Guitar lessons for beginners

Learning to play guitar starts with a good foundation. This page offers a comprehensive guide for beginners who want to start guitar lessons. Also read guitar lessons for children and guitar lessons for adults.

What are the most important basic chords for beginners on guitar?

The most important chords for beginners are G, D, Em, Am, C, and E. These chords form the basis for many popular songs and are easy to learn and play. The reason for this is that they use open strings. Some strings of the chord do not need to be pressed with the fingers of the left (right) hand, which makes the grip easier to translate into sound. Many songs in many genres use these basic open chords with a variety of exciting strumming rhythms.

The first steps

When learning to play the guitar, understanding the different parts of the guitar is a bonus. It is not necessary but always a handy motivator to know exactly how your guitar 'works' and how to hold it correctly to play it with the most comfort. Because the guitar is an external instrument and the strings are on the outside, they can often go out of tune unexpectedly due to temperature fluctuations or other causes. It is a must to know how to tune your guitar and it is best to always do this before you start a new practice session.

Basic chords and rhythms

As a beginner, it is important to start with the basic chords that are played at the front of the guitar neck. Many songs use the open fingerings. You have probably heard someone say: “With just three chords you can play hundreds of songs”. This is also true. Many songs are written with only three important chords. With a capo or neck clamp you can shift the chords (or 'transpose') and thus enter the desired key of the song you want to learn. A solid knowledge of the most commonly used strumming rhythms will then quickly bring you close to an accurate version of an original song. This is already worked on in the first module of the Rhythm Guitar course. Also read guitar lessons chords.

Tuning the guitar

Tuning your guitar is essential. Use a tuner or a tuning app to make sure your guitar is always in tune and your notes can get the right intonation. For example, you can download the Fender app for free that offers you a chromatic (auto) tuner. With such a tuner you can tune any note you want and you are not limited to the notes of the standard tuning (EADGBE). Many songs use alternative tunings where 1 or more strings give a different tone. With a chromatic tuner, getting this tuning is very easy!

Finger exercises for flexibility

Before you start playing, it is a good idea for beginners to warm up their fingers with speed and placement exercises. These will improve the flexibility and accuracy of your playing, which will be useful later on in your progress as a rhythm and/or solo guitarist. In the guitar lessons, such very efficient exercises are discussed, where I explain what you really need to pay attention to and how you can best proceed to see the fastest results.

Reading guitar tabs and simple sheet music

Guitar tablatures or 'tabs' for short are a simple way for string instrument players to read music. They indicate which strings and frets to press. Often tablatures are accompanied by a rhythmic notation so that you can deduce exactly how long each displayed note or chord lasts. Usually there are also additional symbols present on the tab that show you how to successfully express the technical execution of an arrangement. For a large part of the lesson repertoire, you will work with this form of sheet music where you will gradually learn to read and play your favorite music.

Choosing the right guitar and accessories

As a beginner, it is important to choose a guitar that suits you. There are different types of guitars and each has its own unique sound and playing style. You want to choose a guitar that suits your musical preference right away. Not sure? Then consider the natural sound of an acoustic guitar to start with. Many guitarists consider the acoustic guitar to be more difficult to learn to play than its electric counterpart. There are several reasons for this: thicker strings, a higher action (distance from the strings to the guitar neck), a larger body. The acoustic guitar will make you work harder. Precisely because it is less forgiving, it will cultivate the discipline that you will need to become a good musician. The clearer and more direct sound ensures that the mistakes and imperfections in your playing are heard more quickly. In addition, the acoustic guitar is easier to take with you to your favorite location! Also read electric guitar lessons.

Want to start guitar lessons?

Would you like to come by for a conversation in which we discuss together how we can make the lessons ideal for you? Then contact us now for a free introduction! Would you like to start right away? Then book a course of private guitar lessons or duo guitar lessons right away.