The guitar is one of the most popular instruments and versatile that exist. With it you can play different musical styles, from rock to flamenco, including blues, pop or folk. Furthermore, the guitar is an instrument that you can take with you anywhere, and that allows you to accompany your favorite songs or compose your own.
But How do you learn to play the guitar? What is needed to get started? What difficulties can be encountered? In this article, we are going to give you some tips and resources to learn to play the guitar in an easy and fun way.
What you need to learn to play the guitar
The first thing you need to learn to play the guitar is, obviously, a guitar. But not just any guitar, but one that adapts to your level, to your budget and your tastes. There are different types of guitars, such as electric, acoustic, Spanish or Creole, and each one has its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. For example, The electric guitar has a more powerful and varied sound, but you need an amplifier and an electrical connection. The acoustic guitar has a more natural and warm sound, but its strings are harder and can hurt your fingers. The Spanish or Creole guitar It has a softer, more melodic sound, and its strings are softer, but its body is larger and can be uncomfortable.
To choose the right guitar, you need to consider several factors, such as size, weight, shape, material, color, price, and quality. Ideally, you should try several guitars before buying one, and get advice from a professional or someone with experience. Also You can consult the opinions and ratings of other users on the internet, or watch videos of comparisons and reviews. The important thing is that you feel comfortable and at ease with your guitar, and that it motivates you to practice and improve.
Accessories required to learn to play the guitar
In addition to the guitar, you also need some accessories that make it easier for you to learn and maintain your instrument. Some of these accessories are:
- a tuner: It is a device that helps you tune the strings of your guitar, so that they sound correctly and in harmony. You can use a clip-on tuner, which sits on the head of the guitar and picks up the vibrations of the strings, or a digital tuner, which connects to the guitar using a cable or microphone. You can also use a mobile app, like GuitarTuna, which allows you to tune your guitar with your phone's microphone.
- A case or a case: It is an element that allows you to store and transport your guitar safely and comfortably. You can choose between a soft case, which is lighter and cheaper, but offers less protection, or a hard case, which is heavier and more expensive, but better protects your guitar from bumps, dust, and moisture.
- Some quills or feathers: They are small pieces of plastic, metal or wood, which are held with the fingers and are used to strum or pluck the guitar strings. There are different types of plectrums, depending on their shape, size, thickness and texture, and each one produces a different sound. It is best to try several picks and choose the one you like the most and that suits your style.
- Some spare strings: They are essential for changing your guitar strings when they break, wear out or lose their sound. Guitar strings are classified according to their material, gauge and tension, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, metal strings are brighter and stronger, but harder and rougher. Nylon strings are softer and more flexible, but more brittle and dull. The ideal is that you change the strings of your guitar from time to time, to maintain its quality and tuning.
The first steps to learning to play the guitar
Once you have your guitar and accessories, you can start learning to play the guitar. But where to start? What should you learn first? Here we give you some basic steps that will help you get started in the world of guitar:
Something key is learn correct posture Before playing the guitar, you must learn to place and hold it correctly, to avoid injuries, discomfort and bad habits. The correct posture depends on the type of guitar you have, but in general you should follow these recommendations:
- Sit on a chair or stool, with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor.
- Place the guitar on your right leg (if you are right-handed) or left (if you are left-handed), and rest the back of the box on your abdomen.
- Tilt the guitar slightly towards you, so you can see the neck and fingerboard without straining your neck.
- Hold the guitar neck with your left hand (if you are right-handed) or right (if you are left-handed), and place your thumb behind the neck, at the height of the second fret.
- Place the other four fingers on the strings, so that each finger corresponds to a fret. The index with the first fret, the middle with the second, the ring finger with the third and the little finger with the fourth.
- Hold the pick with the other hand, between the thumb and index finger, and let it protrude a little over the edge.
- Place your hand on the strings, near the bridge, and strum or pluck the strings with the pick, moving your wrist and not your arm.
Learn the name of the strings, The next step is to learn the name of the guitar strings, to be able to tune it, read tablatures and chords, and locate yourself on the fretboard. The guitar strings are counted from bottom to top, and are named with the musical notes they produce in the open, that is, without stepping on any fret. The notes are: MI, SI, SOL, RE, LA and MI. An easy way to remember them is with a mnemonic phrase, such as “My Always Wins, Music Queen.”
You should also learn to tune the guitar, Tuning the guitar is adjusting the tension of the strings, so that they sound with the appropriate frequency and in harmony. To tune the guitar, you can use a tuner, as we have already explained, or tune by ear, comparing the sound of the strings with an external reference, such as a tuning fork, a piano, or a song. An easy way to tune the guitar by ear is to use the fifth string, the A string, as a reference, and tune the rest of the strings with it.
Learn the art of the guitar
Guitar It is an instrument that can bring you many benefits, how to express yourself, have fun, relax or socialize. But how do you learn to play the guitar? In this article, we have given you some tips and resources to learn to play the guitar in an easy and fun way. We've looked at what you need to get started, like the guitar, accessories, and tuner. We have seen the first steps to learn to play the guitar, such as posture, the name of the strings, tablature, agility and melodies. And we have seen how to advance your learning, with rhythms, chords, arpeggios, styles, theory and ear. We hope that this article has been of help and motivation for you to learn to play the guitar. Remember that the most important thing is to practice with consistency, patience and enjoyment. Don't give up and follow your passion!