Are chords the best way to start?

One thing you'll need to do is develop the neuro-muscular connections that allows you to move your fingers where you want them.

Start with your first finger on the first string at the first fret, pluck the note. Without moving your first finger, put your second finger down on the first string at the second fret, pluck the note. Continue for the other fingers.

Now move ONLY your first finger to the first fret, second string, and pluck that note. Don't move anything but your first finger, and make sure the note sounds clearly. Now move your second finger to the second fret second string, again moving only that finger, and pluck the note. continue for the other fingers.

Keep going over the fret till you get to the 6th string. You should have your first through 4th fingers each on the first through fourth frets of the 6th string.

Now come back down the the strings to the first string in the same way as you went up.

When you get to the first string move down so that your first finger is at the second fret, and do it again. Continue till you get down to the twelfth fret.

This is a great warm-up excercise and it helps get your fingers used to moving independently of each other.

After that, try whatever open chords you're working on: learning A, D and E first will allow you to play a lot of songs in the key of A. After that pick up C, Am, Em, Dm, and try your hand at an easy form of the F chord, and you'll be able to do a whole lot of songs.

I started learning pretty recently as well and also started learning chords with the goal of playing songs eventually. At first I had to take a lot of time being sure my fingers were coming straight down on the strings - otherwise the chord wouldn't ring out. I memorized positions for a few different chords and spent time fretting the chord and making sure each string played cleanly before trying a different chord. Playing scales can also be a big help. Since my finger tips were still sensitive I had to take frequent breaks but after a week or two I was able to cleanly play quite a few chords. Switching between them while playing is something else entirely but it comes with more practice and time. Keep practicing and in no time you'll be enjoying the sounds you make.

Hi, Pete,
Welcome to the musical madhouse.

I'd strongly suggest that you get some chords under your belt, as many fingerpicked songs use arpeggios (chords broken down into individual notes). Chords also give you finger control and strength.
Before you feel confident enough to try fingerpicking songs, you'll find that you get enjoyment out of strumming along to songs and maybe even singing, as well.

One thing, that many do wrong is the way that they hold the guitar. There is a tendency to want to see what your fingers are doing, so you hold the guitar in a position, where you can do that. This often means tilting the guitar backwards, making your wrist work harder than it needs to. Another mistake is to hold the neck too far forward, again causing the wrist to strain and bend further than necessary.

The guitar should be parallel to your chest, with the neck at about heart-height or slightly higher. This, though, doesn't give you a good view of your fingers, does it? The way around that, is to sit in front of a mirror and use it to see what the little maggots are up to (Yes, I know, you'll get a load of sarcastic comments from your wife, but just tell her, that ballet dancers do it, so why shouldn't you? :lol: Although, you might just get a tutu for Xmas :shock: ).

Whatever you do, don't panic - you've only been at it for one day. With a little practice, you'll start to hear results - clean, clear ringing chords.

yes. learn the basic chords in the open position (as opposed to barre chords).
from what I gather from your post you are attempting open chords.

as said above, take your time in positioning your fingers at first. the changes will be your second lesson.

while you're at it, while slowly forming those chords learn to pick and strum the strings.
a couple of reasons...
you'l begin to recognize the sound of the chord...especially when you astart to nail it and eliminate those mutes;
you will get used to hearing each string while your pick moves past it to the next;
and then strum slowly allowing the pick to hit each string...kind of like speed bumps..that slow.
then give it a good strum holding the chord so you can hear it ring out.
hold it until it dies.
all these things will help you in the long run.

guitar playing is very rewarding. glad to hear you want to play the things you hear in your head.
keep us posted.

Pete

Welcome to GuitarNoise.

That was great advice from others. One piece of advice I would give you is to place the waist of the guitar on your left leg if you play right handed, and brace the end of the guitar against your right leg. The headstock (where the tuners are) should be up around head level.

Here is a pic I posted on another post sometime back. This is the Classical guitar method of holding the guitar. This is an excellent photo. If you hold the guitar this way you will have a much easier time chording and fingerpicking too. This is great technique.

Also notice that you should generally keep the thumb behind the neck. There are exceptions where you wrap the thumb over, but behind the neck is best. Keep the palm off the guitar, there should be a little space.

I also like the little footstool. That will make playing much easier as well.

And lastly, don't give up. Every single guitar player had trouble with chords at first. I did. But just stay at it and be patient, and in a few short months you will be playing chords effortlessly.

Check out the Easy lessons on the homepage. You will learn a lot there and the lessons will take you step by step in a progression. You will learn quick.

And hang around, we have lots of fun here. If you ever have questions, please ask. :wink:

Wes

:D

I've just started back in January, and it took me a month or more to be able to play a handfull of chords reasonable cleanly. And several more months to be able to change between them with anything resembling skill.
I still can't go from every chord I know to any other random chord consistantly.

You might remember someone telling your kids something like "practice makes perfect"...

It's true. :wink: