Beginning Guitar - 1st String

Guitar Lesson 1 - Reading guitar tablature and first string guitar exercises


The Hand

The diagram to your right is rather simple. Throughout the lessons, especially the chord charts you will see references to the numbers located above each finger. Therefore, when you see "place your second and third fingers at..." you'll know what I'm talking about. If your left handed it's all the same with your right hand.

How to read Guitar Tablature (Tab)

Guitar tablature is a unique and simple way of learning how to play the guitar, a song, or riff. Tablature is set up to tell you what fret to play on what strings to play. The top line of tablature is the first string (bottom E string). The next line from the top is your second string (B) and it goes on so forth till you reach the bottom line which is your sixth string (top E string). Brief example:



E
---1---
1st String     

B
-------
2nd String

G
-------
3rd String

D
-------
4th String

A
-------
5th String

E
-------
6th String


The example above tells you to play the 1st fret on the first string (bottom string). Do this by placing your index finger (finger 1) just before the first fret on the first sting and pluck the string. The black dot on the diagram above will show you where to place your finger.



Tab goes into more detail and has ways of showing hammers, slides, etc. As you progress through the lessons you will start to see more explanations on tablature.

Guitar Finger Exercises

If you are an absolute beginner you should start here. Here will start with some simple tablature and play on one string. Once you get that down we will move onto to the other strings. This an easy foundation to get your fingers used to playing the guitar. It takes a while to get used to using different fingers to play different notes. Learning to pick through notes is also an absolute base to getting your fingers ready to play solo's. (If you're just starting, don't get to excited yet!)

Lesson 1 Part 1

E
--0--1--
1st String

B
--------
2nd String

G
--------
3rd String

D
--------
4th String

A
--------
5th String

E
--------
6th String


Lesson 1

For the example above, 0 means an open string. For the 1st fret, remember to press down on the area in between the fret and not on the silver bar. (See the image under tab section, just above here)

How to play Part 1:

1. Pluck the bottom E string.

2. Use finger 1 to press down on fret 1 of the bottom string and pluck the string.

Try playing the open string for about a second then the 1st fret for about a second (One.....Two....).





Lesson 1 Part 2


E
--0--1--3--
1st String

B
-----------
2nd String

G
-----------
3rd String

D
-----------
4th String

A
-----------
5th String

E
-----------
6th String

Listen to Lesson 1 - Part 2

Okay, that first part was easy but this part sometimes gives beginners trouble because there fingers just aren't used to it yet. We're going to repeat what we just did, but this time we will add the 3rd fret. When you play the riff above you will be playing E,F,G on your guitar. Now for the semi-troublesome part for beginners, when you play the 3rd fret you need to use your third finger. Why? You'll never get good at guitar using one finger.


Part 2

1. Pluck the bottom E string.

2. Use finger 1 to press down on fret 1 of the bottom string and pluck the string.

3. Continue to press down on fret 1 with finger 1 and use finger 3 to press down on fret 3 of the bottom string and pluck the string.



Notes:

This can be tricky for someone just getting started. Practice this till you can do it easily. Remember keep that 1st finger on fret 1.




Lesson 1 Part 3


E
--3--1--0--
1st String

B
-----------
2nd String

G
-----------
3rd String

D
-----------
4th String

A
-----------
5th String

E
-----------
6th String




Lesson 1 - Part 3

This is just like part 2 except you play it back down. Note: when you play this you will once again have fret 1 pressed down.

Part 3:

1. Place your fingers on the frets, finger 1 on fret 1 and finger 3 on fret 3.

2. Play (pluck) the 3rd fret of the bottom string

3. Release your third finger off the string and play the 1st fret with finger one which should already be pressing down the fret.

4. Release finger one and play the bottom string.

Notes:

Practice this till you can do it easily. Remember keep that 1st finger on fret 1 when playing fret 3.



Lesson 1 Part 4


E
--0--1--3--1--0--
1st String

B
-----------------
2nd String

G
-----------------
3rd String

D
-----------------
4th String

A
-----------------
5th String

E
-----------------
6th String


Lesson 1 - Part 4

Now we will put it all together, the tab above will play the following notes E, F, G, F, E.

How to Play Part 4:

1. Play an open E (or play the bottom string)

2. Press and play the 1st fret

3. Keeping you first finger on fret 1, play fret 3 with your third finger.

4. Release finger 3 and play fret 1 with finger 1.

5. Release finger one and play an open E.

Notes:

Although it's not too exciting this is good technique and provides a foundation for learning the guitar. Remember, practice make perfect. Therefore, practice part 4 until you are master at it, then move on to Lesson 2.
 
 
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