Beginner guide to playing guitar by sam lyons

1 The Beginners Guide To Playing The Guitar

By Sam Lyons www.bestbeginnerguitarlessons.com

The Beginners Guide To Playing The GuitarBy Sam Lyons


By Sam Lyons www.bestbeginnerguitarlesson.com

Table of Contents

Introduction: Unleashing the Guitar Hero in You!....................................... 3

Step #1 – The Basics of Guitar .................................................................... 5

What is a Guitar? ........................................................................................................................ 5

The Parts of the Guitar ................................................................................................................ 5

Holding the Guitar Correctly ....................................................................................................... 6

The Guitar Pick ............................................................................................................................ 8

How To Tune Your Guitar ........................................................................................................... 9

Step #2: Guitar Chords ..............................................................................13

Finger Basics .............................................................................................................................. 13

Strings ....................................................................................................................................... 14

Frets .......................................................................................................................................... 14

The E Chord ............................................................................................................................... 15

The A Chord............................................................................................................................... 16

The G Chord .............................................................................................................................. 17

The D Chord .............................................................................................................................. 18

The C Chord ............................................................................................................................... 19

How To Improve Your Chord Changes ...................................................................................... 20

Step #3: Simple Strumming Patterns .........................................................26

Step #4: Playing Your First Songs ..............................................................27

Step #5: Going Beyond .............................................................................29

Barre Chords ............................................................................................................................. 29

The Best Way To Practice ......................................................................................................... 33

Private Guitar Tuition vs. Online Guitar Lessons ...................................................................... 35

Online Guitar Lessons ............................................................................................................... 36

7 Mistakes Most Guitarists Make – And How To Avoid Them! ................................................ 37

Conclusion ................................................................................................40

3

The Beginners Guide To Playing The Guitar


Introduction: Unleashing the Guitar Hero in You!

Hi Sam Lyons, Owner of BestBeginnerGuitarLesson.com

I hope you enjoy your free copy of The Beginners Guide To Playing Guitar, where I’ll teach you how to play the guitar from the comfort of your own home in just 5 easy steps.

Please feel free to email this e-book to any of your friends, family, or co-workers that you think would enjoy it. They will surely be thrilled that you shared all of this information with them!

I know how frustrating it can be to learn and play the guitar when first starting out...

There's so many things you need to be able to know and do like holding your guitar and your guitar pick, guitar chords, tuning you guitar, barre chords, scales, riffs and licks, reading tablature, music theory, techniques such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, vibrato etc... That it can all get frustrating and overwhelming.

I had always dreamed of playing guitar as a kid.

So a bit over 40 years ago, I reached a point where I was so wanting to learn how to play the guitar that I decided to figure it out on my own.

I read most every guitar lesson book, I watched every guitar video I could find. And you know what, none of them worked very well for me. It was all hit and miss type stuff.

My goal was to be able to play some of my favorite songs on the guitar and to eventually get good enough so that I could play guitar with my friends & family and possibly join in my church music group.

But as I was going along I got burned out with all the theory and drills the courses showed, and I couldn't figure out how to apply the lessons I learned, to play actual real songs on the guitar, which lead me to almost giving up completely my dream of playing the guitar.

Out of what I would refer to as desperation, I spent the next few years getting to know and really studying people who were true experts at the guitar, and I saw things, and I learned things that I could not have imagined I could do.



Once I learned how to play the guitar, I started teaching beginner guitar lessons and have been teaching successfully now for over 36 years. Over these many years, I have created a proven step-by-step system that will teach anyone, regardless of you age, musical ability and talent, how to play the guitar from the comfort of their own homes by using my proven best beginner guitar lessons course online.

In the next few minutes, I’ll be sharing with you some of the essentials from my system that you must know if you want to be able to play the guitar like the way you’ve always wanted.

Let's go have some fun, why wait, let’s get started…



Step #1 – The Basics of Guitar

What is a Guitar?

According to Wikipedia, “The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with either nylon or steel strings. Some modern guitars are made of polycarbonate materials. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers. There are two primary families of guitars: acoustic and electric.”

The Parts of the Guitar

In this section we’ll be learning the essential parts of the guitar, which unfortunately is sometimes taken for granted by some guitarists. Here goes:

The main parts of the guitar are the Head/Headstock, the Neck, and the Body. Here’s a brief description of the other parts of the guitar:

Tuning pegs / Tuners – These are wound clockwise or counter – clockwise which eitherloosen or tighten the strings in order to change the pitch of the string. Used to basicallytune the guitar.

Nut – The white plastic or sometimes a bone strip at the top of the neck and right belowthe headstock. It is basically the starting point of the string that produces sound.



Fretwires – The metal “humps” on the guitar neck parallel to the nut Fretboard/fingerboard – The face of the neck where the fret wires are embedded. Frets – The spaces between the fret wires Inlay/Position Markers – These are dots on the frets to indicate the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th,

15th and 17th frets on the guitar to make it easier to the player Soundhole – An opening on the body of the guitar in order to project and produce

sound Pickguard – A piece of plastic to protect the guitar from damage from the pick Bridge – Anchors the strings to the body of the guitar

There are other parts that aren’t mentioned here, but these are just the basics that you need to get yourself familiarized with.

Holding the Guitar Correctly

Here we will be studying how to properly hold the guitar to maximize learning and lessen the strains of having bad posture. Whether you are sitting or standing, there is really no need to exert stress when holding the guitar… that is if you are doing it right.

There are three ways you can hold the guitar.

1. The casual method:

The casual method is the easiest one where the guitar sits on your right leg comfortably and the guitar is close to your body. Make sure it doesn’t slide down and keep your back straight as well. Don’t hunch. The casual method is great for a more loosened-up practice session on the guitar.



2. The Classical Method:

This method needs you to use a footstool because you are going to place your left foot on the footstool and let the guitar rest on your left leg. This position gives you more access to the guitar neck as you play advanced riffs or do guitar solos.

3. The Standing Up Method:

To do this, you are going to need a guitar strap to hold the guitar in place. You have to find the most comfortable position as to where the body of the guitar is in line with, either higher or lower. Don’t position it too low though because that will make it difficult to access the guitar neck.



The Guitar Pick

This teeny tiny accessory may be small, yet it plays a very significant role in your guitar playing.

It will help produce a better sound from your guitar, and will lessen the stress on your strumming hand. Though some people prefer just to use their fingers, it is still important to know how to use this, just in case you might need it someday.

To properly hold the pick, you must remember that you shouldn’t hold it too firmly so that it can flex easily over the strings as you strum.

You need to hold the pick between the tips of your fingers. Here’s how to do it: You need to form your fingers this way…

Then place the pick in between the index fingers and the thumb like this:

The thumb will give the support of the base of the pick while the index fingers to the tip part of the pick. So that’s basically how to hold a pick or a plectrum.

I demonstrate the best way to hold a guitar pick in my BestBeginnerGuitarLessons.

http://www.bestbeginnerguitarlessons.com

http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/course/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/1.jpg






How To Tune Your Guitar

Now that you have learned a little bit about the guitar, you are now ready to learn about how to tune it. The best way to do this is with a guitar tuner.

A guitar tuner, in very basic terms, is a device that will help you to tune your guitar quickly and accurately. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they all basically perform the same function, and that is to get your guitar strings back in tune. Different brands of guitar tuners may also vary in their price – some may be more expensive than others, but there is nothing wrong with getting yourself a cheaper one first as long as you are able to use it properly and you have a gauge for telling if your guitar strings are in tune or not.

Guitar tuners are very useful in situations where you can’t really tune your guitar by ear. For example, you are playing a gig at a bar, and it’s very noisy, tuning your guitar by ear is not really an option now, is it? It would be difficult to get your guitar in tune if you can’t even hear it properly in the first place. It’s also very useful if you do not have the time to spare to tune a guitar by ear, such as impromptu performances. Because guitar tuners take much less time and effort than tuning by ear, this method is generally preferred in fast-paced situations or in noisy environments.

How does it work?

A guitar tuner will help you get in tune by the reference needle that will point out if your string is either flat, sharp, or in tune. This needle will indicate if the string you are tuning is either too low (meaning it is flat), or it is too high (sharp). Aside from the needle, guitar tuners are equipped with LED display lights – usually in red and green, wherein the green light indicates being in tune, while the red lights will indicate a sharp or flat.

Standard tuning for guitar strings – which means that the strings are set in EADGBe tuning – uses A 440Hz as its standard measure for being in tune. For you to be able to tell if your string is in tune or not, it will have to be pointing to this frequency.

Tuners for acoustic guitars have a built-in microphone, so that it is able to pick up the sound created. The downside with this is that you will have to find a really quiet spot where you can tune your guitar, otherwise, the tuner will pick up other noises in different frequencies, which will make tuning hard for you. For electric and electro-acoustic guitars, on the other hand, there are tuners that have input and output (like the Qwick Tune QT-1), wherein you can simply plug your guitar into, and then plug the amplifier into the output socket. This is very useful when you are tuning during gigs or jam sessions, because when the guitar is plugged into the tuner, it does not pick up any other sound which might tend to mess up the tuning process. Exogenic guitar tuners, such as the Q12E, have the capability of “blocking out” other noise and other unwanted noise signals, which makes tuning in a noisy environment much easier.



Where do I get one?

A guitar tuner is very easy to find. You can always go to your local music shops, and inquire about guitar tuners, and for sure, they will present you with more than one kind available. Otherwise, you can always go to online stores such as www.amazon.com and browse through their available products.

What type of tuner do you recommend that I get?

There are different types of tuners available on the market out there, and it would be best to familiarize ourselves with at least some so that you can get a fair gauge of what would work best for you. Each brand, of course, will basically offer the same function of tuning your guitar, but there will be slight variations in the other features that may be available.

Some additional features on guitar tuners are the metronome (the Korg TM40 has one), which is something very useful to help you keep your rhythm especially when you are playing alone; the pitch pipes Qwick Tune QT11 is the brand that offers this) which plays the note you want to tune in a long, continuous tone. When a note is out of tune, there will be conflicting “vibrations” from the pitch pipe and the guitar string, but this disappears once you get your string in tune. Another useful feature that comes with some guitar tuners is the tuning peg winder (Planet Waves has this), which helps you wrap new strings on your guitar much faster than by ding it by hand.

It would be best to get to know some of the things about guitar tuners, first, so that when you go buy one, you will know what to look for.

Analog and Digital Tuners

What’s the difference between an analog and a digital tuner? Analog tuners have needles that respond to the guitar string’s pitch. Digital tuners have the same function, too, except that some guitarists may argue that analog tuners are much more accurate than digital ones because with a digital tuner, there are only a fixed numbers of positions the needle could point to (because of the whole 1 0 programming thing going on with computers), unlike with analog tuners, where the needle is basically “free” to point to any range on the screen so even the slightest indication of being out of tune will be detected.

Various designs

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Guitar tuners come in the clip-on kind, and the foot-pedal variation. The clip on guitar tuners are clipped onto the guitar, usually at the head stock, and it picks up the vibrations made when you play a string. Foot pedal tuners (just like Korg), just like the name suggests, are larger – they have a larger screen, and it has a stomp button, which will allow you to tune up on stage.

Usually, Korg is the most recommended brand to get when it comes to guitar tuners. It has many different kinds of tuners available, ranging from the cheap ones (they can go for as low as $8 on amazon.com) to the more expensive ones ($90-100). Other reliable brands are Qwik Tune, Behringer, Boss, and Snark. The prices of these all range from the values given. You don’t really need to get yourself a very expensive guitar tuner, as long as it does what it is supposed to do, then you should be all set.

How to tune your guitar using a tuner

Now that you know the basics on guitar tuners, we can now proceed to learning how to tune your guitar using this device. Before we proceed on tuning, however, you must first know the guitar strings and their names. Starting from the top, the thickest string on your guitar, is the sixth string. It is also known as the E string. The one below that, the

fifth string, is the A string. The fourth string is D, the third is G, the second is B, and the first string is E. The E of the first string is the high E, while the one on the sixth string is the low E.

Tuning an acoustic guitar

If you are using an acoustic guitar, it is important for you to do your tuning in a quiet place so that the guitar tuner will not pick up other noises that could interfere with the tuning. When you have found your quiet spot, turn on the tuner, and then pick the string you wish to tune, and see where the tuner’s needle points, if the note is sharp or flat. Observe also the lights on the tuner as you make adjustments on the string. When the needle points at 0, and when the light is steady at green, then you have your string in tune.

Tuning an electric guitar

For electric guitars, it is more convenient to use the plug-in type of tuners, especially when you are jamming with others. Plug-in tuners, as mentioned earlier, are the type that have input and output, so you can just plug your guitar into it, and plug the amplifier on the output. This way, outside sounds do not interfere with your tuning. Once you have plugged the guitar into the tuner, and you have connected the tuner to the amplifier, you can tune your strings pretty much the same way as with the process for the acoustic guitar.

Tips

The Snark Sn-1 is a great

guitar tuner which be

purchased for about $10

on Amazon.com

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With any piece of electronic equipment, it is essential for you to read the manual first in order to familiarize yourself with how the equipment works, how to properly care for it, and other important things to know. The same goes for your guitar tuner. If you are getting one, make sure you don’t get too excited that you use it without even bothering to read the manual. If you are using an acoustic guitar, and your tuner is the type that has a built-in microphone, it is best to go to a quiet spot and tune your guitar there, so that there won’t be added noise to add to that of the sound produced by the guitar strings.

Take good care of your guitar tuner – make sure it does not get wet, or exposed to too much heat and moisture, because these things will affect your equipment. As much as possible, too, keep your guitar tuner clean and away from potentially damaging things – soda, food, and other things that might slip your mind in the excitement.

I demonstrate how to tune your guitar using a tuner in my Best Beginner Guitar Lessons.




Step #2: Guitar Chords

Now for the fun part, actually playing the guitar! It is essential to practice playing the guitar. It is not that difficult to make sounds on the guitar but if you want to make these sounds pleasing to the ear, you have to practice.

Finger Basics

Before getting started, let's talk for a moment on hand and finger basics. You will obviously have one fretting hand, which is the hand responsible for creating chords or single notes, and you will have your picking or strumming hand. Both hands are equally important. I believe that anyone can create a chord with their fretting hand, but the real magic happens with your picking hand as there are so many ways to make sounds come out of the strings

Above is a diagram of your fretting hand and how to refer to your fingers. This will be a great visual aid for correct chord placement. It will be tempting to cheat with finger placement on some of the chords, but there are specific reasons for using specific fingers for constructing the chords.

There is a correct way and an incorrect way to hold a pick with your strumming hand. You'll want to lightly rest the pick between your thumb and forefinger. Your forefinger needs to be arced so that it forms a semi-circle. The pick will rest between the first and second knuckles on the forefinger.

Each finger consists of three knuckles, one right above the fingernail, one half way up the finger and the last where the finger meets with the hand. The first and second are referring to the ones right above the fingernail and half way up the finger.

From here you will place your thumb on the pick creating a loose yet stable pressure.



As you become more advanced in your guitar playing, you will learn that there are several ways to hold a pick and all of which will be held between the thumb and forefinger. Do not let yourself fall into the trap of holding the pick with the tips of your thumb, forefinger and middle finger. This is incorrect and is a very bad habit to break.

Strings

If you’ve got a guitar, electric or acoustic, you’d probably already have noticed that there are six strings strung on the guitar. I’ll quickly let you know what strings are what so you know which strings to put your fingers on.

If you are holding the guitar, the string closet to you (starting at the top) is the low-E string, known as the 6th string. Moving our way down the guitar (towards the ground) we have our A string known as the 5th string. Moving a string down we have our D string (4th String). Our next string is our 3rd string (this is our G string). Our next string is the B string (2nd string). Lastly we have our high-e string, which is our 1st string.

So to summarize, here are our strings from top (thickest string) to bottom (thinnest string):

Low-e string (thickest string) = 6th string

A string = 5th String

D string = 4th string

G string = 3rd string

B string = 2nd string

High-e string (thinnest string) = 1st string

Frets

With the number of frets varying from guitar to guitar, in the course we will be mainly playing in the first three frets. There are a couple of chords that we will play a couple of frets higher, however, most will be played in frets 1 to 3.

Let’s begin with open chords. Open chords are basic chord formations that all guitar players learn how to play first.

The first chord we will be learning is….



The E Chord

For me, the E chord was the very first chord I learned to play when I was getting started with the guitar.

I’ve decided to start with this chord first because out of all the different chords available, I believe the E chord is probably the easiest to master as your fingers are grouped closely together, it’s easy to remember, and you can strum every string unlike some other chords like D, where you can’t play the top 2 stings.

Step 1: Press your 2nd finger on the 5th string, in the 2nd fret

Step 2: Press your 3rd finger on the 4th string (directly below your

2nd finger) in the 2nd fret.

Step 3: Press your 1st finger on the 3rd string in the 1st fret.

Step 4: Strum the guitar from the 6th string to the 1st string.

As I mentioned earlier, the E chord is a great chord because you’re allowed to strum every single string, even those that aren’t pressed down like the 6th, 2nd & 1st string. This makes it easier as you don’t need to worry about what stings you’re strumming, allowing you to focus on the proper placement of your fingers.



The A Chord

I like the A Chord, and to be perfectly honest, I was debating on whether I should feature this chord first instead of the E Chord.

The only reason why I chose the E chord over the A chord, is because when you strum this chord, you need to make sure you don’t play the 6th (low-E) string. We’ll chat about that a little more in a few moments, but let’s learn how to play the A Chord first.

Step 1: Press your 2nd finger on the 4th string in the 2nd fret

Step 2: Press your 3rd finger on the 3rd string in the 2nd fret.

(Directly below your 2nd finger)

Step 3: Press your 4th Finger on the 2nd string in the 2nd fret

(Directly below your 3rd finger)

Step 4: To strum the A Chord, you begin playing the chord at

the 5th string. So make sure you do not play the 6th (Low-E)

string otherwise your chord will sound off.

Side Note: Even though the 5th string & 1st string aren’t pressed, ensure you include those strings when you strum. Those 2 strings are played open, meaning not pressed.



The G Chord

The next chord we will master is the G chord. I believe the G chord is slightly harder to play than the E Chord because you need to stretch your fingers a little more. However like the E chord, you can strum every string, even those that are not pressed down.

Step 1: Press your 2nd Finger on the 6th string in the 3rd fret.

Step 2: Press your 1st finger on the 5th string in the 2nd fret.

Step 3: Press your 3rd finger, on the 1st string in the 3rd fret.

Step 4: Strum the guitar starting from the 6th string. Ensure you

include every string along the way.

How did you go with the G Chord? Can you play it?

When I first learnt the G Chord, I remember having a few issues with getting my 3rd finger all the way down to the 1st (High-E) string, while keeping my other 2 fingers pressed down on the first 2 strings. If you’re having issues with this too, don’t stress, because with some repetition and practice, this chord will become a walk in the park.



The D Chord

Step 1: Press your 1st finger on the 3rd string in the 2nd fret.

Step 2: Press your 2nd finger on the 1st string in the 2nd fret.

Step 3: Press your 3rd finger on the 2nd string in the 3rd fret.

Step 4: To strum the D Chord, you begin playing the chord at

the 4th string. This means the 4th string is played open.

With this chord, you’ll need to pay special attention to ensuring you don’t strum the top 2 strings (ie. 6th & 5th Strings).

When I started playing this chord I remember I would accidentally strum the top 2 strings without meaning it. This will happen from time to time, and all you can do is take it slow and be careful. With the guitar practice makes perfect, and practice is something you’ll need to do, even if its 5 minutes per day.



The C Chord

Step 1: Press your 3rd finger on the 5th string in the 3rd fret.

Step 2: Press your 2nd finger on the 4th string in the 2nd fret.

Step 3: Press your 1st finger on the 2nd string in the 1st fret.

Step 4: To strum the C chord, simply strum staring at the 5th

string.

The 4th and 1st strings are played open. However the 6th (low-E) string is not played in this chord.

At first it can seem impossible to stretch your finger all the way down to the 1st string, but with some practice, and stretching it shouldn’t take long until you can play a C major chord easily.

I go into great detail on how to play all the chords we’ve covered so far in my Best Beginner Guitar Lessons online course.

So if you would like more guidance on learning and playing the guitar… *click here*




How To Improve Your Chord Changes

I’m pretty sure the reason why you are reading this section right now is because as a beginner, you are struggling with chord changes.

Let me tell you this, you are not alone in this sticky situation. In fact, this is one of the most difficult and frustrating parts of the guitar learning process that you need to overcome. If you visit any guitar forum, you will see a lot of beginners out there sharing their difficulties with mastering chord changes.

This is a big problem because if you can’t change from one chord to another fast enough, this creates an unnecessary “pause” in your performance which totally destroys the idea of playing a song smoothly on the guitar. It’s not only frustrating, it’s rather annoying to have a lot of pauses while playing a song.

So with this in mind, I have created this section in order to make your life easier.

So let’s go ahead and start the ball rolling and start improving our chord changes!

Step 1: Pick a Song

Since I mentioned that we will be using my Best Beginner Guitar Lessons, the first step is to choose your song. You have to choose carefully and you have to consider your comfort level too. That goes to show that you don’t necessarily have to choose a song that’s fit for an expert yet. Start with easy guitar songs first, then you can go ahead and choose a more challenging song. I’ve compiled a list here of easy songs that are great to practice your chord changes:

1. Bad Moon Rising by Credence Clearwater Revival2. Last Kiss by Pearl Jam3. Stand by Me by Oasis4. Good Riddance by Greenday5. Free Falling by Tom Petty6. Wild Thing by the Troggs7. I’m Yours by Jason Mraz8. Leaving on a Jetplane by John Denver9. Teardrops On My Guitar by Taylor Swift10. Hey There Delilah by Plain White T’s

The list is just endless. You can even pick your favorite song and use it for your practice. It’s really your choice – which makes it great.

For this guitar guide, I will be using Last Kiss by Pearl Jam (which is my personal favorites) to show you how to do it.



Step 2: Learn the Chords

Now that you have your song, the next step is to search for the chords. If you know the chords already, then that’s great. If you don’t then that’s no problem at all.

With the internet, you can easily find the chords to any song that you could think of. The site I normally recommended is http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ which has all the information that we need. For our example, I will search for the chords of the song Last Kiss.

1. You just type your song in the search box

2. And there you have it!



Whether you choose a love song, or a heavy metal song, you can find the chords and tabs in Ultimateguitar.com.

Step 3: Get a Metronome

The next step is to secure a metronome. According to the web, “A metronome is a practice tool that produces a steady pulse (or beat) to help musicians play rhythms accurately. The pulses are measured in beats-per-minute (BPM). Most metronomes are capable of playing beats from



35 to 250 BPM. Common uses of the metronome are helping you to maintain an established tempo while practicing, and learning difficult passages.”

This device will you give you steady and timed. You will use the beats to change from one chord to another and work on increasing the speed of the beats gradually. You will understand the whole concept when you get to use it – which is in the next step of this guide.

You may think a metronome is unnecessary, but this device is really important to help you improve your chord changes. Another benefit is you will also see your progress and how good you’re doing as you increase the tempo/speed.

Where to Get One

Option #1: You can buy a physical metronome at Amazon, like this one here:

Option #2: If you are hesitant to fork out a few dollars for this device, then you can always get free metronomes online.

Here’s one that you can use for free: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

Aside from that, you can also download a metronome app for iPhone or Android phones too. Just pick what is the most convenient for you at the moment.

http://www.metronomeonline.com/

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Step 4: Start Slow

Alright! So now that we have a metronome, it’s time to start improving our chord changes.

So for our example, let’s go back to the song Last Kiss by Pearl Jam – which we know from step #2 uses the chords G – Em – C – D, which is repeated throughout the whole song.

So here’s what we have to do:

1. Set the metronome to a slow tempo. 60 beats per minute is a great tempo to start with.2. Now, we are going to do four counts. Literally that’s 1..2..3..4 and 1..2..3..4 and so on, in

time with the beating from the metronome.3. The next step that is to combine the metronome with our song. Using ‘Last Kiss By Pearl

Jam’ as an example, we start with the G major chord on the first beat, then count2…3…4 in time with our metronome. We then go the Em chord and count 2…3…4. Nextwe go to C major chord then count 2…3…4 in time with the metronome, then go to theD and count 2…3…4… and go back to the G again.

Side Note: You need to make sure you do it in time with the beating from the metronome. If 60 bpm is too fast for you, you can change it to 40 or 50 bpm – it depends on what you are most comfortable with.

At this point, you don’t need to strum yet. We’ll deal with that later on, because right now we are mainly focusing on improving our chord changes in this exercise.

Step 5: Gradually increase the speed

The next step that we will be doing is to gradually increase the progression ie. Your speed

Once you are comfortable changing form one chord to another with your initial metronome BPM, then it’s time to increase the pace.

You can do it by gradually increasing your metronome by 10 bpm.

Once you are again comfortable with the said pace, increase it by another 10 bpm – until you can confidently and smoothly change from one chord to another effortlessly.

Additional Tips

Here are some additional tips that will help you make chord changes easy:

If you find those chord changes too overwhelming, you can always break up the song into smaller chunks and do “micro practice” until you get it right.



In our example which is Last Kiss, instead of going from G, to Em, to C, and then to D, you start first with G, then go to Em, then back to G, then to Em until you are comfortable with it. Then, you can move on to Em to C, then finally from C to D. Then, after all that’s done, you can then go back to the correct pattern: G, to Em, to C, and then finally to D and gradually increase the pace.

Another tip is to find out which chord changes you are having the most difficulty with, and then focus on working that out.

For most people, they don’t have problems changing from G to Em, and C to D, but have much more difficulty changing from Em to C. So that’s the part that you need to focus on practicing.

So applying the principle, start slow then gradually increase the pace. As you can see, the metronome is really useful for this exercise.

The steps that I have shown you are not magic tricks – you still need to consistently practice because unfortunately you cannot improve your chord changes overnight. But what I can guarantee is that the tips and the methods that I’ve introduced to you today will make it simpler, and its results are guaranteed.

Chord changes are indeed hard – but it can be managed. Even professional guitar players had difficulties with this when they were still starting out too. So just hang in there. Do the practice steps, follow the methods that I have shared, consistently do it every single day, and I’m pretty sure that in no time at all, you’ll be able to command your audience’s attention and leave them in awe with your performance as you confidently play your favorite songs on your guitar with perfection.



Step #3: Simple Strumming Patterns

So, now that we have learned a bunch of chords where we were mostly working with our left hand (known as our fretting hand), it’s now time to start working on our right hand as we learn some very basic strumming patterns.

This can be fairly challenging because it takes a great deal of practice to put everything together to perform a flawless song on the guitar.

Here are a few strumming patterns that every beginner should at least know:

Strumming Pattern 1

This for me is the easiest and perhaps one of the most popular strumming patterns on the guitar. Here’s how the pattern goes…

D D U U D

This is strumming pattern can be used in a lot of different songs and genres.

Strumming Pattern 2

This is my favorite strumming pattern of all time as it’s used in a bunch of easy and great sounding songs on the guitar. Songs such as Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, Last Kiss by Pearl Jam, Good Riddance by Green Day to name a few, all use this strumming pattern which is a slight extension on pattern #1.

D D U U D U

I go into great detail on how to play different strumming patterns and more, in my ‘Best Beginner Guitar Lesons Online’.

http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/members/guitar-kickstarter




Step #4: Playing Your First Songs

After you have learned some basic chords and strumming patterns, you are now ready to play some songs on the guitar.

I haven’t met anyone yet who bought a guitar saying “oh boy, I can’t wait to do a whole bunch of boring drills and exercises for no good reason”. Everyone I know who has bought a guitar has told me all the songs they’re looking forward to being able to play once they get good enough.

I find most people have their personal favorites whether it is their favorite songs, favorite bands, or favorite pieces of music. Almost everyone knows their favorite songs by heart and is anxious to play them. This is great. However, it is best to slow down and learn a few basic songs that can assist you in getting the feel for the structure of songs and the feel for timing.

This will also be your first opportunity to sing along with your instrument.

Unfortunately it’s extremely difficult to teach someone how to play songs on the guitar through an ebook, (it’s more a visual thing). However, here are a few great songs that I teach in my ‘Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online", which are great for beginners:

1. Wild Thing by The Troggs (E, A & D Major Chords)

2. Hound Dog by Elvis (E, A & D Major Chords)

3. Last Kiss by Pearl Jam (G, C, E Minor & D Major Chords)

4. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (G, C, E Minor & D Major Chords)

5. Good Riddance by Green Day (G, Cadd9, E Minor & D Major Chords)

6. Closing Time by Semi Sonic (G, D, A minor & C Major Chords)

7. House of the Rising Sun by The Animals (A Minor, C, D & F Major Chords)

8. Sweet Home Alabama (D, C & G Major Chords)

9. Bad Moon Rising by CCR (D, A & G Major Chords)

Here’s an example of how to play one of the very first “REAL” songs I learned to play on the

guitar, which is Wild Thing by The Troggs.

Note: You’ll find step by step lessons of how to play other songs in my Best Beginner

Guitar Lessons Online.




Wild Thing by The Troggs

A D E D A D E

Wild thing.. .you make my heart sing...

D A D

You make everything

E D

Groovy

A D E

I said wild thing...

A

Wild thing, I think I love you

But I wanna know for sure

Come on, hold me tight

I love you

A D E D 2x

A D E D A D E


D A D

You make everything

E D

Groovy

A D E


A

Wild thing, I think you move me

But I wanna know for sure

So come on, hold me tight

You move me

A D E D 2x

A D E D A D E


D A D

You make everything

E D

Groovy

A D E


A D E

C'mon, c'mon, Wild Thing

A D E

Shake it, shake it, Wild Thing... 2x



Step #5: Going Beyond

Barre Chords

What Are Barre Chords?

A barre chord is a technique used in guitar playing that is common to both popular and classical styles of music. The barre chord (it’s also known as “bar chord”) is a kind of guitar chord played by pressing one or more fingers down on multiple strings across the guitar fingerboard. Because the finger acts like a bar pressing down on the guitar strings, it became known as the bar chord. Barre chords widen the guitarist’s playing horizons because with this kind of chord, the guitarist’s playing is not restricted by the tones of the guitar’s open strings. And because of the way the hand is positioned when playing a barre chord, the hand can easily be moved up and down the guitar neck in one movement – hence, barre chords are also known as “moveable chords”.

Why Do We Need Barre Chords?

When one starts learning to play the guitar, of course one will start with the very basic chords. These basic chords do not involve using one’s finger as a bar yet, so compared to bar chords, they really are much easier to learn, play, and master. But see, there will come a time in every musician’s life when these basic chords are no longer enough to express the music we wish to convey. This is where barre chords will come in handy. Barre chords are used for more complex chord voicings that basic chords are not quite suited for.

What Are The Different Types of Barre Chords?

For this lesson, we will tackle two types of barre chords: the E shape, and the A shape. Under these two chord shapes fall four other subcategories and these are:

The major chords

The 7th Chords

The Minor Chords

The Minor 7th Chords

Although it would be good to know the different types of chords, for now, we are only going to focus on the major chords in the E and A shape.



Now for this lesson, we will begin by learning the F Major Chord. It is one of the basic barre chords that are held in the E shape.

Remember that barre chords are also called “movable chords”. If you will recall, we already mentioned earlier that barre chords are the kind of chords you can easily move up and down the guitar’s neck.

By learning the F Major Chord and mastering it, learning other barre chords will be a lot easier for you because you just have to move your hand up and down the guitar’s neck! Now, on to learning the F Major chord….

How To Play Barre Chords Held In The Shape of ‘E’

As you can see on the picture, if you disregard the “bar” or the index finger, you will notice that what is left is the form of an E Major chord.

We are basically moving the E Major chord to another location, then we bar, or press down the open strings with our index finger. You can also relate the index finger, or the bar to the nut of the guitar.

This is the reason why bar chords are called “movable chords” because of this capability. We are just simply transferring the E major chord and the nut (in the form of index finger to bar the open strings) to another fret to achieve, or create another chord.

Here’s my 3 step approach for playing barre chords held in the shape of ‘E’.



Step 1: The Index Finger

1. Lay the index finger (your first finger) across all six strings in the first fret.

2. Once you have done so, pick each string individually to make sure that each note isclear.

Common Problem Encountered at this Step: For beginners, especially, a common problem with “barring” is that one or more strings will sound muted.

Solution: Instead of laying the index finger flat on the strings, try rolling your finger a bit so that the outer edge is pressing down and not the soft part of your finger. You may have to adjust your wrist to be able to achieve this, but with practice, you will get the hang of it.

Step 2: The Alternate E Major Chord

1. Remember the E major chord? Playing the alternate E major chord is very similar tothat, except that we will have to move the positioning of the fingers.

2. Now, recall the shape of the E major chord. The second finger will take the first finger’splace, so it will press down on the 3rd string on the first fret.

3. The third and fourth fingers will be positioned in the second fret, and these will bepressing down on the 5th and 4th strings.

Common Problem Encountered at this Step: Sometimes, the fourth finger tends to overlap onto another string. When this happens, one or more notes of the chord will end up sounding muted. Tip for this step: Rest your index finger on the nut of the guitar. As for the overlapping of the fourth finger, this will take a bit of practice. Adjust the position of your wrist until you can position your pinky finger in such a way that it no longer overlaps on another string. Just keep practicing this, and you will eventually be able to overcome this little hurdle.

Step 1: Index Finger

Step 2: Alternate E Chord

Step 3: Putting It Together



Step 3: Putting It All Together

1. Play the alternate E Major chord – be sure to pluck each string to make sure that eachnote is properly sounding out.

2. Now move that alternate E major chord one fret up – your second finger will now be inthe 3rd string on the second fret, while the third and fourth fingers will be positioned onthe third fret, on the 5th and 4th strings. Once you have your fingers positioned, pickeach string to be sure that all notes are sounding out properly.

3. Now lay your index finger across the first fret (keep in mind the tips we studied earlierto make that bar correctly).

4. Once you have your barre chord in place, pluck each string to make sure that there areno muted strings.

Positioning your thumb: Now so far, we have only discussed the index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers. You may be wondering, “What am I going to do with my thumb, then?” Remember that your thumb should always be behind the guitar neck, and not on top of it. Your thumb basically acts as the support of the rest of your fingers when playing barre chords. The neck of your guitar should be “sandwiched” in between your thumb and the rest of your fingers playing the chords.

http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/barre-chords-made-easy/

http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/barre-chords-made-easy/



The Best Way To Practice

Since you now know the basics on how to play the guitar, it is now your job to get better at everything you have learned. To perfect your skills you should practice regularly. Practicing the guitar can be aggravating and tiresome but if you get better at playing the instrument then you will end up having more fun. You will begin enjoying practice more and more.

To improve your guitar playing, you will have to set aside time to practice. It is important to set aside time every day to practice. Spend at least fifteen minutes a day practicing what you have learned. This will help you a great deal. In the beginning you will have sore fingers but if you play every day, your fingers will get tougher and after a time they will not hurt anymore.

There are a few things that you can do to get into the habit of practicing your guitar. Be sure to put aside between fifteen and twenty minutes a day to practice. Practice in an environment that is quiet and you can put your complete concentration on practicing your guitar. Be sure to stretch your arms hands and fingers before you begin to play. If you are playing an electric guitar remember to turn off the distortion so that you can clearly hear your mistakes. Know what you are going to practice ahead of time because this makes your practice a whole lot easier.

Be sure your guitar is in tune. Be sure that you are sitting properly, holding the guitar properly and using the pick in the right way.

In my online course, I encourage my students to use a 15 minute practice routine at a minimum each day at least 5 days per week.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1 is to think of certain time of the day where you can dedicate 15 minutes to playing the guitar. If you don't have 15 minutes, you need to start thinking of HOW you COULD get 15 minutes per day for practice.

After that, the next step is to break the 15 minute session into three small chunks of 5 minutes each.

The first 5 minutes of your practice session is dedicated to Chords & Scales.

The Second 5 minutes is dedicated to Technical Playing

The Final 5 Minutes is dedicated to Musical Playing

http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/12-week-guitarist



So what do you actually learn and do in each section?

Great question, I'm glad you asked :-)

Section #1: Chord & Scales - In this section you focus on learning New chords, chord progressions, Barre chords, Major & minor scales, pentatonic scales etc..

Section #2: Technical Playing - In this section you focus on learning and improving your strumming Patterns, Alternate Picking, Finger Picking, Left Hand Exercises, Bending, Vibrato etc...

Section #3: Musical Playing - This is where you get to apply everything from Section #1 & #2 by Learning new songs, playing songs you already know, learning new riffs, jamming along with friends etc..

Remember to be patient. Playing the guitar is difficult in the beginning and you may feel like you want to give up and that there is no way you can learn to play. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyone has problems when they learn an instrument for the first time. Just put in daily practice and don’t concern yourself with how you did until you have another practice session. Be sure to remember that playing the guitar should be enjoyable.



Private Guitar Tuition vs. Online Guitar Lessons

Because the age of the internet has made it so easy to buy a guitar at discounted prices, more people than ever before are now taking up guitar lessons. But the web is not just good for finding a bargain - you can also learn to play guitar online too. This is a far cry from the choices we had just a few years ago, when our only options were private guitar tuition or getting a book from the bookstore or by mail order. In this article, we will discuss the plus points and problems associated with each method of learning guitar.

Private Tuition: Taking Guitar Lessons From a Tutor

Many will argue that the only way to master the guitar is to learn from a professional guitar player through one-on-one lessons. There can be no substitute for practicing under the watchful eye of an experienced musician who can intervene and guide you through the more difficult aspects of your guitar lessons. The one problem faced by those wanting to learn this way is that the cost can put it beyond their reach. Many cannot afford up to $60 for an hour of tuition, so their dreams of playing guitar fall by the wayside.

If you are in the fortunate position to be able to afford lessons in your home or at a studio, then having someone in the room with you teaching you how to play guitar could be right for you, provided that you are happy to take both instruction and constructive criticism from them. Some people have a natural aversion to anyone 'telling them what to do'. If you are one of those people, then maybe you would be better considering the options outlined later.

Home Study Courses and Taking Guitar Lessons Online

Before the advent of high speed broadband internet, if you wanted to study guitar at home, you had to buy a book or video. If you were lucky, it was in stock at the store. If not, you probably faced a delay of a few weeks before you could get started. Today, it is so easy to buy and instantly download digital products (books and high resolution videos), that you can literally begin your guitar practice within minutes of your purchase. Another upside of digital delivery is that production costs are so low that the savings are passed on to the customer, making some complete courses cheaper than a few hours with a music teacher.

Learning guitar online has no time constraints. You do not have to travel across town before your lesson starts, and if you feel like going through some theory or chord practice at 2am you can (though your family and neighbors might have something to say about it!).

The Bottom Line There are advantages and disadvantages to each method discussed here. There is no 'best' way to learn guitar because every person is different. Before you take the plunge, think about the following:

What sort of guitar do you want to play?



Is there a particular genre you are interested in playing?

Are you wanting to play for fun/recreation or do you want to play in a band?

Is there a timescale within which you want to achieve a certain level of skill?

How much time and money are you able to commit to learning how to play guitar?

When you have honestly answered these questions, you should be able to decide whether private guitar tuition or online guitar lessons are the right learning route for you to take. The important thing is that you have fun whichever way you learn.

Online Guitar Lessons

Feeling overwhelmed trying to find the best online guitar lessons?

After playing guitar for over 40 years, and helping thousands of people from all over the world to achieve their dreams of playing guitar, I’ve tried & tested the most popular lessons online. And you know what; none of them have done very well for me, or for my students. It’s all been hit and miss stuff.

So what I’ve done, is I’ve created a proven, step-by-step system... A simple a to z system that can teach anyone, regardless of age, musical ability and talent, how to play the guitar from the comfort of their own home using my unique 'Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online'.

I call it... Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online.

This is my own course here at BestBeginnerGuitarLessons.com, and what really separates this course from the rest is…

1. The simple step by step structure of the course,2. My unique song based approach for learning the guitar3. Email coaching and one on one guidance

My Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online is designed for people who have always dreamed of playing the guitar, but not really sure of the best way to do it.

My course is laid out in an easy to follow, step by step manner so you don’t get overwhelmed with the guitar. My unique approach was developed so people can learn the guitar by learning the right way.

Here’s what one of my students recently said about the Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online…

“I’ve tried to play guitar for several years now. I tried searching the web for beginner guitar courses. Nothing seemed to work. I found them too unorganized and hard to understand, finally left without making any progress and not getting answers to my questions."




Now not only do I know how to strum the guitar properly, which was one of my biggest challenges – but I received answers to all the questions I had personally from Sam himself. Simplicity and easy to understand lessons is the biggest asset of his guitar course. But most importantly I started to play guitar for real! I plan on going through his entire course being offered here and enjoy the rest of my life playing songs on my guitar.

Thank you Sam as you made the reality of learning to play the guitar come true!”

Calvin – LA

I highly recommend checking out my Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online by clicking here

Note: And best of all it's FREE of charge for everyone!

7 Mistakes Most Guitarists Make – And How To Avoid Them!

Like everyone else, we aren't immune to making mistakes -regardless of our constant effort and hard work. Often these mistakes are due to lack of guidance, or too much of it, or just the plain confusion of trying something totally new. Below is a list of the biggest mistakes most beginner guitarists make and how to stay away from them.

Big Mistake # 1: Practicing Incorrectly.

Practicing for long hours on the guitar can be mentally stressful, but you shouldn't be physically burned out. If you feel tired even after half an hour of practice, chances are that you are doing it incorrectly. Improper posture and positioning of the guitar can paramount to unnecessary physical stress that can make practice time a struggle.

Here's a couple tips to help you out:

Try not to hunch your back, keep your guitar angled towards you slightly, and ensure the dip of the guitar is resting on your lap on the same side as your strumming hand.

Big Mistake # 2: Expecting Miracles and Lightning Results.

Like learning anything new, playing the guitar takes time, patience and a lot of practice!

If you are mislead by others thinking that playing the guitar can happen overnight, then you are on a long, frustrating journey. Be prepared to face challenges, practice, and encounter mistakes along the way. With your hard work and patience, rewards will surely await you.




Big Mistake # 3: Choosing the Wrong Songs To Practice

Trying to play songs that are clearly out of your interest zone is like trying to stomach down a moldy sandwich - it just doesn't work.

Since you will be spending long hours trying to perfect something on the guitar, better choose the songs that are closest to your heart. Not only will you be excited to perfect the piece, you will also find that time will just slip by without you noticing.

Beginner guitar songs don't need to be boring. There are a ton of songs perfect for first-time guitar players which I’ve listed previously in step #4.

Big Mistake # 4: Pushing Beyond Your Limits

Pushing yourself beyond what is right isn't only emotionally and physically straining, but it'll also dampen your motivation and lead you to the dead end road of frustration.

Still having difficulties perfecting the F barre chord after long hours of practice? Stand up and go for a walk. Distract yourself to something that doesn't involve the guitar, music or chords. Read a good book, play a relaxing game or take Buddy out for a breath of fresh air. Once you are calmed, relaxed and de-stressed, pick up your guitar again.

Never try to practice when you are on the brink of frustration. Remember, these things take time. Be patient.

Big Mistake # 5: Not Having a Roadmap to Success

Always make a clear set of goals that you want to achieve on the guitar.

Try to plan out the songs that you want to play, the chords associated with it, and the other things that you plan to learn.

Having a guide or a "roadmap to success" will clearly illustrate the things that you have achieved so far and things that you have yet to accomplish.

Big Mistake # 6: Learning Just Theory

Trying to memorize hundreds of chords and scales, and how to execute them is totally useless if you can't appreciate how they apply to your guitar playing.

For a better way to learn guitar, try my "Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online".



Choose your favorite beginner song (take note of mistake #3), search for the chords and practice playing it. Once you have mastered the song, choose another song and do the same steps.

This way, you put into heart the chords that you have learned and you get to apply it by playing your favorite song!

Over time, you will learn various chords, scales and different finger plucking in a pace that's less frustrating and thoroughly enjoyable.

Big Mistake # 7: Giving Up

Lastly, if you feel beaten down, frustrated and extremely tired, NEVER, NEVER Ever GIVE UP.

Van Halen, Steve Vai, John Lennon and other prominent guitarists all faced the same difficulties that you're facing right now at some point while they were still learning to strum, fret and learn to play the guitar.

Always see the positive side of things. If you are facing a handful of difficulties, it just means that you are learning - and that's good.



Conclusion

Learning something is always difficult at first, so do your best not to get frustrated if your fingers start hurting, the guitar goes out of tune, your neighbors begin complaining, or if you don’t sound great right away. All great guitarists had to begin where you are right now.

The difference between those that try and give up, and those who become great guitar players, is that great guitar players keep trying no matter what.

Just remember that playing the guitar should be fun. Don’t give up, keep practicing and enjoy yourself.

Before you know it you will be the next guitar hero!

WHAT’S NEXT? If you’re serious about learning to play the guitar, I put together Best Beginner Guitar Lessons Online just for you, to give you the jump start that you need to really super charge your success, the right way.

Or, if you’re already making progress with learning the guitar, my course will give you the exact techniques and secrets that my readers and students use every day. They’ll really give you a huge edge over almost everyone else in the pursuit of learning to play the guitar.

I’ve spent the last 36 years testing and examining loads of “learn to play guitar” products, systems, and methods. When the dust settled, I came away with core principles and methods, a few of which I shared with you today, that I combined to create my super-efficient method for learning to play the guitar quickly & easily from the comfort of your own home.

It’s really EASY to follow, and it teaches you how to play guitar the right way.

I've found that most people go about learning to play the guitar the WRONG way and do the WRONG things. With my system, I'll teach you the RIGHT way and the RIGHT things to do.

If you don't know much about how to play guitar chords, how to read tablature, how to tune your guitar by ear, how to understand music theory, how to play barre chords etc… my online course will help you tremendously.



If you think you're already somewhat knowledgeable in the areas mentioned before, my course will save you loads of time, and make you even more successful with your efforts.

To get my free beginner guitar lessons course on how to play guitar, simply get online, open up your web browser and go to this website:

www.BestBeginnerGuitarLesson.com

On that page you’ll find my entire guitar course I’ve created for you. Plus there are few surprises too, but you’ll need to check it out now if you want to take advantage of them. The opportunity is up for the taking. The only question is, “Will you be my next Success story? Go ahead and visit www.BestBeginnerGuitarLessons.com right now to try out my proven beginner guitar system 100% risk free.

Well, I want to thank you again for taking action by reading this eBook today. I hope it inspires you and helps you in your endeavor to learn the guitar, and I really hope you take advantage of my best beginner guitar lessons online so I can continue to help you learn to play the guitar.

If you think any of your friends, family, or co-workers would benefit from reading this eBook, please do them a favor and pass it on.

Here’s to learning to play the guitar the right way.

Sam Lyons www.BestBeginnerGuitarLessons.com


http://www.beginnerguitaristacademy.com/members/guitar-kickstarter



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Beginner guide to playing guitar by sam lyons