This is a How To Guide for basic guitar playing skills

1. Learn to Play the Guitar!

2. Check List-
What You Need and My Recommendations
• Guitar- http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/alvarez-rd12-
regent-series-dreadnought-acoustic-guitar
• Guitar Picks-
• Hard: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Dunlop-DUNLOP-433P1-00-1-
00MM-ULTEX-SHARP-PICK-PLAYERS-PACK--6-PACK--
105498091-i1466329.gc
• Thin: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-351-
premium-celluloid-guitar-
picks/110556000060163?src=3WFRWXX&CAWELAID=2601778
7
• Guitar Chord Book- http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Guitar-
Chords/dp/0786629134/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1337645826&s
r=8-10
• Journal- (optional) for the naturalistic learner, to make a journal of
your experiences as well as difficulties during this process.

3. Vocabulary
• Guitar- wooden, six string instrument played in various styles of music
• Neck- long, wooden part of the guitar that comes off of the main body and
has a fret board in order for notes to be played
• Frets- metal strips with spaces between them on the neck of the guitar and
on the fretboard or fingerboard
• Fretboard- a fingerboard with frets on the guitar
• Strings- thin pieces of metal that are strummed in order to make music on
the guitar
• Guitar Picks- usually plastic, triangularly shaped, used to strum the strings
on the guitar
• Guitar Chord Book- a book of different guitar chords, usually including
diagrams, pictures, and explanations of how to play the chords

4. Step By Step
1. If you are right handed, have the neck of the guitar in your left hand so you will be able to
strum with your right and vice versa. (You will need a left handed guitar if you are left
handed)
2. Looking at the neck of the guitar, you will see a lot of thin metal lines all down the front. The
spaces in between each of these lines are called "frets." The frets make up what we call the
"fretboard." Going up a fret represents going up one half step, therefore, going up two frets is
a whole step.
Fretboard

5. More Steps!
3. With the curve in the side of your guitar resting on your leg, look down at the strings.
4. Starting from the top string going down, the notes of the strings are "E," "A," "D," "G," "B,"
and "E.“
5. Now, make sure you have a guitar chord book. This way you can see where to place your
fingers for learning your first chord.

6. The “E” Chord
6. Once you have your book, start with an "E" chord. Feel free to view the chord in the
book for better understanding and clarification. The "E" chord is considered one of the
most basic chords on the guitar which is why you can learn it as one of your first chords.
7. First, place your middle finger in the second fret on the "A" String.
8. Second, place your fourth finger on the "D" String, also in the second fret.
9. Third, place your pointer finger on the "G" String in the first fret.
10. Now your fingers are in the shape of an "E" chord! Squeeze the guitar where your
fingers are positioned and try strumming the guitar with your right hand. Refer to your
chord book if it does not sound right.

7. 11. Repeat a similar process for
all other basic chords you
desire to learn, such as
“A”, “C”, “D”, “F”, or “G”.

8. The “A” Chord

9. The “C” Chord

10. The “D” Chord

11. The “F” Chord

12. The “G” Chord

13. Strumming!
12.Time for your first strumming pattern while playing your first
chord. Take your pick and try strumming in the direction of
this pattern on your guitar- Down, down, up, down, up.
13.Repeat this until it becomes smooth and comfortable for you.
Even try coming back to it later if you are having difficulties.
14.If you still cannot get it after revisiting, view the example of
this strumming pattern in the next slide.

15. 15. Now you should have a basic
knowledge of the guitar and some new
guitar skills!