If you would like to hire an instructor to help you learn to play guitar, consider a professional music teacher or someone who has a lot of past experience in music. The first thing that you will learn is how to read music and apply the various chords correctly. At first, the guitar may seem intimidating because there are various strings and chords to learn. But, after a few lessons, you will be able to recognize the finger placement without even looking. If you remember learning to type, it began as the one finger poking method and looking at each key before touching it. But after some practice, you begin to recognize the placement of each key by memory. The same is true when you learn to play guitar.

It may be a good idea to learn to play guitar on a beginner level before hiring an instructor. Become familiar with the strings by purchasing an instruction book or instructional video. These type of manuals offer an introduction to the strings and guitar chords, their placement and offer several pieces of simple sheet music to familiarize the reader with playing. By reading closely, or watching an instructional video, you will enter into guitar lessons with more confidence. Rather than starting from scratch, your instructor will notice that you will likely learn to play guitar a lot faster than true beginner students.

If you aren't comfortable starting on your own, there is nothing wrong with entering guitar lessons as a beginner. After all, that's what the lessons are for. For practice purposes, it is a good idea to have access to a guitar. Your instructor may or may not ask that you practice but, if you do, it will help you to be better prepared for the next lesson.

When selecting an instructor, you have the option to learn to play guitar online or in person. Many tutors work one-on-one with students while others offer instruction to a group of students, which is similar to a music class. Online instruction is for anyone who doesn't want to leave home or doesn't have the time to attend regular classes. In addition, hiring a private tutor can be beneficial to avoid scheduling conflicts because they can be more flexible than class schedules, which cannot be changed.