Guitar Beginners Guide

I started playing guitar when I 9 years old it wasn’t by choice it was because my Grandmother wanted to hear song from her childhood. My teacher was an older gentleman that didn’t live far from us who knew all the songs that my Grandmother wanted me to learn. His lessons where straight and to the point, place your fingers here and strum this way or place your finger here and pick this string. I would master the techniques and magic! The song would come out. As I got older my repertoire was limited to the songs I had learned with my Grandmothers neighbor so I lost interest.

As I got older I started to gain interest again but because my experience with a "Guitar Teacher" had not been pleasant I decided I go at it by myself. I started looking at websites and exploring "Tabs" WOW, what a great discovery! I could actually play anything I wanted as long as I understood this new language and practiced. As with athletes muscle memory is very important, the more you practice the better you get, the quicker your brain, hands and finger work together.

Tabs are somewhat of guitar by numbers system, the numbers on the chart display what string you should be on and what fret on the guitar you should press that string on. At first when you see them displayed for songs and run next to each other they can seem confusing but if you take one by one and isolate them it starts making sense.

Here is an example of an A Chord

A Chord=002220
Guitar Tab
|E____|__0__|_____ String Open Position you do not press down on the string
|B____|__0__|_____ String Open Position you do not press down on the string
|G____|__2__|_____ String Press down on the G string on the second fret
|D____|__2__|_____ String Press down on the G string on the second fret
|A____|__2__|_____ String Press down on the G string on the second fret
|E____|__0__|_____ String Open Position you do not press down on the string

As you can see in this example I have detailed the string and finger positions. There are a couple of ways you will find a Tab, in a chart or grid formation or in a numerical sequence. The example above the chart or grid "A Chord=002220" is the numerical sequence and it details the same information as the grid. If you are a visual person you will probably prefer the chart or grid, both methods work well and give the same info.

The great thing about Tabs, which by the way its short "Tablature" is that if you go to your nearest music store and search for song books from your favorite band or artist you will find song books with Tabs. This means that you will never find yourself short of material to learn.

I for one have been very happy since my discover of Tabs, I can play anything I want and I have advanced from the instructions of "place your finger here". I’m not a guitar virtuoso but I enjoy my time with my music and I razzle dazzle people with my repertoire now!

Srings on a Guitar
Tips and Instruction for Guitar Beginners