Posts Tagged ‘holding an acoustic guitar’

Acoustic Guitar Lessons for Beginners

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

If you have noticed, most covers and renditions of songs are done with the use of the acoustic guitar. This is because the guitar is one of the easiest instruments to play and can be used in diverse ways in different genres of music. Such is the image of this guitar that musicians use it to build their image and even the personality of their songs. If you want to learn to play guitar, starting with beginner acoustic guitar lessons is one good step for you.

The first thing you have to know before starting acoustic guitar lessons for beginners is to find out your comfort in holding an acoustic guitar, this would depend a lot on the factor if you are right handed or left handed. Most right handed guitarists strum and pluck with the right hand and tap the frets on the fretboard with the left hand. The strings gradually decrease in size – the thickest string is on top and the thinnest on the bottom. With this set-up of the acoustic guitar, you would know if the guitarist is right-handed or left-handed.

Strumming and plucking are the two most commonly used techniques to play the acoustic guitar. Strumming is the flexing of fingers or the use of a pick on the strings of the guitar in an upward and downward patterned motion. Plucking on the other hand is the abrupt pulling and releasing of a string on your finger. A pick can also be used for plucking. Each note that is played depends on tapping notes on your fret board. Use only your fingertips when tapping notes on your fret board. Too much can mute or muffle the sound that comes out when you strum your guitar. Beginners, do not worry too much about the calluses that you might get on your fingertips.

The next thing that you have to learn is the proper tapping of tabs. Guitar tabs are available in books, music magazines and on online acoustic guitar lessons. Tabs are greatly suggested for beginners, tabs are easier to read because they already appear as a diagram to where your fingers should be located on the fret board. You can actually take free or paid tutorials and acoustic guitar lessons online to further practice your skills on your acoustic guitar.

These are just the basic steps to follow if you want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar.  Do not limit yourself on what you see in the books or on online tutorials, you must explore on your own. Practice, and enjoy what you are doing. Remember that learning to play the acoustic guitar takes time, practice and patience.