Learning an instrument can be rewarding for some. While many attempt to learn the guitar, it is very unfortunate to see some giving up early after trying a couple of times. Guitar lessons can be very expensive, but having someone like a teacher or a mentor who is committed to helping you really pays off.

There are also some good reasons to learn it in a conventional way and by yourself.

Learn How to Tune

Keeping your guitar tuned is probably the first thing you need to learn. It makes no sense to practice playing the guitar that doesn't sound right, it will only cause you a lot of problems. There are a lot of electronic tuners available in the market, it doesn't take a lot of your time and will make your life easier, but the other method other professional guitarists prefer is by using your ears.

Tuning a guitar can be confusing, but once you get one string at the correct pitch, you can tune the rest of the guitar to that string. The standard tuning from the thickest to the thinnest strings, are E-A-D-G-B-E. Memorize them by heart. This will be your foundation to learn the notes of the fretboard. Learning to tune your guitar by using your ears helps you big time when it comes to getting to know all the sounds you need for your music and easily get the guitar sound you like.

Learn the Chords

As a beginner and learning all things by yourself, the next thing you need to do is to learn the basics of guitar. Sure, the guitar has a lot of basic points, but you are going to want to stick on them if you want to play as quickly as possible. Buying a basic guitar manual is a good start. You can also look at some materials online that are widely available.

The first thing you need to learn is how to properly hold a guitar and the pick, and the correct way to strum those strings. Secondly, you need to build up the basic chords. This should include mastering A, C, D, E, F, and G major chords as well as Am, Em, Dm, and some easy 7th chords.

Learning the chords can take up to weeks if you work at it. One tip you can use while practicing is to play a song you love. That way you learn new chords and expand your knowledge. It will also serve as your inspiration from learning songs you like instead of just learning Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for a month. Tutorials on how to play and review of guitar tricks can be found online and may benefit you. So keep practicing and be patient until you master everything in this stage and until your fingers can move together with your brain.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Learning how to play the guitar can be frustrating because it takes most of your time and sometimes things don't go well as you planned it. But having the ambition and drive to spend time practicing and playing will get you very far. Whether you choose to take lessons or teach yourself, put in some time to scan, read, watch tutorials beyond your manual. The more you play, the better you become.

Once you feel comfortable with playing guitar chords, you can begin to move on to more challenging songs. Your success in playing the guitar or anything in life is co-related to the time and effort you give in. So start strumming those strings and rock out the stage.