| If you love rock music, and have always wanted to be | | | | D -||--|--|--|--|5X|-- |
| able to play some of your favorite songs on the guitar, | | | | A -||--|--|--|--|4X|-- |
| but maybe you've found it difficult to get started, then | | | | E -||--|--|1X|--|--|-- (lowest-sounding) |
| here are 5 steps to help get you get going. | | | | In this diagram, the X's show where to put your fingers |
| Step 1 - Choose Your Guitar & Amp | | | | (of your left hand usually) on the fretboard, and the |
| Of course, you can learn to play the guitar using any | | | | number shows which finger to use where. So in this |
| type of guitar, acoustic (classical/folk) or electric. | | | | case, the first finger will go on the lowest string at the |
| However, if you particularly want to start playing rock | | | | 3rd fret, then the 4th finger at the 5th fret, then finally |
| guitar, then an electric guitar is probably the best | | | | the 5th finger at the 5th fret. |
| choice. The main reason for this is that guitarists in | | | | When forming this pattern, try to make each finger |
| most rock bands use electric guitars, so from the start | | | | rest just behind the fret marker, and not be right in the |
| it's going to sound more like the music you want to | | | | middle, as this makes the notes sound more clearly |
| play (after all, you're not looking to play 'Greensleeves', | | | | (with less 'buzzing'). Try strumming the bottom 3 strings |
| but more 'Green Day'). | | | | with your right hand, while holding down this pattern on |
| Another reason, which some people may debate, but I | | | | the fretboard with your left. That is a G power chord. |
| think that it's just easier on the fingers to start learning | | | | If your guitar strings are in tune as in step 2, and you |
| on an electric guitar, and that's less likely to put you off | | | | have a distortion sound, then that should really sound |
| when you're just beginning. | | | | like a rock chord. |
| As for the amplifier or 'amp', to start off, you don't | | | | Step 4 - Shift It Around |
| need a huge stack, or a particularly powerful amp. A | | | | Now for the best bit - to play some songs right away |
| small practice amp (e.g. 10-20 Watts) can be sufficient | | | | you can use this same pattern, but play different |
| to begin with. Most of these will have at least 2 | | | | chords with it. So, keeping your fingers in this pattern |
| different modes - 'clean' and 'distortion' (or this second | | | | (1st, 4th and 5th fingers), try sliding it down 2 frets to |
| one may be called 'drive'). The distortion mode is really | | | | play an F chord: |
| the one you want to use, as this is used to some | | | | E -||--|--|--|--|--|-- (highest-sounding) |
| degree by many rock bands, and is the definitive 'rock | | | | B -||--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| guitar' sound. Even if at this point you don't know how | | | | G -||--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| to play anything, just plug the guitar in, select the | | | | D -||--|--|5X|--|--|-- |
| distortion channel, and strum the open strings - | | | | A -||--|--|4X|--|--|-- |
| chances are it sounds 'rock like' already! | | | | E -||1X|--|--|--|--|-- (lowest-sounding)it's the same 'L' shape |
| Many music stores sell starter packages which include | | | | pattern as in Step 3, but you've just shifted it further |
| an electric guitar, practice amp and case, which can be | | | | down the fretboard. This is now an F power chord. |
| great value when starting out. | | | | And now for another chord: |
| Step 2 - Tune It! | | | | E -||--|--|--|--|--|-- (highest-sounding) |
| An out of tune instrument can make even the best | | | | B -||--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| guitarist sound awful. Get into the habit of always | | | | G -||--|--|--|--|5X|-- |
| tuning the guitar before you start playing or practicing. | | | | D -||--|--|--|--|4X|-- |
| There are many different ways of tuning the guitar, | | | | A -||--|--|1X|--|--|-- |
| but the most common one is called 'Standard Tuning', | | | | E -||--|--|--|--|--|-- (lowest-sounding) |
| and this is the one used by most rock guitarists. | | | | In this one, we've taken the original power chord from |
| On this diagram of the guitar neck: | | | | Step 3, and just shifted it across to start on the next |
| E -||--|--|--|--|--|-- (highest-sounding) | | | | string. This is now a C power chord. When strumming |
| B -||--|--|--|--|-X|-- | | | | this one, try not to sound the bottom E string. |
| G -||--|--|--|-X|--|-- | | | | In all cases here, the pattern stays exactly the same, |
| D -||--|--|--|--|-X|-- | | | | we've just changed which fret the 1st finger starts at, |
| A -||--|--|--|--|-X|-- | | | | and on which string (E or A). Since the frets on the |
| E -||--|--|--|--|-X|-- (lowest-sounding) | | | | guitar aren't evenly spaced, you'll have to adjust your |
| The lowest-sounding strings are shown at the bottom, | | | | fingers slightly when moving it up or down. |
| and the highest-sounding at the top. The diagram | | | | This diagram shows where you have to start with |
| shows the names of the notes for each string in | | | | your 1st finger to play different power chords: |
| Standard Tuning. Don't worry if you don't know the | | | | E -||--|--|--|--|--|--|-- (highest-sounding) |
| names of the notes, or can't read music. The most | | | | B -||--|--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| important thing to begin with, is just to tune the guitar | | | | G -||--|--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| strings relative to each other. Let's say we'll tune | | | | D -||--|--|--|--|--|--|-- |
| relative to the highest E string (top one in the diagram). | | | | A -||Bb|-B|-C|C#|-D|Eb|-E |
| Play the B string on the 5th fret (X in the diagram) and | | | | E -||-F|F#|-G|G#|-A|Bb|-B (lowest-sounding)so, for |
| at the same time play the open E string. In Standard | | | | example, if you wanted to play a D chord rather than |
| tuning, these should be the same note, so if they don't | | | | a C as we did above, then just start with your 1st |
| sound the same, adjust the B string tuning until they | | | | finger on the A string at the 5th fret. |
| match. Then carry on with the other pairs of strings. In | | | | With this chart, and the chords to your favorite rock |
| each case you play the 5th fret on the lower string, | | | | song, you can use the one pattern to play it all the |
| against the sound of the open upper string. The only | | | | way through! |
| exception is the G string, where you play the 4th fret | | | | Step 5 - Practice! |
| note - see the X's in the diagram. | | | | It will still take some practice so that you can form the |
| Step 3 - The Power Chord | | | | pattern shown above, and move it around easily |
| Okay, now the guitar is in tune (at least with itself), so | | | | between frets. However, for now, there's only one |
| you can start learning some rock chords. Most people | | | | pattern to learn, and you can concentrate on making |
| start off by learning the open shape chords (C, D, G | | | | the notes sound clearly by holding them down firmly |
| chords, etc), then move on to barre and other more | | | | behind the frets with your left hand on the fretboard, |
| complicated chord patterns. This is a perfectly | | | | and trying to strum only the strings you're holding down. |
| acceptable way to learn, but to play most songs, you | | | | Once you've got the hang of this shape, and can play |
| usually need at least 3 different chords, and the most | | | | it easily at different frets, then you should be able to |
| frustrating thing is trying to switch your fingers from | | | | play a few different rock songs. From there, the sky is |
| one chord shape to another. With some practice, this | | | | the limit, there are many more techniques and things to |
| becomes quick and easy, but there is another way to | | | | learn as you progress with your guitar playing. |
| approach it, which only involves learning one pattern. | | | | I know that this technique works well, as recently my |
| That pattern is the 'Power Chord' pattern, and this can | | | | 11-year old son came to me, and wanted to learn to |
| be used to play a large proportion of rock songs out | | | | play a song on the guitar called 'Teenage Kicks'. He |
| there. Let's look at the G power chord pattern: | | | | hadn't really played guitar at all until then. I showed him |
| E -||--|--|--|--|--|-- (highest-sounding) | | | | the power chord shapes here, and within half an hour, |
| B -||--|--|--|--|--|-- | | | | he was playing the basics of this song, much to his |
| G -||--|--|--|--|--|-- | | | | delight! |