Before you ever touch a guitar, you need to know some basics. For example, do you know what the basic foundation of any song is? If you said notes, you are on the right track.
Notes are the building blocks for any guitar song, or any other instrument, for that matter. When you put these notes together, you begin to make chords. Almost every guitar song requires you to know some chords. Basically, a chord is simply a series of notes that are played together, creating a blended and melodic tone, when played correctly.
All beginning guitar lessons, at some point, will have you learning to play guitar chords. Most, if not all beginner lessons will start you out with the easiest chords to play; G, C, D, and A. These are easy because they only require three fingers.
When playing chords, you use the fingers of your fret hand (left if you are right handed, and right if you are left handed) to push down on the strings at the fret on the guitar neck. As you hold those strings, you strum the strings located in front of the hole in the guitar body. It is usually a good idea to start on an acoustic guitar, moving up to electric once you have the basics down.
There are a few things to remember when playing guitar chords. First, do not press down too hard on the strings. This is a mistake that most beginning guitar players make, and it can effect the sound of the chord. It will take some practice, and time to get used to, but you need to find the right balance of pressure to apply to get the right tone. Too hard or soft, and you will get muted tones from your chord.
Another tip to remember when you are learning to play the guitar is to level down the wrist of your fret hand. This will put less strain on your hand, leading to a better quality of sound. Beginners often forget this, and it causes a buzzing sound in the tone of the notes, not to mention a great deal of pain and cramping in your hand. Proper technique is important to maintain good sound and comfort.
Once you have mastered these easy to learn guitar chords, you are ready to begin playing songs. You should start with songs that have less chord movement, also known as progression. You will notice that there are many songs out there that have a very basic chord progression, often using chords that require very little finger movement. Once you can get through one of these songs, try playing it with your eyes closed. Most professional guitar players can get through an entire song without looking at the fret board. Often, the only time that they have to look down is if they are playing a complicated chord or progression, and they have to make sure that their finger placement is correct.
As you learn the guitar chords, you will begin to memorize the hand movements required. The finger and hand positions should become second nature to you. This is very important, because it is impossible to play a song if you have to keep thinking about what your hand is doing. The secret to good guitar playing is practice. Make sure you have good resources to learn, and commit to your lessons daily.
Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson (Stage Guitarist)
