What you need to know to play guitar is something that anyone can accomplish. Although not every student will become the next Eric Clapton, being able to master the basics is fairly easy. By learning a few fundamentals such as guitar choice, string choice, tuning and chord progressions, any person not matter the age should be able to say that they know guitar.

Before you want to play a guitar, you first need to purchase one. The main decision is pretty much split between electric guitars and acoustics. Many people like starting off on acoustics because they don't require an amp. However, many others prefer electrics, because the consensus is that they are easier to play. You could also make the decision based on your musical preference, whether it be folk or metal.

Understandably, choosing between different strings is not something most students are concerned about or maybe even aware of. Yet, picking out strings that are easier to play can make a world of difference. For beginners, choosing a set of lighter gauge strings, as opposed to the heavier gauge, is much gentler on the finger tips. Anyone who has tried to learn guitar knows that after an hour or so, practice can be slightly painful.

Remember not to attempt to play anything before you have properly tuned your guitar. You can be the best player in the world, but if your instrument is out of tune then you will sound terrible. First, get your hands on a digital tuner, which will guide you as pluck the strings. Using the tuning knobs, simply slowly adjust them to match the note on the digital tuner. It's a simple method to pick up. The standard tuning for any guitar is as follows: E, A, D, G, B, E.

Although there's no real exciting way to do it, every serious guitar player must learn the notes along the guitar fretboard. If you do this, you will be able to learn just about any song. It is especially helpful for people who want to play great solos. The cycle of notes, which is also called an "Octave, " on the guitar follows an order similar to the alphabet, so it's pretty easy to remember. Those notes are: G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#.

Learning chords is something that's essential, but it's also an easy way to learn some great songs. Some of the biggest hits in history are three chords or less. So, pick a few chords and practice them over and over until you've gotten them down. Three popular choices are G, C, and D. It shouldn't take that long to learn those and once you do, you'll be able to translate them into dozens of songs.

Now it's time for the really fun part. Pick a favorite song of yours that is made up of the three or so chords which you've chosen to learn. Simply play that song over as many times as your fingers will let you. Not only will you be having a blast, but you'll be practicing and you won't even know it. It's experiences like this that make learning guitar so special.

It's hard to imagine a world where learning to play guitar is not a teenager's rite of passage. Although many people are intimidated by the sheer genius of some guitarists, there is simply no excuse not to learn the basics. They are very easy and even if you're not immediately ripping into amazing solos, the ability to play even a few chords can be a very rewarding experience.