Step-by-Step Beginner Guitar Lessons
Learning guitar is much easier when concepts are introduced in the right order. This page is designed as a structured starting point for complete beginners, taking you from basic setup through your first open chords and into more advanced chord shapes.
Each lesson builds on the previous one, so you’re never asked to learn something before you’re ready. The focus is on developing good habits early, understanding what you’re playing, and making steady progress without feeling overwhelmed.
How these beginner lessons are structured
The lessons on this page follow a deliberate progression designed to build coordination, rhythm, and understanding at the same time.
You’ll learn:
How to tune your guitar and choose basic gear
How to read chord diagrams correctly
Essential open chords and common changes
Simple strumming patterns and timing
How to move into power chords and barre chords
Each lesson reinforces skills from the previous ones, helping new chords feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
How to use this page
Watch the lessons in order and spend time playing along before moving on. Progress comes from repetition and consistency, not speed.
A good approach is:
Watch one lesson fully
Practice the chords and changes slowly
Return the next day before moving forward
Short, regular practice sessions will lead to better results than rushing through multiple lessons at once.
Video lessons
The videos below guide you step by step through the fundamentals of playing guitar, starting with tuning and moving through essential chord types.
(Videos continue below)
This lesson explains why tuning is essential before practicing and how being out of tune can make learning much harder than it needs to be.
Developing the habit of tuning before playing helps train your ear and ensures everything you practice sounds correct from the start.
Pay attention to how each string should sound in relation to the others.
BEFORE YOU START YOU WILL NEED TO TUNE YOUR GUITAR!
DON’T HAVE A TUNER YET OR NOT SURE WHICH TO BUY? WATCH THIS NEXT!
This lesson walks through the most common types of guitar tuners and explains which options are best for beginners.
Understanding how tuners work makes tuning faster and less frustrating, especially when practicing regularly.
Focus on choosing a simple, reliable option rather than overthinking features.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 1
E MINOR + A CHORDS
This lesson introduces your first open chords while also explaining how to read chord diagrams correctly.
These chords are chosen to help you build finger coordination and confidence while learning to strum in time.
Focus on clean finger placement and slow, steady chord changes.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 2
D CHORD
This lesson adds the D chord and introduces new chord-changing challenges.
Learning how this chord fits with previously learned shapes helps improve accuracy and timing.
Pay attention to finger positioning and keeping unused strings muted.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 3
A MINOR + C CHORDS
This lesson introduces two common open chords and focuses on smoother chord transitions.
These shapes appear frequently in songs and help reinforce how chord diagrams translate to the fretboard.
Practice moving between chords slowly while maintaining a steady rhythm.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 4
D MINOR + E CHORDS
This lesson expands your chord vocabulary and introduces new finger stretches and shapes.
These chords help develop control and accuracy while continuing to build rhythmic confidence.
Focus on relaxed hand positioning to avoid unnecessary tension.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 5
G CHORD
This lesson introduces the G chord, one of the most commonly used open chords on guitar.
Learning this shape completes a core set of beginner chords used in countless songs.
Pay attention to finger placement options and clean string ringing.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 6
POWER CHORDS
This lesson introduces power chords and shows how they are built and moved across the fretboard.
A simple system is used to help you not only play power chords, but also understand and name them using fretboard notes.
Focus on how the shape stays consistent while the root note changes.
BEGINNER GUITAR LESSON 7
BARRE CHORDS
This lesson introduces barre chords as a natural progression from power chords.
The focus is on the most common E-shape and A-shape barre chords, both major and minor, along with how to name them.
Pay attention to hand positioning and pressure rather than forcing the shape.