Free Online Beginners Guitar Lessons

What You'll Need to Begin

First and foremost, you're going to need a guitar, and it doesn't matter which type you choose as long as it has six strings. Acoustic guitars with nylon strings are usually the most comfortable for beginners to manage because they'll make those tender fingers a little less sore. However, if you have a burning desire to learn on an electric model, you can do that too, although an acoustic is truly easier.

The next item on the list is a guitar pick. Picks come in many shapes and sizes, as well as different widths. A basic triangular pick of medium width will generally help you get a cleaner tone when strumming your strings.

Posture is important during lessons. If you plan to stand, you'll need a guitar strap to hold your instrument's weight so your hands are free to move about the strings and fretboard. If you're going to sit during lessons, you can anchor the curve of the guitar body on your leg. For convenience, it will be easier to work from a stool or armless chair so you are free to move as needed.

Where to Find Free Online Beginners Guitar Lessons

You can find free online beginners' guitar lessons at the following sites. Take time to thoroughly check out each one to decide which style suits you best. Once you're comfortable with a particular format, it will be easier to absorb each lesson at your own pace.

• ZenTao: This website offers a series of lessons geared for the greenest beginner, and the lessons are augmented with access to the StoneDragon Jam Session message board. Here you can register as a member and post questions about any aspect of the lessons, as well as talk to other enthusiasts about a variety of music-related topics.

• Guitar for Beginners: You'll have to register as a member to have access to these free online guitar lessons, but there are over 100 lessons here to peruse. The site even offers a book to help intermediate players improve their skills.

• ABC Learn Guitar: This site not only offers very simple lessons, it also gives advice on choosing and maintaining a guitar. When you're ready, you can access a large number of guitar tabs to learn how to play many of your favorite songs.

What to Expect From Your Free Lessons

A good set of free online beginners' guitar lessons will start from scratch, assuming that the intended audience has never picked up a guitar before. Typically, the very first lesson will give you an overview of the basic parts and function of your instrument. It should also teach the name of each of the six open strings as well as how to tune these strings before you start playing. Some first lessons may also include how to pluck out a basic scale.

Subsequent lessons will begin teaching how to master the fretboard and basic chords commonly used to play simple and familiar tunes. Lessons inevitably progress to power chords. You also learn other scales used in various types of music, as well as how to hammer on and pull off to create new notes without fretting. You'll even learn how to create vibrato by bending a string back and forth. Finger picking, new strumming patterns and much more awaits you as you progress through the lessons at your own pace. Eventually you'll add many new songs to your repertoire, and with enough practice you'll sound just like a pro.