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Todd asked:


I have started taking acoustic guitar lessons with a friend and would like to hear your opinion on songs to listen to for inspiration, and to become more familiar with the general style. I have pretty wide ranged tastes in music, but I am aiming for classical to modern rock.

KarliH asked:


I am taking acoustic guitar lessons soon.. but I don’t have a strap for it, i own an electric guitar and i have a strap for it… can i use the electric guitar strap for the acoustic guitar?

Moana asked:


I dont know how to play any instruments so when I get a job I want to learn how to play acoustic guitar. I know prices vary everywhere but …Around how much do lessons cost [per session]?
…Do most places provide a guitar during lessons or do I need my own?

I obviously plan on finding all of this info out when I have a job but I just want an idea if its really expensive or not.
…

Ralph Serpe asked:




I am sure you have been searching for acoustic beginner online guitar lessons for quite some time now. Perhaps these sites have not answered some of the most basic questions that a beginner has when starting acoustic guitar. This article was written to address those questions with tips, lessons and basics that I hope will help you on your way.

What is the best beginner acoustic guitar?

This is probably the most common question amongst beginner acoustic guitar players. Do not buy the most expensive guitar, but do not buy the cheapest you can find either. A good range to shop in would be between 100 – 300 dollars.

If you can, find an experienced guitar player to come shopping with you. Ask him or her to pick up and play all the guitars within your price range and then purchase the one that feels and sounds the best. Make certain to examine any guitar you plan on purchasing.

Look down the neck of the guitar to see if it is warped. Check the action on the guitar. The action refers to the height of the strings from the fret board. If the action is too high or too low, it can cause problems with your playing.

Remember that you are just a beginner and this is your first guitar. Do not invest a lot of money into buying a guitar at this stage. If you do, and you find that acoustic guitar playing is not your thing, then you will have a beautiful guitar collecting dust in the corner of your room. If you enjoy playing and you find yourself getting better, then you can begin to explore your options and purchase a higher quality guitar.

Do not let yourself get stressed out when buying your first guitar. Just get a descent one and start practicing.

Some good brands to consider: Epiphone, Takamine, Yamaha and Squier.

Ouch! My fingers hurt. I can’t play!

This is a very common complaint amongst the beginner. Every single guitarist has experienced hand and finger pain when just starting out. It is something that you simply cannot avoid. The remedy? Keep playing and build up strength in your hands and fingers and develop those calluses! Building calluses on your fingertips will allow you to hold down the strings of the guitar without any pain while flattening your fingertips to produce a better sounding note.

You build up calluses and strength from practicing. Practice, practice and more practice. In time the pain will subside, but you have to get through this difficult stage of playing first, so hang in there. Listen to your body though. If you are in serious pain then by all means give your hands and fingers a rest.

Here is a great exercise to help strengthen your hands and fingers and to build up calluses:

This exercise will also familiarize you with the entire neck of your guitar and give you the agility to play chords and solos. Building the muscles in your hands will improve your stamina for playing and will develop what is called “muscle memory”.

The object of this exercise is to play each note going up and down the neck of the guitar. Start with your pointer finger on the 6th string 1st fret, let your fingers follow up the neck of the guitar, one note at a time, staying on the 6th string until your pinky finger reaches the fourth fret.

Play the 1st fret with your pointer finger

Play the 2nd fret with your middle finger

Play the 3rd fret with your ring finger

Play the 4th fret with your pinky finger

Note: After you have played the first fret do not lift your pointer finger up. Keep each finger on the string as you play them. This is important as it will aid in the strengthening process.

Repeat the same process on the 5th string, then the 4th, and so on. When you get to the bottom string, slide your entire hand over one fret without lifting your fingers.

So at this point, your pinky finger should be on the 1st string 5th fret, your ring finger on the 4th fret, middle finger on the 3rd fret and your pointer finger on the 2nd fret. Now play in reverse, starting with your pinky, going back up the guitar to the 6th string, only this time you have to lift up your fingers as you play.

Then simply repeat the process until you reach the last fret of your guitar. Do not rush this exercise or you will develop poor playing habits. Go nice and slow making sure you are producing a nice tone with each note you play.

More Beginner Guitar Tips

Make sure to stretch your fingers and hands before practicing.

Learn to actually read music and not just tablature.

Hire a guitar teacher if you can afford it. A teacher will be able to catch any mistakes you are making and correct you on the spot. This will help you develop better playing habits. If you cannot afford a guitar teacher, then invest in a good home study course.

Learn how to play chords, scales and techniques and not just your favorite songs. I know you just want to jump right in and learn “Stairway to Heaven”, but if you do not put the time in to learn the theory behind those great songs, you will not improve as a guitar player.

Do not pack up your guitar. Leave it out in the open. This will make it more convenient for you to just pick up your guitar and play at any time. Practice everyday for at least 20 minutes, more if possible. If you find yourself getting bored, or making too many mistakes, then take a break and do something else. 20 minutes of quality practice is better than an hour of sloppy practice.

Listen to other guitarists and not just in your favorite genre of music. You will be surprised at how other styles of music can influence your playing. Play with other musicians as often as possible. This is a great way to learn and pick up new techniques and advice.

Learn the proper way to string and tune your guitar.

Learn the proper way to take care of and maintain your instrument.

I hope this article has helped. The best tip I can give you is to never give up. Keep playing every day and try not to get discouraged. Good guitar playing is not just about technique, it also comes from your heart. If you truly love playing guitar, and you are dedicated to getting better, then it is only a matter of time. Enjoy and God Bless!

Skillz asked:


I just bought myself an acoustic guitar because it was something that sparked my interest but I have no clu where to start. Is there any place on the web where I can learn everything about acoustic guitar easily?

planetalk asked:

Another Kirk Lorange finger style lesson from his site Guitar for Beginners and Beyond. The lesson with tab is here: www.guitarforbeginners.com

rockongoodpeople asked:

How to play Acoustic Guitar Lesson basic picking Easy Song

Paul Benfort Harrison asked:




There probably is no one right or best DVD to purchase for learning the acoustic guitar. Most of the acoustic guitar lesson DVDs that pertain to this topic all deal in the same categories, though the order in which they are taught could vary.

For an individual who is trying to learn the steps to playing the guitar, there may be a preference on the instructor giving the lesson as it is with any subject that is taught. The itinerary of most instructional videos regarding the acoustic guitar might go something like this. Every DVD or video you pick up pertaining to an acoustic guitar lesson will first point out the parts of the instrument.

It will also cover fingering exercises and recognition of the finger, or fret board. The instructor will cover issues such as starting out on simple one note songs, as well as how to string and tune an acoustic guitar. In certain sets there will also be a section of some more advanced playing to build up finger to note coordination.

The beginning guitarist will also learn the use of the pick guard and how to position their fingers for strumming, or using a pick. Some good choices for DVDs providing lessons for the acoustic guitarist are “The Essential Instructional DVD for Acoustic Guitar”, from eMedia. Professional guitar instructor, Kevin Garry, Ph.D, teaches the lessons in this DVD. It covers areas like how to string the instrument, tuning it, and gives some basic strumming exercises. The DVD is sixty minutes long and available for around twenty dollars.

There is also “The Original Guitar Basics”, instructed by MVP Instructor, Mike Christiansen. Mike is also a favored instructor to the filed because he goes step-by-step with his technique. He is thorough in his teachings and the lessons are easy to understand. Mike’s videos are also available for around $20. Next, there is a DVD called “Fingerstyle, How to Play Acoustic Fingerpicking”. This DVD came out in 2005 and is taught by another well known acoustic instructor, Greg Douglass and retails for about $15.

Of all the acoustic guitar lesson DVDs that are available out there, the most complete guitar education would come from Learn And Master Guitar. This award winning guitar dvd set is a product of Legacy System and taught by guitar instructor Steve Krenz. This guitar DVD set comes with professional video lessons, detailed handbook as well as 24/7 online support.