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