Playing the guitar is a extremely fun, and you can never learn too much about it.It,s a never ending learning process. That's why I've put together some "off-the-beaten-path" guitar lessons for newbies here that I hope you'll enjoy. Although these lessons won't make you an overnight guitar hero, my hope is that they'll give you some quick insights to advance your guitar skills futher.
Lesson #1: Fretboard Facts
Did you know that your fretboard is 'doubled' at the 12th fret position? What I mean by 'doubled' is that all of the open-string notes repeat in the same order (as octaves) at the 12th fret.
If you just strum your guitar without fretting (holding down) any notes, you have the following pattern in 'standard' tuning: E-A-D-G-B-E. Then, if you were to place your index finger across all six strings at the 12th fret, you get: E-A-D-G-B-E again!
Why is this useful?
It's useful because it means that all of the chord shapes and scale patterns you learn under the 12th fret are repeated in the same relative positions. So, once you've learned how things work from the open position and 1st fret onwards, you've automatically got everything at the 12th fret and beyond mastered, too!
Lesson #2: Two-Note 'Drones'
Here's an experiment for you to try: Play an open 'D' note simultaneously with a fretted 'A' note on your third string. Now, keep hitting that open 'D' as you move up the D-major scale on the third string. In other words, keep hitting that 'D' as you slide your finger up the fretboard from A to B to D to E and so on.
Sounds pretty cool, right? You can do this for the E and A string below as well.
If you want a song to follow along with and practice this technique, check out the early U2 song called "Electric Co." The Edge" is really a big fan of these two-note 'drones' and used the technique extensively in that song.
If memory serves, 'Electric Co.' is in the key of D-major, and the riff progresses like so:
D/A - D/C - D/B - D/E - D/F# - D/D (that second D is played at the 7th fret position) - D/A -D/C - D/B - D/G (open G on 3rd string) - D/E - D/F#
Hint: You may need to tune down a half-step to get in key with the album version of the song.
Lesson #3: Easy 'Thirds' in G-Major
The Beatles' song, 'Blackbird', popularized this sound. The progression of intervals of 'thirds' creates a very awesome sounding harmony that sounds both 'major' and 'minor' at the same time.
In case you aren't familiar with the concept of intervals, the basic definition of an interval is that it is the difference in pitch between two notes. What you do is count up from the root note of the major scale to find the interval number.
In the key of G-major, for example, the distance from from G to C is an interval of a fourth because C is the fourth note in the scale.
In this example, however, what we are actually doing is taking the thirds in relation to the chords being played. Let us go from G major to A minor to B minor. The intervals of thirds for each of these chords is: G/B, A/C and B/D, respectively.
Now, trying plucking these intervals with your thumb and index finger. Start with G on the sixth string and B on the second string, open position. Move to A on the fifth string, open position, with C played on the second string, first fret. Finally, play B on the fifth string, second fret, with D on the second string, third fret.
In 'pseudo-tab', the notation would look like this: (6/3 - 2/0) - (5/0 - 2/1) - (5/2 - 2/3). The first number in the 'fraction' represents which string to play on, while the second number represents which fret on that string to hold down.
The parenthesis indicate that you should play both strings simultaneously, rather than one after the other.
So, (6/3 - 2/0) means play the note on the 3rd fret of the sixth string at the same time as you play the second string (0= open position).
That's all there is for this round of beginner's guitar lessons. I hope you enjoyed them and try experimenting with them to come up with new sounds of your own!
It doesn't matter if you're four or sixty-four, guitar lessons can be a fun way to pass time while developing a skill and talent that will delight others while keeping your mind and fingers nimble. Whether it's country, folk, rock or classical guitar you want to learn, the starting point is the same - basic lessons.
Good guitar lessons come in a number of different formats. Here are the three most typical:
Books These can be great for those who have the patience to sift through them. A basic guitar lesson book will start out describing the instrument, its strings and so on. It will be up to you, however, to decipher the book and take what you read and put it into action. The important things to pay attention to are such things as basic terms, fingering techniques and so on. If you follow along well, books can provide very good guitar lessons. This form of learning works very well for some students, but others require guitar lessons that are audible an visual to truly learn.
Video lessons Whether offered online or through a DVD or VHS, this can be a great way to learn the guitar. These prerecorded lessons provide everything a face-to-face class would except the feedback. Video lessons, too, start out with the basics and move their way up to more advanced techniques. The benefit here is the fact students can see and hear the lessons as they progress. It's often easier to learn the guitar when you can see where your hands and fingers need to be placed and hear what an end piece is supposed to sound like. While these won't totally replace face-to-face lessons, they do have their place and many a good guitarist has started out with video courses.
Face-to-face This is the preferred method by many who undertake guitar lessons. They can be as good as the instructor, however, and his or her ability to convey complicated lessons to students. The benefit of this type of learning is the fact the feedback is right there and the instructor can help you move your hands where they need to be if you don't understand. The downfall with this type of lesson is the fact it isn't on demand like a video class or a book. Unless you have a ton of money to spend on guitar lessons, you'll only get an hour or a few a week of classes.
Guitar lessons are ideal for anyone with a love of music. The guitar, however, isn't the easiest instrument on the block to learn. It's important for students to expect a long learning curve in some cases. With proper instruction and a willingness to stick with it, it's very possible for almost anyone to learn how to play.
Remember, learning the guitar isn't an overnight pursuit. It will take time and a lot of it to go from beginner to expert. The more you put into the lessons, whether they're books, videos or formal classes, the more you're likely to get out of them.
Both Rajinderpal Singh & Ray La Foy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Rajinderpal Singh has sinced written about articles on various topics from Guide Guitar, Guide Guitar and self improvement and motivation. Got a Major case of the newbie guitarist's blues? Don't be sad..B-flat! Or at least learn where it is on the fretboard when you grab this free report at :