Beginner Guitar Playing|How to Play the Guitar for Beginners

New Guitar Player, New Guitar? Now What? Now you need to learn how to play your new guitar. So you have come to the right place. YourGuitarGuide.com , To learn how to play the guitar for beginners.

This is the place to learn how to play the guitar for beginners. There are a lot of Steps on how to play the guitar for beginners. This post will get you started on the right track. Step by step. Lets Start with the Fundamentals and basics. Then start learning chords, songs, and a little theory. 

YourGuitarGuide.com is the place for beginner guitar players to find their home. To learn the basics of guitar. So that you can start your journey learning the guitar. So lets start to learn how to play the guitar. Read on for the beginners guide to playing guitar.

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First Steps to Playing the Guitar

It looks so easy watching your favorite guitar player jamming. But not to bring you down, but lets put things into perspective. Jimi, Jimmy and Eddie did not start at the top. They started just like you and me. Knowing nothing about playing the guitar!

So lets start at the beginning and then you can make the choice for yourself where you want this journey to take you.

First things first maybe you need to know how to hold the guitar properly and the pick and the 8 other steps to playing. If so click the link for the 10 things every beginner guitar player needs to know.

If you all ready know those principles then lets look at the first chords you should learn. There are a lot of what is called basic chords also known as open chords and first position chords. These are the first chords every guitar player should learn.

The reason you need to lea. rn these chords is because after learning about 11 chords you can play thousands of songs. That’s what we ultimately want to do is learn songs. So lets learn our first chord.

The first chord I would recommend learning is the Em chord. It is pronounced as the E minor Chord. This Chord is easy because of only having to use two fingers. When you play the chord.X

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Your First Guitar Chord

Here is how to play the Em chord:

On this chord you only have to use two fingers. You place your second finger on the 5th string at the second fret.

Your third finger is on the 4th string at the second fret. Both fingers are on the second fret. Looks easy enough right.

How to Play the Guitar for Beginners

Now on this chord you want to play all the strings when you strum.

There are 4 basic techniques to know, to play every chord.

  1. How to place your finger on the strings.
  2. How to position your fingers on the fretboard.
  3. Where your thumb needs to stay.
  4. Where the palm of your hand is.

If you want to know all the details on Fretting hand technique and more click the link for the Beginners Guide to Guitar Practice.


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Next Chord To learn is the A Chord

Another easy chord to learn and one that is a must know. For every guitar player to play 1000 of songs they need to know the A Major Chord.

So let’s learn the A chord. This is another easy chord to learn how to play. What makes this one so easy is all the notes are on the second fret of the guitar neck.

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Here’s what the A chord looks like on a chord diagram:

How to Play the Guitar for Beginners
The A Major open Chord Diagram

Like I said All the fingers are positioned on the second fret. You want to use fingers one, two, and three. Place them on the second fret like this.

  • First finger is on the fourth string.
  • Second finger is on the third string.
  • Third finger is on the second string.

On the A major open chord when strumming you play from the 5th string down. The 5th string is Whats called an open string. When Played open it is an A string. So you strum from the 5th string down.

Let’s Learn the D Chord and the C chord

We are working our way up to playing a song. So stick with this and learn the song. If you want to learn more chords Click this link to learn all the guitar chords you should learn first.

Okay so next chord to learn is the D chord. This is a major chord. We are going to learn the first position of the D chord. It looks like this:

How to Play the Guitar for Beginners
D major Chord

On the D chord you play from the fourth string down. The fourth string is a D string. The sound that the string makes when in tune. Played open, is the sound of the D note.

The finger position of the D chord is:

  • The first finger is on the third string. At the second fret.
  • Second finger is on the first string. At the second fret.
  • Place your third finger on the second string. At the third fret.

Just three fingers, another easy chord. If you want to learn more open position chords check out this link to first position chords.

When playing these chords you want to check to make sure all the strings are ringing out. To do this first place your fingers on the strings. Then by picking each string one at a time. You can see if the string is ringing out properly.

If you hear a buzzing noise when playing the chord. Stop and find out why. The note on the string in question is not sounding out proper. More than likely one of two things are the cause. 1. You are not holding the string firmly against the fret. 2. You are playing to far from the back of the fret.

Now let’s take a look at the C Major Chord. Another easy chord to learn If you need help learning how to switch from one chord to another. Click on the link how to learn guitar chords.

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Here’s a chord diagram for the C major chord:

How to Play the Guitar for Beginners
  • Place your first finger on the second string. At the first fret.
  • Then your second finger is positioned on the fourth string. At the second fret.
  • Your third finger is on the fifth string. On the third fret.

When you play the C chord in the first position you don’t strum the 6th string. Start strumming down from the 5th string.

Now that you have learned at least 4 chords. Let’s learn a song. Here is an easy Classic Rock Song. By one of the all time Greats, Bob Seger. It’s Called Turn the Page. If your not into Bob Seger that’s okay. Here are 11 easy songs on guitar.

How to play Turn the Page

Luckily the chords that are in this song are the E minor, A Major, D Major, and C Major.

The song is in a 4/4 time. Which is 1, 2, 3, 4, is one measure. Then 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, and then 1, 2, 3, 4.

At the beginning of the song before the verse starts play the Em chord, Just strum down. It’s Slow and on the fourth down strum the verse begins. Then when the verse starts

When the singing starts. Which is the verse the strumming starts. The strumming pattern is. Down Down up up Down. Down Down Up Up Down.

The chord Progression is Em, D, A, and back to Em. The chord progression for the chorus is D, Em, D, Em, D, A, C, D, Em. So really this song is almost played with three chords. Except when you get to the chorus the C chord is slipped in there. If you want to see the video lesson. Check out video lessons here.


Related Questions

What is a Good Guitar for a beginner? 

There are a lot of guitar brands to choose from. A Good guitar for a beginner is one that is comfortable, easy to play and doesn’t cost to much. These are the 3 criteria when looking for a good beginner guitar.

The first is comfort-ability. You want a guitar that is comfortable when it is on your lap.

Next you want it to play smooth and easy. Then when you are a beginner you don’t need to buy an expensive guitar. To see more in depth what a good guitar is for a beginner. Take a look at this: How to choose the best beginner guitar.


Learn to Play Guitar Online

When I first started to learn guitar there was no YouTube. For that matter there was not even the internet. I’m feeling old! Thankfully now a days there are lots of great resources to learn guitar online.

Starting out I had to get in my fathers car. Load my guitar into the car. He would drive me 2o minutes away to the guitar store. There was a “crusty” old guitar teacher there. I can’t even remember his name. It’s been to long ago. I was about 7 at the time.

Thank goodness all that has changed. Now you don’t even have to get out of your Pajamas to go to practice. I’m loving that idea! Ever since the invention of the internet and online lessons. It is easier than ever to learn how to play the guitar.

One of the best Online Lessons you can get is through Truefire. As you know learning the guitar is an ongoing process. Maybe even a lifelong lesson. One that can be learned a lot faster with great instruction. This is where Truefire can accelerate at. Getting you playing the guitar faster. Take a look at what they offer here.


How to play Guitar Chords

Learning guitar is filled with all sorts of emotions. The first that I can remember is excitement. The excitement when you get your first guitar. Next feeling is that of frustration. You want to play like your favorite rock star. The more you try the more frustrating it can be. This is why you need to learn basic principles and techniques to make it easier and less frustrating.

There are several things to learn before chords. If you have not learned the 10 things every beginner guitar player needs to know. Click the link. If you all ready know then continue to learn how to play guitar chords.

Here are a few steps when you are learning guitar chords. First is how your fretting hand is positioned on the guitar neck. This is one of the basic fretting techniques that every guitar player needs to know. In order to play chords with ease.

If your not using the fundamentals when fretting. Then you have a higher percentage rate that your chord will not sound good. When you play it. The tone may be muffled, by other fingers. There may be a buzzing noise when you pick the notes. All sorts of problems will occur when you are not using basic principles.

Avoid Muffled & Buzzing Strings

Most of which can be avoided once you know how to hold your hand. Then know what to look for. So you can correct any concerns that may happen when you make the chord.

After learning how to hold your fretting hand. Then you need to know how to make the chords. What chords to start with. How many to practice moving from one chord to the next.

You need to know the chords inside and out before you can move to chord transitioning. Which is the next step. There is a lot that goes into learning how to play guitar chords. Which I have made The Ultimate Guide How to Learn Guitar Chords. To get you learning chords the fastest and easiest way possible.

Click the link to learn all about the fretting hand techniques. Also The Ultimate Guide How to Learn Guitar Chords


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