Playing Rock Guitar

When you decide to begin playing rock guitar you usually have a picture in your head.

Do you see yourself playing rock guitar on an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar? Usually people go for the electric but the acoustic is very popular too. playing the acoustic guitar can also be great exercise for your hands as it usually takes more strength to hold down the strings.

Who is you favourite band? What is your favourite song of theirs?

Pick one song or band that you really like because you will hear it a lot before you master it so you will need to enjoy it.

To learn to play guitar you actually need a guitar to play. Which guitar is the right one for you?

If you want to learn to play rock guitar you will need to buy a guitar first. Buy whichever type of guitar, electric or acoustic you have chosen to learn.

Usually for rock you would want and electric to get that fat heavy rock sound. Try and spend at least a few hundred dollars or euros on your guitar and get a brand you have heard of. You want a guitar that will last you for a few years and will stay in tune when you play it. Doesn't need to be the most expensive guitar, just of reasonable strength and quality and of course one that you like. Once you get better at guitar playing you can buy a more expensive one.

For a budget Fender copy buy a Fender Squier, for a budget Gibson buy an Epiphone guitar. These are very good guitars. A lot of the big name guitars have a budget version of each model so check it out before you buy.

Get a guitar with two pickups at least, neck and bridge. Having one pickup will limit your sound.  Preferably get a guitar with a humbucker pickup for a good fat solid rock sound. A humbucker looks like a double pickup like the one on the Gibson Les Paul photo below. If you get one with single coil pickups don't worry as you can also change amp and pedal effects settings to get the right sound later on.

Need part to learn to play rock guitar is the first steps...

For playing rock guitar you will have picked your song or band. Give it a listen and make sure it is not unrealistic to learn as a beginner song (like trying to learn Steve Vai straight off).

First step as you learn to play rock guitar is you learn to fret a single note and pluck it clearly and cleanly. Then learn a simple single string riff or melody.

A lot of older rock bands are great for these easy recognisable riffs. Like the Rolling Stones, Satisfaction. Like this guitar lesson version below, moved down 2 fret for beginners.

String Fret numbers to play in sequence.

5th String A -0- 0-- 0-2-3---3-3-2-2-0- repeat back to the start

Use your first and second fingers to play it. First finger on fret 2 and second finger on fret 3.

Once you can master the notes and the rhythm then move on to the next riff. Then try the same riff in its proper place, 2 frets up. Use your first finger on fret 2, third on fret 4 and fourth finger on fret 5.

5th Sting A -2- 2-- 2-4-5---5-5-4-4-2- repeat

Then after that progress, learn a few chords. Learn both powerchords and major, minor chords as only knowing powerchords will restrict your guitar playing. All sorts of chord are used in rock guitar playing not just powerchords.

After that attempt a song. Learn that song you always wanted to in full.

Now to the Next Steps for learning rock guitar lessons...

Next step is to to build on your playing.

The cycle of learning rock guitar is:

- Learn a new guitar technique.

- Practise.

- Master it and move on to the next technique.

You need to practise, practise and practise.  At first as a beginner, ten minutes is enough time but as you learn more, progress up to thirty minutes and then an hour or more. 

Your practise routine should consist of a

- Warm up for five minutes at the start. 

- Then a run through / refresh of all the riffs, chords and techniques you have learned since.

- Then practising your latest technique or riff.

- Learning a new technique or riff.

- Have some fun with your playing, do what you want to do.  It is meant to be enjoyable.

As you progress you can get Rock Guitar Lessons to improve and progress your guitar technique and playing.