How to Play Guitar in One Day ~ No Kidding

A beginner simply needs a good basic guitar preferably new. Music shops have experts who can show you the different types, make sure the neck of the guitar fits your hand, and the body lies across yours warmly and snugly. Making a relationship with a person in a music shop gives you some one to go to if you need a guitar buddy, someplace to hang out or you have gotten good enough to play with the best of the best. A music store offers those side services in a community plus they know the musicians in the area.

Here is a simple lesson to check if you are willing to learn and practice on this marvelous instrument. Be warned it will make you fall in love with it. You will play for every person you encounter because it will sound so good. You will see yourself as a talented guitar player.

Positioning the Guitar
You can play many simple songs with two chords. Today we will learn what I call “Baby C” and “Baby G7”. All you need is your first finger right after your thumb on your left hand. Then we must get you into the position. For beginners it is best to ease in by sitting down. So find a good seat so that your knees are slightly elevated above your hips. A wooden kitchen chair works fine. Place the guitar’s neck in your left hand, and its curve just below its sound hole on your right thigh. You may need to rock a bit to get your body in a relaxed position. Having a strap on the guitar that goes around the neck helps maintain a position for a very long time.

Where to Put Your Finger
Looking down the neck of the guitar you will see bars. On the guitar head are pegs called keys that tune your guitar. For the moment let’s leave those alone. After the head there is a space and then a fret bar. The guitar has six strings. Number six is the big old low noted E near your head. Number one is the tiny sweet high note E. For this exercise we will need strings 1, 2, 3. The 3 silver tiny ones that when plucked make melodic high notes.

Baby C and G7
In fret one right beside that first golden or silver bar place the tip of your first finger on string 2 and press firmly like when you are going to kiss your loved one, and you are bringing them close. Guitars like to be caressed like that. Strum only the bottom 3 strings. For the time being ignore the top 3 strings. Use a pick or use your fingers both work. Simply practice stroking down in a steady rhythm like your heart beat. This is “Baby C”.

Now simply roll your first finger down to string number one. Again only strum strings 1, 2, 3 and leave all those low strings alone. Now we are ready to practice switching back and forth, back and forth. Strum “Baby C” for four strokes and then roll down, and strum “Baby G7” for four strokes. Practice alternating the two for a while. Go slowly. We will speed up the rhythm later on. Then practice stroking two “Baby C’s”, and two “Baby G7’s”. Now we are ready for a song. Below is a link to a beginner’s book with simple songs for C and G7. Slash marks tell you what word to stroke on. With a little practice you will be playing 5 or 6 songs in a day. Enjoy.

Beginner Songs
http://www.susancanthony.com/resources/guitar/guitar.html

This post has been provided by Long & McQuade Canada's largest music store chain. Visit us online or in store for the latest drums, guitars, pianos and more. We also offer guitar lessons for all levels.