Don't Fret Free Online Guitar Lessons
Learn to play the guitar with our full line of Don't Fret Productions™ guitar fretboard markers. See these unique guitar learning aids at our products page.
Our free online guitar lessons include how to hold your guitar, beginner guitar chords, guitar scales and basic three chord theory. On our Music Theory page you will find basic music notation and music terminology. It's a good place to start as a beginning guitar player.
How to hold a guitar
Sit in a comfortable chair that has no arms, in a comfortable position, with your back against the back of the chair. Try to sit up straight to avoid a sore back and to avoid developing bad habits on the guitar. Now, hold the guitar so the back of the body of the instrument comes in contact with your stomach/chest, and the bottom of the neck runs parallel (or slightly above parallel) to the floor. You will be making chords with your left hand (if you play right handed) and strumming with your right hand. The thickest (6th) string on the guitar should be at the top, while the thinnest (1st) should be at the bottom. If you play right handed, you will hold the guitar so the head stock points to the left. If you play left-handed, you will hold the guitar so the head stock points to the right. To play the guitar as a lefty would, you will need a left-handed guitar. Allow the curve in the bottom of the guitar to rest on your right leg as you play. Brace you right forearm against the body of the guitar to hold it up. Since your left hand will be pressing on the strings, you shouldn't’t use it to try to stabilize your guitar. Keep your thumb firmly on the back of the neck while you’re forming chords and notes.
What is a guitar fret?
The word "fret" is used in two different ways. It is sometimes used to describe the strips of metal on the fretboard itself (which are actually called the fret wires), and it is sometimes used to describe the space on the fret board between one fret wire and the next. The space on the fretboard between the nut and the first fret wire is referred to as the first fret. The space between the first and second fret wires is referred to as the second fret, etc.
How to play beginner guitar chords
The fifteen basic guitar chords diagrammed below are a great foundation for anyone who wants to learn to play guitar. The guitar chords that have an (*) asterisk represent guitar chords that we show on our Don’t Fret Chord Map™. You can put the Chord Map right on your guitar fretboard, giving you a no-miss color coded visual representation of where ten of the most popular beginner guitar chords are. The chord map is the original reusable "easy on, easy off" guitar chord guide. It uses no glues or adhesives because it sticks to itself. You don’t even have to loosen the strings to put it on your guitar. With a little practice and a Don’t Fret Chord Map™, you’ll be able to learn to play guitar chords in no time.
Here's how the guitar chord chart below works. First you will need to imagine your fingers are numbered like the photo above. Pointer finger is number 1. Middle finger is 2. Ring finger is 3. Pinky finger is 4. So in the first example (E chord) you put your pointer finger (1) on the third string, first fret; your middle finger (2) goes on the fifth string, 2nd fret; and your ring finger (3) goes on the fourth string, 2nd fret. Give it a strum. At the top of a particular grid you will sometimes see a small x. That x indicates a note/string that is not a part of the chord. It means that you should not strum that string. In the examples below all the E chords are 6 string chords, all the A chords are 5 string chords and the D chords are 4 stringers. The rest of the examples are a mixed bag.
(Click image for larger version)
Have fun learning these guitar chords. If you are a beginning guitar player, learn to play the guitar chords at a pace that will help you memorize and retain them. Our Don’t Fret Chord Map™ is a great guitar learning aid in this process. Start out by learning two or three guitar chords in one session. Make sure to commit them to memory through repetition. Once you can proficiently play the first group of chords, go on to the next group of three.
Learn how to play guitar scales
The information below is written for use with the Don't Fret Note Map™.
The C scale (shown below) is made of eight notes starting with a C and ending on a C. The C scale contains no sharps or flats. For practical purposes, it is the only scale that contains no sharps or flats (a major reason lots of Rock songs are in the key of C). Scales are built around "steps". The major scale contains a "step" pattern of: whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. The note that corresponds with the "key" note of a scale is sometimes called the "root" note.
In the example below, the step (tone) between the low C (beginning root note) and the D note is a whole step or whole tone. Between the D and the E is a whole step. The step between the E and the F is a half step or half tone. The F, G, A, and B have whole steps between them, and the B and C (ending root note) have the final half step. This pattern is called the Major Scale pattern. You can start it on any whole note and it will work.
Try it. You will sound eight notes playing the scale from C to C. Just use the colors on the Note Map, and the graphic of the numbered fingers above, to make sure you're doing it right. For example in the first graphic above, if you start the major scale pattern on a C (yellow) then you should end on a C or yellow note. This same color-coded process can be applied to any scale pattern. Remember the Major Scale Pattern: Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step. Take a moment to visit our color coded guitar scales page to see more scales.
What you see in the second graphic above shows how the C scale translates to your fretboard. This particular pattern starts on the Yellow C located on the 3rd fret of the 5th string (also the low C from the staff above) with your middle (2nd) finger, then play the Orange D with your little (4th) finger. The Magenta E is played with your pointer (1st) finger, then the Grey F with your middle finger, Etc., until you finish the pattern on the high Yellow C located on the 5th fret, 3rd string. Congratulations, you have discovered the C scale and the Major Scale pattern. Practice the pattern for awhile. Then try playing it on different whole notes. For now stick with whole notes on the 6th and 5th strings.
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