Header that says the word 'Guitar.'

Description

The guitar is a super versatile instrument that appeals to all kinds of musicians, from beginners to pros. It’s portable, so you can take it anywhere, and it works in tons of different styles—rock, pop, blues, jazz, folk, you name it. Plus, with just a few chords, you can start playing songs, which makes it really rewarding early on. People pick up the guitar for all sorts of reasons. Some love the sound, others are drawn to how expressive it is. You can strum simple rhythms or dive into complex solos, depending on what you’re into. It’s also great for connecting with others—whether you’re jamming with friends, writing your own music, or just playing to relax.

My Connection

I have been playing guitar since I was 5 years old. My parents got me a toy guitar as a kid and I loved it so they enrolled me in lessons. I've been playing ever since, and now I play guitar, bass, drums, ukulele, and piano. I play drums in a band called Vicious Kid with some of my friends. You can find us on Instagram. The picture on the left is us playing at Wheaton Woodstock this past April.

Me and my band playing at Wheaton Woodstock.

How to Get Involved

Since guitar is such a popular instrument, there are lots of resources out there to learn how to play! The first thing you need, though, is to get the equipment. First, you need to choose if you want to start with electric or acoustic. There are some pros and cons to each:

Acoustic
Pros Cons
  • No extra equipment needed
  • Easily portable
  • Less expensive
  • Finger-picking is easier
  • Requires more finger strength
  • No ability to alter tone
  • Less bass
Electric
Pros Cons
  • Easy to alter tone
  • Requires less finger strength
  • Easier to do bends and vibrato
  • Easier to record
  • Requires extra equipment
  • Internal wiring can break and requires soldering to fix
  • Heavier

More information about which guitar to choose can be found in this article by Fender. If you choose an electric guitar, you will also need some extra equipment. You can choose to start with either an amplifier, or an audio interface. If you're not planning on playing live gigs anytime soon, I would reccomend an audio interface. Beginner-level audio interfaces can be as inexpensive as $50, compared to several hundred dollars on an amp. Audio interfaces also have the added bonus of allowing you to use digital effects. The software Amplitube 5 has a great free version that allows you to use digital amplifiers and effects pedals to alter the tone of the guitar.

Once you have your equipment, all that's left to do is learn, which, of course, is easier said than done. In-person lessons can be extremly helpful, as your teacher can provide real time feedback on your technique. However, they can be very expensive. There are also loads of online services that provide lessons, but by far the most cost-effective is YouTube! There are loads of free videos on YouTube that give tips and tricks on everything you need to know. I would start by looking for some tutorials for basic, open chord progressions. You'd be surprised how many songs you can play with just this. It's also very helpful to learn barre chords and how to read tabs. Once you know those things, you can learn any song you want. All that you need is to practice and improve your technique.

The most important thing is to practice, and practice often. Find the chords, tabs, or video tutorials for songs you enjoy, and practicing is fun!

More Information

Equipment I Reccomend for Beginners:

Resources to Learn Guitar:

Clip art of a strat.