Standard tuning starting from the top string to the bottom is E, A, D, g, b, e. [1] X Research source Play open notes on your guitar and make sure that they correspond with the digital output on the tuner.
The classical style gives you more control over the neck of your guitar. The casual style reduces fatigue as you play. Make sure that the guitar is upright while you play because tilting the guitar can hurt your wrists. When standing, make sure that you have a strap on your guitar and that the guitar is tight against your torso, with the top of the guitar over your chest. [3] X Research source Maintain a relaxed posture as you play your guitar.
The 8 most common beginner open chords include C, A, G, E, D, Am, Em, and Dm. Don’t get overwhelmed by the number of different open chords, start off by learning one or two, then move onto more complex open chords. The left string on the chord chart refers to the top string on your guitar. Your strings are numbered from 1-6 starting from the bottom string, or the 1st string.
On your chord chart, you’ll either have an o or an x over each of your six strings. This designates which strings you should strum and which strings you should not. For an A major, you strum all of the strings but the top string. For an E minor, you strum all of the strings.
As you play, your fingers might get sore. If this is the case, take a break and come back to practicing later.
While traditional sheet music can tell you the duration of the notes in a song, tabs require you to listen to the music itself. If you’re interested in playing other instruments, you should learn how to read music.
Tabs are read from left to right.
Easy songs to learn include “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley, “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s, and “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson. [8] X Research source
Listen to the song 3 or 4 times.
If you are really familiar with the chords that the song is using, you can try playing the song all the way through over the recording of the riff.
If your guitar sounds different than the track, your guitar may be out of tune, or you may be playing the wrong notes or chords. Since tabs are sometimes user-submitted, they aren’t always exact.
Practice picking individual notes until you can go all the way up and down the neck of the guitar with ease. At first, you’re likely to pick the wrong string. Continue to practice until you know where the string is via muscle memory.
Take your time and be deliberate when switching from chord to chord.
Once you get more comfortable with the guitar and your fingers don’t hurt as much, you can make your practice sessions longer. Over time, you will start to build callouses on your fingertips and you will be able to play without the pain. If you feel pain in your wrist, take a break. Try to re-position it so it doesn’t hurt while you play.
Top guitar tutorial sites include Guitar Tricks, Justin Guitar, JamPlay, and ArtistWorks. [13] X Research source
Top guitar lesson apps include Real Guitar, Perfect Ear, and GuitarTuna. [14] X Research source
