Top 10 Tips for Learning to Play Guitar

Your fingers will hurt. Your strumming will sound like a dying lawnmower. Your G chord will buzz like a mosquito trapped in a soda can. And that's all part of the fun.

Learning guitar isn't some mystical talent bestowed upon the chosen few. It's repetition, patience, and just enough stubbornness to keep going when your strings bite back. It's also a lot more doable when you've got good advice. These are tips from real players who've stumbled through the same messy chords and offbeat rhythms you're about to conquer.

This list is full of those nuggets of wisdom. Maybe they'll speed up your progress. Maybe they'll stop you from flinging your guitar into a lake. Either way, the people voting here know what works.

The Top Ten

  1. Learn to play your favorite songs

    It makes you very happy and increases your guitar skill level.

  2. Practice every day

    Very important. It's both a muscle and brain thing. Try not to miss a day.

    If you can do more than 15 minutes, don't stop. Keep playing, keep enjoying.

    Slash was practicing 12 hours a day.

    Practice to a metronome. Make yourself a routine. Just hold it for a month and see insane results.

    Great riddle: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

    Practice.

  3. Play with your own ideas

    That should be 80% of what you do.

    Just pick it up and play.

  4. Learn chords

    For those of you who know the really talented guitarist Ashlee Juno, who happens to play my favorite guitar brand, Fender, thanks to her I learned so many new chords. I was watching her tutorial on Ariana Grande's Right There ft. Big Sean and I'm learning and watching more of her guitar covers. I have to say, watching them looks a lot easier and easy to play.

    Like once, she played Luther Vandross's Always And Forever and I immediately knew most of the chords to play. I want to keep practicing guitar every day so I can get a Fender of my own. When school starts back up again, one of my classes is guitar, so I'm super excited for grade 10! If you know Ashlee Juno, keep watching her covers and tutorials! She explains really well and has such talent in guitar playing.

    Peace out!

    -Art'nGuitarQueen358

  5. Watch guitar lesson videos

    The most important thing to expand your guitar style is very important.

  6. Watch guitar playing and jamming videos

    This is very important to see people just jamming. If you keep watching, your influence and ideas will come together.

  7. Practice scales

    The first time I heard about this, it scared me off. It seemed very complicated. I learned everything but scales, but believe me, they're easy. I started practicing scales after five months of playing guitar. Learn one scale, any scale. It's going to make you faster on the guitar and more accurate.

  8. Learn guitar theory

    Start with knowing guitar notes on frets, starting with the thickest string. If you find it complicated, start with chords.

  9. Listen to songs that feature guitar

    Listen to rock music. If your favorite band is a rock band, then you're lucky - you have a great influence.

  10. Take lessons from a good guitar teacher

    None of these tips will matter if you have a bad teacher, so having a good teacher comes before all of them.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Study different guitarists and their styles

  12. ?

    Rub your fingers on a table to build calluses and avoid blisters

    13. The Contenders

  13. Practice in front of a mirror

    It's very effective. Instead of leaning over to see the chords, just look forward and watch your strumming in the mirror.

  14. Create your own guitar songs

    This step should come after months of learning the guitar. You can learn two or three chords and sing and make a song, but if you want to be a real guitarist, add more. You can slide, bend, and pick some suitable notes. Try to solo. That will improve everything in your guitar learning.

  15. Download guitar eBooks

  16. Choose the right guitar pick

    Do you want thin, medium, heavy, extra heavy, or extra thin? Choose your style. For a beginner, start with thin or medium because you won't be soloing and playing scales from the beginning, and that requires heavy picks.

  17. Expand your musical influences

    Try to love all the rock bands and listen to them to increase your influence.

    Don't play pop music too much on guitar. They are only some chords and have little technique. You will find yourself repeating what you're doing on the guitar. But of course, you should learn your favorite pop songs.

    Focus on high-quality rock music with rich guitar playing.

  18. Focus on learning new techniques

    Challenge yourself. It may not be fun, but it will make you better.

  19. Jam with other guitarists

    Very helpful. It's like doing homework with friends. Sharing guitar theory and style is very helpful.

    Love jamming!

  20. Try playing all types of guitars

    Try everything: electric, acoustic, bass, classical.

    Playing bass and normal guitar (acoustic and electric) is quite different. In bass, you will have problems with thicker and longer strings. But the bright side is it has only four strings.

  21. Practice playing while standing

    Pick a position when you play. If you want to perform sitting, then practice while you are sitting.

  22. Buy your favorite guitar

    If you like AC/DC, then buy a Gibson SG like Angus Young. If you like Slash or Jimmy Page, then buy a Gibson Les Paul. Or you can choose based on your taste by trying guitars. Gibson, Fender, PRS, Jackson, Ibanez, and Taylor are all great.

  23. Learn to use your amplifier effectively

    If you play electric, practice on the amplifier. Try to get the best sound.

  24. Choose a guitar genre to study

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