Star Guitars: 101 Guitars That Rocked the World

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Whether you’re learning to play an acoustic or electric guitar, or decide that you want to learn how to play bass, finding the right instrument is essential. While an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar share the same basic structure, there are a few key differences that make an electric guitar sound … well … electrified. Below is a walk-through of the anatomy of an electric guitar, as well as the tones produced by each of its six strings. How Is an Electric Guitar Different from an Acoustic? Both styles of guitar generally have six strings. When played in standard, Open E tuning, each of the strings have the following tones:

You’ll feel confident learning with our easy-to-follow lessons that build on your skills slowly, so Min Read By Ben Nemeroff and Mike Duffy Share Learn 13 Free Guitar Lessons Including Chords, Scales and Songs The right lighting. Choose a room with either plenty of natural light or be sure that your room is well-lit. Being able to see your fretboard clearly is essential for beginners learning the correct positioning to play a note. The A minor chord has a rich, heavy sound. And, like most minor chords, its tone evokes a somber or sad emotional feel. To play the three-fingered version, you don't play the low E string and leave the A and high E strings open, while placing your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string and your middle and ring fingers on the 2nd fret of the D and G strings, respectively. Repeat: No matter what you’re learning, play it over and over again. Repetition will ingrain it in your mind and muscle memory. Play those notes. Then play them some more. And then, play them again!Record yourself. Sometimes, it can be difficult to hear yourself getting better without having a starting point to compare yourself to. When learning to play guitar, it’s best not to measure your progress against anyone but yourself. Every player learns at a different pace. However, if you record your practice sessions, you can compare your progress from one month ago to where you are now and notice a marked improvement. Recording your practice sessions and reviewing them -- like an instant replay in a sporting event -- can help you not only see what you might be doing wrong, but also hear what you are doing right. Chords are a group of notes strummed together to produce a harmonious sound. Chord charts are one way for new guitarists to learn chords. These charts are a visual way to learn which strings and frets are used to form the notes to play a specific chord. They also show you where to place your fingers on the fretboard to strum a particular chord.

A strumming pattern is a specific way of playing up and down strokes on your guitar. While a number of songs call for you to strum chords in an alternating pattern—switching between upward and downward strokes, other songs call for an irregular strumming pattern. For instance, an irregular strumming pattern may have you play a chord in an “up-up-down-up” pattern repeatedly. Many of your favorite songs contain just three or four simple chords. Better yet, you can learn to play a song in just minutes.

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Learning which notes -- sharps, flats, and root notes -- comprise a particular scale can help you identify the key of a song. In turn, that can help you narrow down what chords and notes are included in some of your favorite songs and how the artist decided to structure a riff or solo based on those scales. Keep your guitar prominently displayed. You know the saying: “out of sight, out of mind.” Keeping your guitar in plain sight is a visual cue to prompt you to play more often. While there are dozens of chords, some of the most memorable songs have been written using only a handful of easy-to-play open chords. The first steps are always the most difficult. But you have to learn to crawl before you can walk -- building up strength and confidence before you can get going. Whether you’re learning to play guitar at home and using the Fender Play curriculum, or if you decide to take weekly guitar lessons with a teacher in-person, learning the basics and practicing them can help you work your way up to more advanced techniques.