Beginner Guitar Lessons: Chords, Strumming, Picking and Rhythm
This is the roadmap for your first three to six months. Work through the stages in order and do not rush — solid basics make everything later easier.
Stage 1: Set-up skills
- Holding the guitar and pick
- Tuning to E A D G B E
- Picking single open strings cleanly with alternate picking (down, up, down, up)
Stage 2: The open chords
Learn the "CAGED + minors" set. These chords appear in almost every popular song:
Then add the most useful seventh chords, which give blues and country their flavour:
Full instructions: your first 7 chords. Look up any other chord in the chord library.
Stage 3: Strumming
Learn to strum in time with a metronome before worrying about complex patterns. Progress through these three:
Quarter notes — down on each beat:
Eighth notes — down on the beat, up on the "and":
The "everyday" pattern:
More in strumming patterns.
Stage 4: Simple fingerpicking
Assign your thumb (p) to the bass strings and index (i), middle (m) and ring (a) fingers to strings 3, 2 and 1. A basic arpeggio on Am:
e|-----------0-------|-----------0-------| B|-------1-------1---|-------1-------1---| G|---2-------2-------|---2-------2-------| D|-------------------|-------------------| A|-0-----------------|-0-----------------| E|-------------------|-------------------| p i m a m p i m a m
See fingerpicking patterns for more.
Stage 5: Your first riffs and single notes
Single-note riffs build accuracy and teach you the fretboard. Start with simple riffs on one or two strings, using one finger per fret. Keep your picking small and alternate down and up. Then learn the notes on the 6th and 5th strings — covered in our theory guide and practised with the fretboard trainer.
Stage 6: Power chords
Power chords use just two or three strings: the root and the fifth. They are the backbone of rock and punk and a great stepping stone to barre chords.
G5 A5 C5 D5 e|----------------------------| B|----------------------------| G|----------------------------| D|----------------5-----7-----| A|----5-----7-----3-----5-----| E|----3-----5-----------------|
Use finger 1 on the root and finger 3 (or 4) two frets higher on the next string. Mute the other strings by lightly touching them with the underside of your fingers.
A sample 20-minute practice session
| Minutes | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0–3 | Tune, warm up with slow single-string picking |
| 3–8 | One-minute chord changes on two weak pairs |
| 8–13 | Strumming pattern practice with a metronome |
| 13–20 | Play a song from start to finish |
Want a daily plan? Follow the 30-Day Guitar Plan.
You are ready for intermediate lessons when…
- You can change between any two open chords in time at around 80 BPM.
- You can play two or three strumming patterns without thinking about it.
- You can play a few complete songs from memory.
Then continue with intermediate lessons.
Frequently asked questions
What should I learn first on guitar?
Tuning, posture, then a handful of open chords (Em, Am, C, G, D) and simple down-strums in time. Everything else builds on this.
How many chords do I need to know to play songs?
Three or four. Many popular songs use only G, C, D and Em, or Am, F, C and G.
