when you have mastered the technique of the game a little. The sound from them is brighter, louder and more expressive. You need to take the thinnest, designed for acoustic guitar.

How to learn to play the guitar - learning steps

First you need to learn the basic things:

• correct fit - on the edge of the chair, without bending your back, substituting under left leg high chair;

• the ability to hold a musical instrument;

• the ability to relax the right hand and freely own it;

• proper possession of the left hand, which will cover the neck (the thumb is always held parallel to the frets, they should not press hard on the neck).

Strings and fret numbers

Learn the strings and fret numbers on the guitar. Start doing exercises, for example: take the first string of the third fret with the first finger of your left hand, hook the string with your right thumb to extract sound.

Do the same on the other string and the other fret. At first, the fingers will hurt, but you will have to be patient.

Learning chords

Learn the chords that are the basis of any melody, all songs are built on them. Learn basic major and minor chords.

Simple melodies

When you have learned a few chords, try to practice them on simple songs: “A grasshopper sat in the grass”, “A pack of cigarettes”, “Gypsy”, a melody from the movie “Boomer”.

Fixing chords on songs is much more interesting than just repeating them mechanically. You should feel inspired and rewarded by your first guitar skills.

Reading tablature and fingerings

Learn to read tablature and fingering. Tablature is used to record music. You should master Guitar Pro, a notation editor that is designed to create, edit and listen to guitar tablature and sheet music.

Fingerings are diagrams showing the location of the fingers on the frets and strings of the guitar. Fingering helps to understand the picture piece of music and learn it faster.

Busts and barre

Learn open chords, basic guitar strumming and picking, barre chords. If the training is successful, you develop the technique of playing, improve the types of accompaniment, the art of improvisation can become a further stage.

Music theory

The basics of guitar mastery have been mastered and this is quite enough for you - then musical theory generally not required. But if you want to improve your skills, then knowledge of notes, intervals, tempo and rhythm does not hurt.

The ability to play the guitar will not come by itself. It will take patience, perseverance and daily practice. Some will get it faster, some will have to spend more effort. The main thing is not to despair when something does not work out, but to train your skills.

To learn how to play a popular instrument, how much time per day is it better to devote to classes?

At the beginning of training, during the first month, you can study for half an hour, but no less. Then - for an hour, one and a half - depending on how much free time you have.

After 3 months of hard work, you will be able to demonstrate simple melodies to your friends, but these will only be the first steps (using some chords, simple enumeration).

Experienced craftsmen say that it takes about a year for most to master the guitar at the most elementary level.

In addition, how soon you can learn to play the guitar depends on your musical ability, the presence or absence of training - those who know how to play the piano will master the guitar faster than those who start from scratch.

If you are planning a more serious level of play, then you need patience and persistent training. This process will take from two years or more, depending on what heights of guitar skill you are striving for. You can hardly do without classes with professional teachers.


It is useful, when learning to play the guitar, to train the muscle memory of the hands. You can do this while watching TV or chatting with a friend, practicing chords and hand positions, especially the left hand (it is more difficult to train).

You are lucky if you have a friend or a good acquaintance from whom you can learn the skill of playing an instrument. Meet him at least once a week, just watch his technique, try to play together.

Learned a few tunes - play to your friends, let them appreciate, criticize, if necessary, and you will have an incentive to move on.

Complex tricks of the game may not be useful to you. Don't waste time learning them, better train the basic skills that you will use when playing the guitar.

Learn to play along with the metronome to feel the tempo and rhythm of the music. The metronome will teach you how to control the movement of your hands and how to play the sound at the right time.

Do not be upset by the first failures and do not force things. Haste is absolutely useless if you seriously decide to learn how to play the guitar. Learn the game at your own pace, no need to move on to more complex things if you have not mastered simple tricks enough.

Step by step, patiently and persistently - this is your path to success. But at the same time, do not forget that learning to play the guitar should be fun.

Although the process is not easy and is accompanied by failures and disappointments (temporary, of course!), But you should like it. Otherwise, why all this work and experience?!

Many consider mastering the guitar an overwhelming task that takes long 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

1. Guitar.
2. Wish. It is even more important than the instrument itself.
3. 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.
4. 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.

So it's better to find 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 don’t dig into the fingertips so much and fill corns less.

On the other hand, if performance 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 appearance but also for 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:

1. Press the second string at the fifth fret and loosen or tighten until it sounds the same as the open first string.
2. Press the third string at the fourth fret and tune in unison with open second string.
3. Press the fourth string at the fifth fret and adjust to the open third string.
4. Press the fifth at the fifth fret and adjust to the open fourth.
5. 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:

Introduction 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 well-coordinated work 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 marked with 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, ring finger- the third string on the second fret.

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:

1. Always use multiple sources of information to fill in possible gaps and inaccuracies from one teacher to another.
2. Play every day: Regular exercise will give you confidence. Remember that talent is only a tenth of success, everything else is practice.
3. 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.

Most people are capable of learning to play the guitar on their own, although many beginners give up too quickly. Often, beginners quit playing, explaining this by lack of time or pain in their fingers. And the problem is that they just don't practice enough. This page may not give you more time to exercise, but it will show you how to successfully become good enough. a good guitarist without the cost of expensive textbooks.

Steps

Search the Internet and select the appropriate instructions. There are hundreds of websites on the Internet that offer free lessons, many of which are very well developed and can be applied in your routine practice. There you will find comprehensive answers to your questions.

Learn to distinguish a good musician from a bad one. If you can play as well as your favorite musician after a few weeks, try emulating a more skilled musician.

Learn the tool. Learn the names and functions of guitar parts. Understand their interaction to extract sounds. Understand how sound is produced by the guitar, how string tension affects sound. The half hour spent on this basic understanding will be repaid many times over in the course of your practice and play.

Learn to play chords in different positions. There are 10 different hand positions on the fretboard in which you can play a C chord. Start with a pure C chord, but the more ways you learn how to play a chord, the more flexibility you will have in moving from one chord to the next. It may also come in handy if you decide to try composing music.

Practice daily (at least 5 days a week) for at least half an hour. If you want to learn fast, you must fill your brain with guitar. This includes ear training to understand the pitch and intonation of sounds, comfortable positioning of your body (including legs, back, shoulders and hand position), right hand technique for sound production, and left hand technique for sound control. The most important thing is to train the muscle memory of the hands on the bar.

Practice chords and hand positions without sound while watching TV or talking to a friend. Left hand muscle memory training is much more difficult than right hand muscle memory training (except for string picking). You don't have to use your right hand at all, just play with your left hand many different chords. TV or conversation will help you avoid looking at your hands too often. But when you're learning chords, you need to be careful about the position of your fingers and hand so that muscle memory retains the correct position. Over time, look at your fingers less often, but still check the placement of the hand. Gradually, your confidence in the correct setting will grow, and you will not have to look at your hands so often.

Build up calluses on your fingertips. It hurts. But as soon as the calluses appear, the pain you once felt will disappear. The more you practice, the faster it will happen. There are callus builders you can buy.

Learn barre chords along with open chords. Don't skip barre chords though they are harder to play. As with building up calluses, playing barre chords becomes easier as you practice. The playing of barre chords depends almost entirely on the strength of the left hand.

Exercise your left arm muscles by repeatedly squeezing a tennis ball or similar object for 5 minutes several times a day. (Be careful, this can lead to overvoltage).

Allow yourself to be upset. It's unavoidable. This is fine. A chord that you've been trying to play clean for days or weeks will eventually sound clear and beautiful. Keep working on it. Repeat until you're sure the chord sounds great.

Practice. Practice. Practice. "Practice makes perfection." And it's not just grandmother's tales. Practicing, fight for quality. If you practice carelessly, you will perpetuate bad habits forever. The best aphorism might actually sound like "Practice makes consistency." Just as athletes spin their kettlebells by focusing on a particular part of the body, you can play passages by focusing on various aspects - tone, fluidity, speed, accuracy. By focusing on different aspects of the music separately, you can improve your skills and improve your playing!

Play along with the CD the songs you like. A CD player is a great device for practicing music because it's easy to rewind a CD and repeat even very small parts of a song.

Start playing songs. There are two ways to record music for the guitar. One notation technique is called sheet music and the other is called tablature. Find articles online. The ability to read both ways of writing is extremely valuable.

Play on different types guitars. Start learning bass, play classical guitar, play tenor guitar, play electric guitar. You will be familiar with the sounds various guitars.

1. Enjoy your new guitar playing skills!

   • If you have a friend who is an experienced guitarist, try meeting him once a week to play together. Even though he or she plays a lot better, you'll only save the time it usually takes to learn guitar by simply playing next to him, watching him play, and learning from him.
   • Explore a few ways to test the slenderness of your game. It may take time to develop an ear for music.
   • Pay a little more for a good guitar. If you're thinking about buying your first guitar but aren't sure if you'll enjoy playing it or have the time to practice, buy an inexpensive guitar. If you decide to keep learning, it will be possible to buy a more expensive guitar within your budget. But make sure it's not too cheap. Some guitars can cause you to lose your enjoyment of playing. It is very important to consider the distance between the strings and the fretboard. If the strings are far from the fretboard, then to get a good sound, you have to press the strings harder, which will lead to pain and frustration.
   • Use nylon strings until your fingers are stiff enough to use regular steel strings as they are lighter on your fingers.
   • Instead of practicing longer and less often, try to practice for a short time but often. In doing so, your brain will be able to memorize chords and melodies faster. It will also keep your fingers safe when you start playing the guitar.
   • Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't understand chords. Remember, this is your first time. Just take your time and learn slowly. You will acquire skills one way or another.
   • Try to change the strings regularly - once a month if you practice regularly every day. You will be amazed at the improvement in sound.
   • If you're looking for an alternative to online courses, or want to find more sources for learning guitar, check out public library also have big choice guitar books.
   • Collect tablature of different guitarists. You'll find free tablature online on the first page of search results with a 99 percent chance. Type the title of the song, the name of the musician, and the words "guitar tablature" in the search box. You will have a wide choice regardless of the genre. If you like them, then you can play them.
   • If you have an audio editor - GarageBand or , then you can select only part of the song to study. It helps a lot.
   • It's easy to learn the basics of guitar playing with the help of the above. If you encounter serious difficulties, then you will need the experience and knowledge of a professional teacher. This page is in no way suggesting that the tutors are useless. This page is just to help you get started.
   • If you are left-handed, you must choose your guitar especially carefully. Left-handed guitar will be more natural to you and may be the right choice. However, if you can force yourself to learn right-handed guitar, you will have much more more choice and be able to swap guitars with other guitarists. You don't have to mentally flip the image of the chord to fit your fretboard. After all, both hands should be doing a fairly precise job. You need to avoid choosing one type so that you don't regret your choice.
   • Try using video guitar lessons on TocarGuitar websites. YouTube, Songsterr and ultimate Guitar.
   • Make notes about how you feel and how well you play each time you practice. If you practice daily, you will notice a big difference every day.
   • Choose songs to practice strategically. This resource will teach you how to do it Nobsguitar Newsletter. Most of the ways involve striving for some use of technique and theory from one song to another. Choose parts that you love and can play, and parts that challenge your playing skills.
   • Try to keep notes of your exercises to track your development. Because you can't tell the immediate difference, you may find amazing progress you've made in quite a few short period time.
   • Try to accompany someone singing or playing. This will help develop your technique, rhythm and ear. If you work with other guitarists, try to avoid simple copying.

   Warnings

   • Play the many different guitars you can find at major guitar specialty stores before buying. There are hundreds of guitars in these major stores and you can choose the one that suits you best. Don't let pushy salespeople put pressure on you to buy something when you don't have a choice. Don't get too embarrassed when playing in front of people.
   • Never install steel strings on a classical guitar. classical guitars will not match the tension steel strings. The strings are bent or will break the neck, soundboard, or fretboard. The hulls are built differently and are not interchangeable. You can use nylon strings on an acoustic guitar, but the sound will sound softer, less shiny, and more subdued.
   • Feel free to play in front of other, more experienced guitarists. They were once at your level, and most of them remember what it was like. They also love to share and showcase their playing to up-and-coming musicians.
   • Watch the angle of your left wrist. Since you are self-taught, you will not have a teacher telling you that you are holding your wrist incorrectly. If you bend it too much, you can seriously injure yourself. Keep it straight! If you're unsure, show your technique to someone experienced and ask about proper wrist placement.
   • To prevent your hand from getting hurt, control your calluses. Sand your fingertips several times a week. Polishing and buffing your calluses is important. Over time, the outermost layer of skin will begin to separate. Be sure to polish the calluses then, or the string may get stuck in the open recess of the callus when the chord changes.
   • Buy an electric guitar tuner. You'll save a lot of string sets and be careful when tuning, especially the first string.
   • Playing the guitar can hurt your fingers. You can put some ice in a bowl of water and soak your fingertips for a minute or just pour over them. cold water. This will prevent blisters and hasten the growth of calluses. Wait a while after soaking before playing.