by Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Learn to Play Acousitc Guitar

A descendant of the classical guitar, the acoustic guitar has many modern advantages for those who want to learn to play it. The steel strings give the instrument a loud, bright, and developed sound. The acoustic guitar, before the advent of the amplifier, was most generally referred to as simply a “guitar”. Most often, an acoustic guitar is played with a plectrum, or a guitar pick, which is a small and often a heart-shaped material that allows the specific strumming of specific strings. Many players strum using individual fingers as well, which eliminates the need of a pick, while others use picks that attach to each finger, called finger picks, much like what you would see a banjo player using.

Finding a decent acoustic guitar might take some time and money. Unless you’ve got a friend with an extra practice guitar, then you might consider buying a budget acoustic guitar until you not only see how you like it, but so you’ll know what to look for should you buy a more expensive model down the road.

When you are teaching yourself to play an acoustic guitar, the road will be filled with ups and downs, along with leaps and bounds. Try to make it a precedent that you’ll practice at least four to six times per week, at least for 30 minutes each session. And, understand that frustration is a natural part of teaching yourself any instrument. What is important is that you give yourself rewards and keep learning interesting. This can be done by allowing yourself to play along with music you enjoy, even if you don’t know all the chords, looking at guitars in shops, and buying a few products will help you learn with a better and more well-rounded approach.

One cannot simply sit down and learn to play an acoustic guitar without having some basic knowledge about a guitar. Many websites offer information at no cost, which means that you’ll be able to learn a lot without having to pay anything. Learning what makes up the guitar, why and how the sound is emitted, and how tension relates to creating a well-tuned instrument are all a part of the learning process and the fun involved. Having an electronic tuner is also a worthwhile investment. The small, usually LED lights will help you easily figure out if your guitar is properly tuned. Even if the guitar sounds in tune to you, always use a tuner to make sure.

As you begin to teach yourself more, pay attention to the different ways a chord can be played. For example, there are several different ways to play the C and G chords. Being versatile in your playing will allow you to change chords more smoothly later on, without having to worry about difficult finger placements. Also, when learning chords on your acoustic guitar, it is imperative that you build up your hands’ muscle memory. This means that once you have gotten a chord down, practice it without looking down at the frets or strings. Feel for the strings and teach yourself in this manner with each and every chord. Similar to teaching yourself how to type properly, this is one major key to success. Finally, be sure that you allow your fingertips to become properly calloused. Getting your fingers and hands used to the guitar will take some time. But, after only a few weeks, your hands and fingers will not hurt and you will be able to accurately hold a chord without feeling any pain or hand tenderness. Overall, learning to play the guitar, especially a steel-stringed acoustic one, will take an initial investment, namely that of time and dedication. Practice does make perfect, so give yourself plenty of time, varied activities, and always look at different options of when and where you can improve your skill.

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