In this lesson
Use these lessons to work towards something you want to play. Start with the task you need help with, or follow the route below if you are picking up a guitar for the first time. You can revisit a step as the music asks more of you.
1. Tune the guitar and read a chord shape
How to tune a guitar explains standard tuning, string names and tuner readings. The online guitar tuner is an option when you choose to use a microphone tuner.
Before using a chord chart, read how guitar chord diagrams work. You will learn which strings to fret, which to leave open and which to leave out.
2. Learn one or two chords
The first guitar chords gives complete finger positions for six open shapes and a short Em/E exercise. Choose a pair you can form comfortably; learning every chord in the list is not a requirement for moving on.
When a note is unclear, use getting the hang of new chords to check the intended strings separately. The chord charts are a reference when you need another shape.
3. Keep a beat on one chord
Try beginner strumming patterns on one familiar chord before adding changes. The lesson places every downstroke and upstroke on a count, including the movements that pass without striking.
Use the online metronome when you want a steady reference. Follow the exercise’s beat grouping and click instructions, and choose a tempo you can follow without rushing. You can practise the movement without clicks first.
4. Move between chords
Learning a shape and reaching it in time are separate tasks. Work on one change from the music you want to play, starting slowly enough to check the notes.
How to switch guitar chords smoothly develops a two-chord drill and explains how shared finger positions can help. If you count changes, listen to the resulting chord before counting it as clean; a higher number alone does not tell you whether the timing or sound has improved.
5. Play a short progression or piece of music
The easy chord progressions combine familiar shapes with stated bar lengths. Start with a pair you can manage, then use the same counting in a longer sequence.
You can also learn a riff or melody. If it is written in tab, how to read guitar tabs explains string and fret numbers and where to find the rhythm information. Choose a small passage and return to it after working on an awkward change or beat.
Give your session a useful shape
The beginner practice routine offers an adaptable example with time for chord work, rhythm and music. Shorten it or choose fewer tasks when you have less time. Exploring sounds and playing for enjoyment can belong in the session too.
Take breaks and stop if playing hurts. Seek qualified healthcare advice if pain or other symptoms persist or keep returning. An unfamiliar movement is a reason to learn it gradually; pain is a reason to stop the attempt.
Extra help when you need it
- Use barre-chord alternatives for smaller shapes and other ways to approach a song with a difficult chord. Check whether an alternative changes the harmony.
- Try finger-control exercises if you want optional movement drills. Choose a manageable movement, release between attempts and skip any drill that causes discomfort. These exercises are not a prerequisite for playing songs.
- Review common beginner mistakes to choose a specific problem to work on, such as rushed changes, unnecessary pressure or an unclear practice goal.
Teaching and health sources
This lesson route is a suggested way through IGDb. For another beginner session example, D’Addario’s routine with Justin Guitar combines chord clarity, changes and songs. BAPAM’s healthy-playing guidance advises breaks and stopping for pain; its return-to-playing guidance discusses individual playing loads and seeking help for symptoms.