There is something inspiring about watching someone pick up a guitar and start playing a recognizable tune with confidence. When you watch someone else play it actually looks almost effortless and easy, and you think to yourself that you can do that. Well, you can do it, but it is not without effort and it doesn’t seem easy at first. Here are a few tips to follow when preparing to learn the guitar for beginners.

When you decide that you want to learn to play the guitar, you usually do one of two things. You either sign up for lessons, or you go out and buy a guitar because you are so excited and anxious to get started. If you must have it right now, it will probably benefit you to go to a shop that sells both new and used guitars, mainly because a used instrument will save you money. If you are leaning towards buying an electric guitar, it helps to know that an acoustic will be less expensive and more portable. Even if budget is not an issue, acoustic guitars are easier on the hands, and better for beginners in general.

Once you have your instrument, you need to get familiar with it. The guitar is broken down into sections, and it is important to learn the names and functions of each part. Here is a breakdown of an acoustic guitar from top to bottom.

– Tuning Keys: The tuning keys are at the very top of the instrument, which is also called the headstock. The tuning keys can be turned left and right, and they adjust the pitch of the string.

– Nut: Between the head and the neck is an area that is etched with grooves. This is called the nut, and it holds the string in position up to the tuning keys.

– Fret: The fret is used to divide the fingerboard, and holds the strings in different places to produce different pitches when you press down.guitar saddle

– Neck: The neck is the long part of the guitar, where you place your fingers when you play.

– Fingerboard: Also known as the fretboard, this is the front part of your guitar.

– Position Markers: These are the small circles found on the fingerboard that guide you as you play.

– Sound hole: This is the hole in the center that projects sound.

– Body: The body is the hallow part of your guitar.

– Saddle: The saddle is the piece of material at the bottom of the guitar that holds the strings away from the body.

– Bridge: The bridge is place under the saddle and holds the strings in the correct position.

Next step is to move on to things like tuning your instrument. Search for it on the Internet. Good luck!