Read This Before You Take "Play Guitar for Beginners" Lessons

There are plenty of "play guitar for beginners" courses available. You need to make yourself familiar with what the various parts of the guitar are to make an informed decision and to really get good at playing. As it stands, the guitar is a pretty old instrument.

You may not realize it, but the acoustic guitar's been on the scene since the late 18th century. It wasn't electrified until the 1930's, but both instruments have the same basic structure. The main distinction between the two is that the electric version is connected to an amplifier, or "amp." Knowing the parts of your instrument will definitely help you become a better player.

The main parts that compose the guitar are: the headstock, guitar neck, the sound hole, body, bridge, the tuners and the nut. These all play a vital role in making a guitar sound proper, and in making the whole thing work. If just one of these parts is missing or altered, then the "play guitar for beginners" courses won't help. It won't sound like a guitar!

You will also need to learn how to properly hold the pick, though some don't bother with it. If you don't mind callused fingertips, then that's fine. Otherwise, the picking hand has to remain open with the palm facing your body. Make a slight fist, with the index finger next to your thumb. Turn your hand, making sure your thumb-knuckle faces your body.

The next thing to learn is how to tune the instrument before playing the guitar. You can find many videos online to learn how to properly do this, all without using an electric tuner.

Next, you need to learn your scales. Many of the "play guitar for beginners" instrctors will teach the scales to their students. This is sort of like typing - proper finger placement on the keyboard helps you type better. Same here. The strings have a finger "assigned" to them. The thumb isn't used at first, but pro's use the thumb at times. In the beginning, the thumb supports the hand. The fingers push on the strings, that's what makes a chord.

At last, you can count yourself ready for that first chord! You'll need to find illustrated charts for the chords and then just do what they say. Work towards memorizing the chords without the chart and start playing your favorite songs.

Keep in mind that these steps are only the basics. There are plenty of things you'll want to become familiar with if you want to sound professional. At least, if you master the basics, the rest will follow much easier.