Guitars are among the coolest musical instruments out there. If you like to learn a trick that can impress or if you simply want to know one of the easiest ways to discover your hidden musical talents, then you definitely have to learn to play guitar.

The most important thing you have to know when you want to learn to play guitar is that it requires patience – a lot of it. Although a guitar is portable and very chic looking, playing it can literally hurt you, especially if you’re a first-timer. Your fingers fall prey to the merciless friction from the strings and they end up red and painful at the end of the day; unless, of course, you opt to use a pick to pluck the strings with. But you can never really know how it feels like to learn to play guitar without using your fingers. Never using your fingers to play the guitar is like not experiencing how to drive a car with manual transmission. No pain, no gain.

So, first things first, get on the right playing position. Have the guitar rest on your lap. If you are right-handed, the guitar’s neck, or its long part, should be held by your left hand. Position yourself comfortably. Playing the guitar requires a lot of back hunching and arm moving so be sure that you are comfortable.

Now try plucking the strings without using the frets (the spaces between the metal strips that are line the guitar’s neck) and listen closely to the sound they make. This is called playing it “open.” The thickest string, the 6th, should make the lowest sound. It is an E note. The 1st string, the thinnest, is also an E note, however, it makes the highest sound. If you are right-handed, the 6th string should be the top string and the 1st should be the bottom. The order of the strings from top to bottom is: EADGBE. Try making a mnemonic device to help you memorize the string order.

Now, try to use the frets when plucking. Do this by pining down a string to a fret with the tip of your finger then pluck the string’s extension. Begin with the first fret, which can be found near the headstock, or the place where the tuning keys are located. Continue with the following frets and with different strings. Take note of the different sounds you create – they are the note sounds. Also, be sure to keep your finger right at the middle of a fret so that you’ll create better sounds.

After learning how to make individual note sounds, you now have to study playing chords. Chords are groups of two or more notes that sound better than individual notes. The most common major chords are: CAGED.

Learning the guitar can be a tough job. So it is important to devote time in practicing. Yes, by the end of the day you will probably have to nurse both your fingers and your self-confidence back to life, but that is all part of the process.

Remember: no pain, no gain.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – No Pain, No Gain – Learn to Play Guitar

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