Let’s Get Strumming: A Guide to Playing Guitar.
Guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments, inspiring a wide range of listeners with its many sounds and tones. Whether you want to learn to play a few strums of your favorite song or become a master guitarist, it is possible to develop your skills and become a great player on the guitar. But it all starts with the basics.
So if you’re looking for an introduction to the awesome world of guitar, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we will cover the fundamentals of playing guitar, demystifying the different components and giving you the confidence to get playing!
Types of Guitar
The primary type of guitar, acoustic or electric, is the most popular choice. Acoustic guitars have a wooden body and metal strings, producing sound with vibrating strings when plucked. They can usually be heard further away than their electric counterparts, making them great for outdoor use and music festivals.
Electric guitars differ because they need to be plugged into an amplifier to create sound. They are usually constructed from lighter materials like metal and plastic and come with pickups that capture the strings’ vibrations and transform them into electric signals that can be amplified.
Electric guitars are great for those who want to use an array of effects and sounds, so if you’re looking for the ultimate in tonal flexibility, electric is the way to go. But for those looking for the classic, traditional sound…acoustic it is!
Parts of the Guitar
Now that you have chosen the type of guitar you want to learn, it is essential to be familiar with the parts of the instrument. This way, you can refer to the names of each component as you learn about different techniques.
Head: The head of the guitar is where the tuning pegs and strings are. The head also acts as a bridge, connecting the strings to the neck.
Neck: The neck is the long piece of wood that extends downwards from the head and forms the body of the guitar. It has frets, inlays, and a fretboard where one can place the fingers to make notes.
Pickups: Pickups are transducers located on the underside of the strings that capture the vibrations they make and amplify them. They only appear on electric guitars.
Bridge: The bridge is located where the strings meet the body of the guitar. It helps to anchor the strings down and transfer the energy produced by pressing on the strings to the soundboard.
Soundboard: The soundboard is the flat piece of wood on the top of the guitar body. It amplifies the sound from the strings, giving the guitar its full sound.
Strings: The strings are the nylon- or metal-coated wires that lead up to the head of the guitar. They are usually tuned to specific notes and plucked to produce sound.
Tuning Pegs: Tuning pegs are the small mechanical devices on the head that allow you to tune the guitar. You can turn the pegs to increase or decrease the tension in the strings, allowing you to tune the guitar to particular notes.
Playing Techniques
Now that you know the anatomy of the guitar, it’s time to get down to the basics of playing. It’s important to understand these three simple guitar techniques.
Plucking: Plucking is one of the most common techniques used to play the guitar. It is the act of using your finger to pluck a string and create a sound. When plucking, it is essential to maintain a steady back and forth movement when picking up each string.
Strumming: Strumming is another technique that is used to play riffs and multiple notes at once. When strumming, one must move the strumming hand back and forth across the strings of the guitar. Using a pick can help you make the right motion when strumming.
Fingerpicking: Another technique to learn is fingerpicking, which involves using your fingers or thumb to press or pick individual strings or chords. This technique is often used in genres such as blues, folk, jazz, and classical.
Determine Your Musical Style
Before you begin playing the guitar, it is important to understand what kind of music style you would like to learn. This will help you better understand techniques and which techniques work best for certain genres of music.
Rock, for example, typically makes use of power chords and lots of distortion. Country and folk, on the other hand, tend to lean more towards plucking and fingerpicking. Jazz tends to focus more on rhythm and playing significantly faster. Finally, classical guitar often incorporates fingerpicking and intricate phrasing.
To determine what genre of music you want to focus on, it is helpful to consider your musical tastes, who your favorite guitarists are, and the types of songs you enjoy listening to.
Having Fun
Learning guitar doesn’t have to be all hard work. As long as you’re having fun and enjoying the journey, you’ll be able to make good progress. So don’t forget, while it’s important to practice regularly and put in the hard work, it’s equally important to take breaks, as well as come up with new practice methods and innovative ways to learn.
Bringing it All Together
Now that you understand the basics of playing guitar, you’re ready to start putting it all together! Start with simple, easy chords and progress from there. Work on developing a feel for the instrument by playing it in different positions and hand configurations, and really explore what it can do. With time and practice, you’ll be able to confidently and accurately play rhythm, solos, and melodies.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your guitar and let’s get strumming!