To play guitar, you only need a guitar, a pick, a chair … and the right mindset!  This article will provide you with the proper fundamentals in preparing to play … both the physical positioning AND the mindset needed for success.

If you do not yet own a guitar, please check out our Buying a Guitar article to find the guitar that’s right for you.  If you have a guitar, let’s get going! BTW - This information is the same whether you are playing acoustic or electric guitar.

First – your mindset

Playing guitar takes patience and perseverance.  With our guidance, you WILL be able to play guitar … and you have to believe in yourself that you can achieve this goal!  There will be times you’ll get frustrated over a certain skill set – that happens when you are learning any new activity.  We’ll show you the way through those times, and you’ll be playing your first songs before you know it.  Each week you’ll be improving on the fundamentals from the prior week.

Second – your set-up

You need to create an environment that will help you be successful.  Here are a couple absolutes when first learning to play guitar:

• Chair:  straight-backed with no arms (couches; armed chairs; on the floor -- are all a no-no)
• Posture:  both feet flat on the ground
• Music sheets or Practice Guides:  chest-high, directly in front of you (on a desk leaning against a computer monitor works well if you don’t have a music stand)
• Room:  where you won’t be disturbed by people, sounds, TV, etc.  … and you won’t be annoying others
• Guitar: the curve of the guitar’s body resting on your right leg, with the neck pointing to your left
• Hands:  hold pick in right hand (strumming hand) and hold guitar neck with your left hand (fretting hand)

Finally – your pick and guitar

Holding the pick: Most people instinctively want to use the narrowest point of the pick to strum the strings.  However, we find it is more effective to use one of the wider tips against the strings.  This allows for the length of the pick to run down the length of your thumb providing better leverage, and the wider tip provides a smoother strum across the strings.

Place the pick against your thumb on your right hand with the narrowest tip pointing towards your palm and the upper long edge of the pick running along the length of the top of your thumb.  Curl your first finger to pinch the middle of the pick against your thumb.  With your first finger and thumb firmly pinching the pick, extend your other three fingers (you should look like you’re making the “OK” sign).  About 1/3 of the fat corner of the pick should be sticking out below your thumb.  That is the portion you will use to strum the guitar.

Fretting the Guitar

Using the fingers of your left hand (on the neck of the guitar) to push down the strings to create different notes is called Fretting the Guitar.  The thumb of your left hand should be extended on the backside of the guitar’s neck, with only the ball of the thumb contacting the neck – don’t bend your thumb as that will get sore really quick!

Your four fingers should arc around the bottom of the neck, in a curled fashion, so the fingers end up pointing directly into the face of the neck on top of the strings at a 90 degree angle, giving you the best leverage to push down the strings.  Only use the tips of your fingers (the portion next to the end of your finger nail, which is why it’s important to keep your finger nails short to be able to do this correctly) -- do not use the balls of your fingers as this makes it harder to only touch one string at a time and generate a clean sound.  Push down the string firmly, at the point closest to the fret bar.  For example:  a note on the first fret, you’ll press the string between the Nut and the First Fret Bar, where the finger should be placed next to the first fret bar.   It’s best to start with your thumb positioned on the backside of where the second fret is located and then you can slide your thumb on the back of the neck as your fingers need to reach different strings and different frets.  Be careful to NOT wrap your thumb all the way around the bottom of the neck, as this will limit the range of your fingers and cause muted or buzzing sounds because your fingers won’t be able to push the string all the way down or you’ll be inadvertently touching extra strings.  Also, having the thumb on the back of the neck provides better leverage for your fingers to push the strings in tight.

Strumming the guitar

Rest the guitar on your right leg, have the pick in your right hand pinched firmly between your first finger and thumb and your left hand holding the guitar neck.  The three extended fingers of your right hand (middle, ring and pinky fingers) should be pointing at your right thigh below the first string (the smallest string, closest to the floor).  Strum all six strings starting with the 6th string (the thickest string, closest to your chest), strumming down towards your leg by just rotating your wrist, with the three extended fingers gliding gently on the pick guard (typically a black plastic area on the side of the sound hole for an acoustic guitar; or the area between the pickups on an electric guitar).  When you are strumming down, the pick should be hitting the strings at an angle towards your chest, like you are dragging the pick across the strings.  This will prevent the pick from “sticking” to any single string and making too harsh of a sound.  Conversely, when you are strumming up the strings (starting at the first string and strumming upwards towards your chest), you want to angle the pick towards your leg. 

Congratulations, you have now played music!

If you haven’t taken our quick Guitar Quiz, please take it now so we can customize the 90-Day Guitar Guide to meet your specific goals.  The entire program is free.  We hope you enjoy it and look forward to hearing from you along the way!