These beginner guitar lessons will get you off to a good start. I have been playing guitar for over 10 years now. In the beginning, I had to learn about these things the hard way. If you follow this advice, you can avoid the problems that I encountered.

These beginner guitar lessons will get you off to a good start. I have been playing guitar for over 10 years now. In the beginning, I had to learn about these things the hard way. If you follow this advice, you can avoid the problems that I encountered.

Take Guitar Lessons from a Real Person First

Books, DVD's, and online lessons are great - but you really need to take your first lessons from a real live person. A real person can physically show you how to hold a guitar, where to place your fingers, and how to strum. And, more importantly, they are there to correct you when you do something wrong. Other lessons just can't do this. And it's so important in the beginning. After the first few lessons, once you have a firm grasp of the basics, then it's okay to start learning from other sources.

Regular Practice is Best

If you want to make progress as fast as possible, don't go more than 2 or 3 days without picking up your guitar and practicing. 10 or 15 minutes every day will allow you to develop into a pretty good guitar player. You won't progress as fast if you only practice once or twice a week, even if those sessions last an hour. They don't build up and reinforce your muscle memory, finger strength, and reflexes.

It's Not Easy in the Beginning

All new guitarists find it difficult in the beginning. You will have pain in all sorts of locations - especially your hands and fingers. And many people suffer with neck and back pain. But, don't let it get you down. You will overcome this pain if you push through it. After a couple of weeks, your fingertips will develop calluses which will make it less painful to play. Your hands and wrist will become stronger and more flexible - and less painful too. Back and neck pain are the result of incorrect posture. This is why a live instructor is so important. They can help you to correct and work on any problems in your posture.

You Need a Quality Guitar

Many beginners think that a cheap, low quality guitar is okay when you're just getting started. Nothing could be further from the truth. A lot of the cheap guitars are made of poor quality materials and have poor workmanship. The strings sit too high off the neck - making it hard to push them down and make chords and notes. It's hard to keep these guitars in tune, which is terribly frustrating. And there is often bad fret buzz. Fret buzz will make your chords and notes sound bad. You can get a good quality electric or acoustic guitar in the $180 to $200 range. If you're short of cash, you can get a nice used one for even cheaper. Go to your local music store and test out as many guitars as possible. You want one that feels right for you. If you don't know how to play much, then take a knowledgeable friend along or ask the sales clerk to demonstrate them for you. Try and buy a name brand guitar as they can usually be trusted to produce quality instruments. Epiphone, Yamaha, Fender, and Ibanez are good examples of companies that produce good quality beginner guitars.

I hope these beginner guitar lessons will lay a firm foundation for your guitar playing venture. If you stick with it, you will be a good player before you know it.