Learning to Play The Guitar

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Marc Bristol, seen here performing at a local festival, knows a few helpful tricks for beginnings learning to play the guitar..
Marc Bristol, seen here performing at a local festival, knows a few helpful tricks for beginnings learning to play the guitar..
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Tablature notation is an alternative way of presenting standard musical notation specifically developed for guitar players. Note in FIG B the
Tablature notation is an alternative way of presenting standard musical notation specifically developed for guitar players. Note in FIG B the "H" and "V" symbols above the tablature staff line that respectively indicate whether to play strings on the downstroke or upstroke.
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Knowledge of tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords is useful for beginners.  
Knowledge of tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords is useful for beginners.  

Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-yourself entertainment?

That’s what this column is about. Homegrown music… and sometimes homemade musical instruments to play it on. 


In all the years that I’ve been writing this column, I’ve never once delved into the one aspect of teaching homegrown music that I know best: learning to play the guitar. (Of course, I’ve been singing, clapping my hands, whistling, and listening since before I can remember, but the ol’ gitbox introduced me to the world of musical instruments some 16 years ago.) And although I certainly don’t know everything there is to know about pickin’–or even close to half the story–I have learned a trick or two along the way. I’d like to take this opportunity to pass along what tips I can, while asking you to remember that there are lots more ways to go about it than my way.

For the beginning picker, simply forcing clumsy fingers through the chord patterns is usually the most difficult task. And the second worst is waiting until calluses build up so the fingers can press the strings down long enough to play more than a song or two. All I can tell you novices is, hang in there! Learn at least a couple of chords, and some songs you can use them on. Instead of just practicing scales and chords, play the songs and concentrate on the music. Really, if you stick to it, in a short while your hands will start getting used to the yoga positions you’re putting them through, and suddenly those insurmountable obstacles will look easy!

  • Published on Nov 1, 1981
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