Guitar Lesson Guide

Anyone with the desire to learn how to play guitar can take easy guitar lessons without ever spending a dime. There are a variety of resources available on the internet today which make it relatively easy to learn some of the basics for free.This article contains four easy lessons to aid you in learning how to play the guitar. All you need to get started is a guitar and a pick. Just follow these four easy guitar lessons to get you started in learning how to play the guitar.

Lesson 1: Holding a guitar.

Typically, you play the guitar on the leg while sitting down, but you can also play the guitar while standing; however, you will need a guitar shoulder strap to do so.

You strum the guitar using the pick in your dominant hand, holding the guitar so the guitar body goes to the side of your dominant hand. In other words, if you are right handed, the guiatr body should be closer to your right side, with the neck pointing away to the left.Keep the guitar close to your body. The guitar will sometimes slide off of your leg while you are playing as you lean over to look at the strings and frets. A strap will help prevent this, but you don't necessarily need one if you are careful. Just keep the guitar close to your body. It is important to avoid forming bad habits when you're just starting.

Lesson 2: Understanding strings and frets.

For the three chords you will learn today, you'll be focusing on the first four frets of the guitar. Frets are the the metal vertical bars that are under the strings on the neck of the guitar. Holding a string against different frets will produce different tones. The farther you go from the end of the neck, the higher the tone produced by the string. Since there are six strings on the guitar, there are six horizontal lines on any diagram representing the strings.

Frets are typically represented on a chart by horizontal lines. Numbers are placed at the intersection of a string and a fret which tell you where to place your fingers. Your fingers will be numbered 1-4 starting from the index finger, with the pinky being finger number four.

Lesson 3: Learn three basic guitar chords.

The three most basic guitar chords are A, D and E. These are fairly simple to learn and practicing them will help to train your fingers to play the more complex chords.

Let's start with the D chord. Fingers 1 and 2 will be placed on the second fret. Actually, you want to place your fingers in the space directly behind the fret. Finger 1 will be on the third string and finger 2 will be on the first string. Finger 3 will be placed on (just behind) the third fret on the second string.

The next chord to learn is the E chord, which is an ideal chord for beginners to learn. To play the E chord, place Finger 1 on the first fret on the third string. Finger 2 and 3 are on the second fret, with finger 2 positioned on the fifth string and finger 3 on the fourth string.

The A chord is next and is one of the easiest chords to master. This chord can be played in more than one way but this is the basic method. Fingers 1, 2 and 3 are all positioned on the second fret. Finger 1 goes on the fourth string, finger 2 goes on the third string and Finger 3 goes on the second string.

Lesson 4: Strumming the strings and changing chords.

The first three chords enable you to play some tunes with one additional step which is the strumming. Strumming your guitar is a fundamental skill that is done by dragging the pick up and down across the strings. Start slowly until you get the hang of it, then build up your speed gradually. If your fingers are properly placed, the chords should sound crisp and clear. If you here a buzzing sound or something just doesn't sound right, check your finger position on the frets and make sure your not touching any other strings with your fingers.

Start out by mastering these three basic cords individually, then practice changing from one chord to the next chord until you can move easily from chord to chord. It will take some practice, but after awhile your fingers will be trained to go to the right string and fret without even looking. Just be patient and take your time by starting very slowly and then speeding up the pace as it gets easier and easier.

I hope you've enjoyed this first series of easy guitar lessons. Follow one of the links below for more easy guitar lessons.