Embarking on your guitar journey is an exciting adventure! It’s natural to be eager to play your favorite songs right away. However, like any skill, mastering the guitar starts with a solid foundation. Many beginners, in their enthusiasm, unfortunately skip over the core fundamentals. At guitarplayers.net, we believe that understanding the basics from the start is crucial for long-term success and enjoyment. That’s why in every first guitar lesson, we always cover the essential building blocks: the parts of the guitar, open string names, proper fretting technique, and basic strumming. Getting these fundamentals right from the beginning will set you up for confident progress and prevent bad habits from forming later on.
Surprisingly, even players with a few years of experience sometimes lack knowledge of these fundamental concepts. Imagine trying to learn a new language without knowing the alphabet! Similarly, not knowing open string names makes learning new chords, scales, or songs significantly more challenging and time-consuming. To help you avoid this common pitfall, we use a simple, memorable rhyme to learn the open string names. It might sound a bit silly, but trust us, it works! The rhyme is: Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears. “E” for Elephants represents the low (thickest) E string, and “E” for Ears is the high (thinnest) E string. Practicing this rhyme and quizzing yourself by identifying strings out of order will quickly solidify your understanding. This simple knowledge allows instructors (and online resources like this one!) to communicate effectively, for example, saying “place your second finger on the 2nd fret of the D string” becomes instantly clear, without any hesitation.
Another fundamental aspect often overlooked by beginners is correct fretting technique. Many assume that fingers should be placed in the middle of the fret, and some misguided sources even teach this incorrect method. Let’s set the record straight: this is wrong. For optimal sound and efficiency, your fingers should almost always (approximately 99% of the time – we’ll touch on exceptions later) be positioned just behind the fret. Not directly on top of the fret, not in the middle, but just behind it. This placement requires the least amount of pressure to produce a clear, clean, and sustained note.
Once you start practicing fretting notes – a great starting point is the 1st fret of the low E string – it’s the perfect time to introduce basic right-hand strumming or picking techniques. If you’re a complete newbie and haven’t used a guitar pick (plectrum) before, we recommend starting by simply plucking the low E string with your thumb in a downward motion. This helps develop a feel for the strings. If you’re a bit more comfortable or want to use a pick right away, learn to strike the pick across the string in a downward motion. How you hold the pick is also important. Avoid holding too much of the pick, which can feel clumsy, and ensure you hold it in a way that keeps your wrist relaxed, not at an awkward angle.
Alt text: Beginner guitar lesson demonstration, male instructor showing proper fretting hand position.
Easy Guitar Riffs for Absolute Beginners
With the basics under your fingers, it’s time to dive into playing actual music! Learning simple, recognizable tunes is incredibly motivating for beginners. A classic starting point is “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple. While often first learned on the low E string for simplicity when focusing on fretting technique, it’s more accurately played on the D string to match the original key. Crucially, make sure to use different fingers on your fretting hand for this riff (and everything you learn!). A common bad habit among beginners is using only one finger (usually the index or middle finger, as they are naturally stronger) for everything. For “Smoke On The Water,” the correct fingering is:
- 1st finger on the 3rd fret
- 3rd finger on the 5th fret
- 4th finger on the 6th fret
This fingering is essential because it allows your hand to stay efficiently positioned on the guitar neck, minimizing unnecessary movements and setting you up for more complex playing later on.
Other fantastic simple riffs to get you started and build your repertoire include “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream and “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes. These riffs are not only easy to learn but also instantly recognizable and fun to play, boosting your confidence and keeping you engaged in your practice.
Open Guitar Chords for Newbies: Playing Your First Songs
Once you’re comfortable with single-note riffs, the next step is to explore the world of chords. Open chords are named so because they utilize the open strings of the guitar in combination with fretted notes in the lower positions of the neck (closest to the nut and headstock – remember the guitar anatomy!). Knowing a set of fundamental open chords unlocks a vast library of songs – you can likely play around 90% of popular music with just a handful of these shapes.
When introducing chords, it’s helpful to have a specific song in mind to work towards. Let’s take “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King as an example. For this song, you’ll need to learn the chords G, E minor (Em), C, and D. You can learn these chords by watching demonstrations, mimicking finger positions, and by using chord diagrams. Chord diagrams are essential tools for guitarists, and understanding how to read them is crucial for independent learning. We’ll take a moment to explain how to decipher chord diagrams so you can use them effectively when you practice at home and encounter new chords. Once you can form the chord shapes with your fretting hand, start with a simple strumming pattern – just one down strum per bar. This allows you to focus on ensuring all strings ring out clearly and cleanly. As your chord changes become smoother, you can gradually introduce more complex strumming patterns, incorporating upstrokes to add rhythm and groove to your playing.
Alt text: Guitar newbie practicing open chords, close-up of strumming hand demonstrating rhythm.
It’s worth noting that sometimes, when playing chords, we need to slightly bend the rule about placing fingers just behind the fret. For example, in an A major chord, the finger placement can become a little cramped in the 2nd fret position. Your finger on the D string might inevitably end up slightly over the fret. This situation is sometimes unavoidable, particularly with certain chord shapes, but it highlights the importance of developing strong fretting hand technique to ensure you can still produce a clear sound even when finger placement isn’t perfectly ideal.
Power Chords: Unleash Your Inner Rock Star
After gaining some experience with single-note riffs and open chords, it’s time to graduate to power chords! Power chords are fundamental to many genres, especially rock music and its various subgenres. We usually start teaching power chords in the 5th fret range on the low E string. The lower frets can be a bit too spread out for beginners learning the shape initially. Once you’re comfortable with the basic power chord shape, practice shifting it to different frets and also playing it off the A string. To make learning practical and fun, we’ll explore songs that heavily feature power chords. The chorus of “Sunshine of Your Love” is a great example, especially if you’ve already learned the main verse riff.
However, the quintessential power chord anthem has to be “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. Its instantly recognizable and iconic intro riff is built entirely on power chords. When we mention “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to new students, they sometimes say “I’m not sure, maybe…” but the moment we play the riff, they almost always exclaim, “Yes! YES! I know that song!” This riff is excellent for learning power chords because it utilizes power chords played off both the low E and A strings, involves quick position shifts on the neck, and incorporates a specific strumming pattern with upstrokes. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a fantastic song to learn in its entirety, including the guitar solo, which even introduces beginners to the exciting technique of string bending! But for now, let’s keep our focus locked on mastering those powerful power chords.
This beginner’s guide provides a roadmap to start your guitar journey on the right foot. Remember, consistent practice and a focus on these fundamental techniques will pave the way for you to become a confident and skilled guitar player. Keep practicing, keep exploring, and most importantly, keep enjoying the music!
