how to play guitar in less than 10 steps

how to play guitar in less than 10 steps everything you need for a lifetime of playing your favorite songs written by josh espinosa graphic design by blueline branding

introduction People often look at guitar players from afar and secretly wish to themselves that they had the ability to play such a wonderful instrument. The thing is, they do. You do. And you don t have to ever read music if you don t want to or even have any musical talent. You ll have to practice, but not nearly as much as you probably think. Unfortunately, traditional lessons have turned generations of people off when it comes to guitar, even though all you really have to know is a few things for a lifetime of playing and singing songs. With this guide, you can begin searching for and trying to play songs on the very first day. You won t sound so good at first, but you ll get better in time. Scope of this Guide This guide covers the basic knowledge that you need to start playing songs on guitar. To find out how to how to hold a guitar, tune a guitar, or hold a pick, search for videos online or purchase our complete guide to beginner guitar at /books.php. While you can certainly teach yourself to play guitar, lessons provide an outside perspective that helps polish skills while giving encouragement through setbacks and toward progress. A Word About Practice How Much to Practice There isn t a formula for how many days and how much time to practice. I m only going to say that the more days you practice and the more time you spend, the more progress you will see more quickly. That being said, people are busy and guitar should never seem like a chore. Start by aiming for 10 minutes a day and expect to hit that benchmark three to four times per week. Eventually, once you can switch a few chords and play some songs, practice just becomes playing, and you ll be amazed at how fast an hour can fly by. In general, people are often very satisfied with their progress after about 20 total hours of practice. What to Practice Switching chords and making them sound clear Songs you like Contact us at info@ for more information.

step 1: reading a chord chart The first step toward playing guitar is learning how to set your fingers for chords. A chord chart shows you which fingers go on which strings and on which fret to press in order to play a chord. Study this chart religiously. Chord Name C Fret #3 (the next fret will be #4 and then #5 and so on) Fret #2 Fret #1 (this fret is closest to the nut) Exclude Open String Note X means do not play this string as part of the chord. When you are strumming, be mindful to skip these strings. String Representation (the thickest strings are at the top) String Names/Notes (the sound you hear when you play the string by itself) The numbered circles represent your fingers. 1 = Index 2 = Middle 3 = Ring 4 = Pinkie 5 = Thumb Include Open String Note O means that even though a finger doesn t go on the string, you still play it as part of the chord. The O is often implied. If you don t see an X or a finger placement on a string, consider it an open string that should be played as part of the chord.

step 2: learning your first chords Using the respective chord chart as a guide, place your fingers on the guitar fretboard to make each chord. Start with G, and then strum down. Then move on to the other three chords. Switch back and forth repeatedly between each chord during practice. Over time, you ll get faster at switching chords, and they ll eventually sound nice and clear. G C Em D

step 3: learning the 4-count The count is the backbone of every song, and it s the beat to which you find yourself mindlessly tapping your foot. Most songs are played to a count of four. In most cases on the guitar, we base our strum according to the 4-count. Instructions 1. Place your fingers on a G chord. 2. To set the pace, slowly start counting the 4-count out loud, without playing anything yet. Try to stay on this pace throughout the entire exercise. 3. When you reach 1 again, as you say the number, take a pick or use your fingers and strum down, lightly grazing all the strings. On the and, strum back up. 4. Continue this pattern through 2 and 3 and 4 and, and then repeat over and over. Keep it slow and steady. Try the exercise at different paces but don t mix paces as you get more comfortable. The 4-count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and REPEAT DOWNSTROKE UPSTROKE

step 4: combine the chords and the count Switching chords according to a count is the crux of playing guitar. For as long as you play guitar, whether you play kids songs or jazz standards, you will do some variation of switching chords according to a count. If you combine the four chords you ve learned from the key of G and your 4-count strum, you already have the tools to play hundreds of songs. Start your 4-count strum and switch chords on the appropriate number. Example 1 G C Em D 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and REPEAT Example 2 G C Em D G C Em D 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and REPEAT Example 3 G C Em D G C Em D G C Em D G C Em D 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and REPEAT

step 5: finding songs Guitar players typically rely on lyric sheets with chords written over the top of the words, which requires listening to the song a few times to work out the song s timing. Lyric Sheet with Chords Example While learning how to read sheet music has its benefits, the truth is it s not at all necessary for playing guitar. Many if not most guitar players never learn to read it and never miss out on anything special. Finding a song s lyric and chord sheet has never been easier; all you usually have to do is run an Internet search with the song s title along with the word chords and multiple versions come up. Try to find a version that uses the chords you already know, as well as one with as much good feedback as possible, which helps to gauge accuracy. Lyrics sheets with chords aren t always perfect, but they ll usually get you close enough.

step 6: singing and playing songs A common approach to singing and playing guitar at the same time is to get a steady, strict 4-count going and then layer the vocals on top of it. While there s nothing inherently wrong with that method, songs have a built-in count baked into the melody, and using that as your guide will make you sound better than the average player. Practice the strict 4-count strum separately; it helps build your sense of timing, which is very important. Use these three phases to learn to sing and play at the same time. Phase 1: Singing Between Chord Changes Using the lyric sheet as a guide, sing the song how it is familiar to you, playing one single downstroke only for each chord change. Forget about strumming for now. When you reach a syllable with a chord change, sing it at the same time you play your downstroke, then stop playing guitar and continue singing until the next change. Once you get to the next change, repeat the process using the new chord. Continue on in this manner to the end of the song. Phase 2: One Downstroke Per Syllable Strum Next, you ll start to add a strum to the song, using only downstrokes. Sing the song as you know it, except this time, strum a single downstroke as you sing each syllable in the song. Change chords according to the song sheet, and be careful to leave appropriate space for the natural pauses in the song. Phase 3: Add in the Upstrokes Once you get comfortable singing songs with the downstroke, it s time to add in the upstroke. Now for each syllable, play a downstroke as you sing it, and then play an upstroke afterward. Then move on to the next syllable. For example, here s how the first line of Mary Had a Little Lamb would play out: Notes and Tips Even if you are really familiar with the song, you should still refer back to a recording as you are learning it. It s best to start any song with the chorus (the catchy part of a song) and then go back to the first verse. It s perfectly fine to make the song easier on yourself to play. If you see D/F#, Asus, Gadd9, or C7, just play D, A, G, C respectively. Most people won t ever notice. Don t do this with the b or # though. That means flat or sharp and is a whole different chord. Extremely Important: Chord sheets are only guides, and often, chords do not line up perfectly over the words. I highly recommend printing out a sheet or writing it out yourself so you can add your own tips and make your own adjustments. (Play a downstroke as you sing)ma-(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)ry(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)had(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)a(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)li-(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)ttle(then play an upstroke) (Play a downstroke as you sing)lamb(then play an upstroke)... Remember to leave enough space for the natural pauses in the song before moving forward.

step 7: learning the rest of the chords The next step is to learn the rest of the chords. Including the four you already know, there are 16 total that are essential to guitar playing. Learn them as they come up in songs. A word about the F chord: it s every guitar player s rite of passage. It s difficult, yes, but completely unavoidable. Accept the challenge early on. Am F A E Bm Dm A7 E7 B7 D7 G7 F#m Note: The barbell looking line in F and F#m means to play multiple strings with the same finger.

step 8: transposing chords Songs usually are made up of chords from the same key, which is essentially a collection of chords that sound good together. Guitar players often come across songs in keys made up of chords they either don t know or don t know well, and it s perfectly fine to change them. Changing song chords from one key to another is called transposing. Step 1: Understanding Song Keys In order to change song chords, you have to understand that each chord in every key is assigned a number, 1-7. The key of G is numbered as follows, without the 7 chord because it s not very common: Step 2: Change the Song to a New Key To change your song from one key to another, replace every chord in the song to its corresponding chord in the new key. For example, if the song you find is in C and you want to use chords from the key of G, the C chord (#1) will change to G (#1 in the new key), the F (#4)will change to C (#4 in the new key) and so on until EVERY chord in the song is changed. Song Key 1 2 3 4 5 6 G G Am Bm C D Em Original Song Key 1 2 3 4 5 6 C C Dm Em F G Am Here are the other most common keys you are likely to come across: Song Key 1 2 3 4 5 6 C C Dm Em F G Am New Song Key 1 2 3 4 5 6 G G Am Bm C D Em D D Em F#m G A Bm E E F#m G#m A B C#m A A Bm C#m D E F#m F F Gm Am Bb C Dm Song in the Key of C... C Mary had a little lamb G C little lamb, little lamb... Transposed to the Key of G G Mary had a little lamb D G little lamb, little lamb...

step 9: using a capo In the case of transposing song chords from one key to another, we literally change the whole sound of the song. Sometimes, we want to play easier or more familiar chords, but still want to hear the key we originally started with. This is where you use a capo. A capo is a clamp-like tool that is placed over a fret that essentially resets your first fret to be the next one after the capo toward the soundhole. For example, if you set your capo on the second fret, the third fret becomes your new first fret. Play all the chords in your song relative to the capo. This chart gives you the most common ways to couple your transposition knowledge and the capo. Best Places to Play the Capo for Easiest Guitar Playing in the Most Common Keys To Hear the Key of... Add the Capo to Fret... And Transpose Song Chords to the Key of... Common Alternatives A 2 G play chords from key of A C play chords from key of C Capo 3; chords of A D 2 C play chords from key of D E 4 C Capo 2; chords of D F 5 C Capo 3; chords of D G play chords from key of G Capo 5; chords of D Making Songs Easier to Sing Sometimes, a song in its original key is either too high or too low for a singer s voice, and using a capo or adjusting its placement usually solves the problem. For example, if your song is in the key of G and you notice it s difficult to hit the low notes when singing, add a capo to the first fret and see if that fixes the problem. If not, keep moving the capo up until it feels right. Songs that are too high to sing are a bit different; if you re using a capo already, move the capo back toward the guitar nut or remove it entirely. If you aren t using a capo, you might have to use the capo chart and transpose song chords to get to the key that best suits your voice. So, if your song is originally in G, where you wouldn t be using a capo, you might try changing it to the key of F, which according to the chart, requires you to add a capo to the fifth fret and transpose all the song chords from the key of G to C.

The Approachable Music Project exists to share a basic philosophy about learning music: it should be as efficient and straightforward as possible, whether you are learning or teaching. Through our guitar lessons and resources, we aim to make people s musical journeys just a little bit easier, so that they can spend more time playing the music they love rather than searching for answers. For more information, contact us at info@. 2017 by Joshua Espinosa. All rights reserved. v1.0