Get Ready To Strum: The Basics of Playing Guitar.
Taking up the guitar may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! This blog post will provide an overview of the basics of playing guitar – from how to hold the instrument to how to strum and change chords. With some practice and patience, anyone can become a guitar player in no time.
When starting to learn the guitar, the first step is to familiarize yourself with the instrument. There are many different types of guitars. The most common type of guitar is an acoustic, which is usually made out of solid wood and has a soundboard to project the sound. Steel-string acoustic guitars are typically used in folk, country, and bluegrass music while classical guitars with nylon strings are used mainly in classical and flamenco genres. Electric guitars are typically used in rock, metal, and jazz music and are often outfitted with pickups that allow the instrument to be amplified. Bass guitars, with their four strings and bass-range tuning, are often used in genres such as rock, reggae, hip-hop, and punk.
The next step is to learn how to hold the guitar correctly. An acoustic guitar will be held on the lap, whereas an electric can be held similar to an acoustic but can also be rested on the leg. The guitar should be held with the elbow of the fretting hand parallel to the ground and the pick (or thumb) should be about two inches away from the strings. The thumb should be behind the neck of the guitar and the fingers should be curled inwards, with their tips lightly touching the strings.
Once the guitar is held correctly, learning to strum is the next step. When starting to strum, start with a downstroke, making sure to press the pick into the strings. Concentrate on strumming down, focusing on keeping the pick in the same place and being consistent with the timing. When doing an upstroke, make sure to use the wrist and arm together in order to move the pick smoothly. It’s important to get used to the feeling of moving the pick in an up and down motion, as this is the basis of most guitar strums.
When beginning to learn different chords, it’s important to start with a few basic chords and practice changing between them. A few easy chords to start with are G, C, D, and A. To form these chords, simply use your fretting hand to press down the strings in the numerical order shown. For example, to form a G chord, place your index finger on the third fret of the sixth string, your middle finger on the second fret of the fifth string, and your ring finger on the third fret of the first string. To strum the chord, use an alternating up-down motion, making sure to hit all of the strings. Once you feel comfortable with a few chords, you can move on to learning more complex chords.
Learning scales is another important step in becoming a guitar player. Scales are important for learning melodies and help you understand the basics of improvisation and music theory. There are many different types of scales and they vary by culture or genre of music. Pentatonic scales are popular in many western music styles and are used in blues and rock. The chromatic scale is one of the most used scales and is based on the twelve notes of the musical octave.
Now that you know the basics of playing the guitar, with some practice, you can start to enjoy playing more complex pieces. To make the most out of your practice sessions, it’s important to take breaks and practice in small chunks of time on a regular basis. Set specific goals for yourself and make sure to dedicate time to practice playing the guitar daily.
Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process of learning the guitar. There will be stretches of time that are more difficult than others. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, take a break and come back to it with a fresh perspective. With enough practice, it is possible to become a master of the instrument in no time. So get ready to strum and start playing the guitar today!