When you first undertake to learn a new skill, the natural reaction is to jump in “head first” as you are so keen to learn it all. What a lot of people seem to forget is that you need to learn the basics first.
The same applies to learning how to play the guitar. A lot of people will have unrealistic short term goals of becoming an expert guitar player, being able to play the hardest riffs and using the most difficult techniques.
If this reminds you of someone…slow down my friend, Rome wasn’t built in a day was it?
Surely it makes better sense to learn the basics of guitar playing first. If you can’t afford an instructor or don’t have the time, then you can always use one of the many tuition software products, such as Emedia Guitar Method. Even the best guitar players in the world had to start somewhere first. Learn the basics and the rest will follow.
At first, learning how to play the guitar will seem a bit daunting. There’s a lot to learn, the chords, scales, different techniques and, most importantly for the novice, is learning what all the various parts of the guitar are and how it’s constructed.
These are some answers to some often asked easy questions;
Q. What is the body and what’s the neck of the guitar?
A. The body is the main bulk of the instrument and the neck is the long, narrow part attached to the body.
Q. What’s the bridge of the guitar and where is it located?
A. The bridge is a device which supports the strings of the guitar and its purpose is to broadcast the vibration of the strings to the body. It is found near to the hole of the body, underneath the strings.
Q. What are the strings and where will I find them?
A. You will find the strings between the bridge and the pegs at the head of the guitar.
Q. What are frets, where do I find them and what are their purpose?
A. Frets are strips made from metal which are found at precise points along the neck. When a string is pressed against a fret, the string’s vibrating length is changed with the pitch.
Therefore if you are not kidding about learning to play guitar, follow my advice. Focus on learning the fundamentals first and in a comparatively short space of time you will start to develop and nurture your burgeoning relationship with the great instrument that is known as the guitar.
Cliff James comes from London, England and is married with two children. He is still using Emedia Guitar Method software to build on his vastly improved guitar playing skills. He has granted his permission for you to re-produce this article should you so wish. However, it must be re-produced in full, including this resource box, with all links intact.