This is probably the most common question I get from new students: where do I even start?
Bob sent me that exact question, and I figured if he’s wondering, a whole lot of you are too. So let’s talk about it.
The answer depends on you — your age, your background, and what you actually want to do with the guitar. There’s no single path that works for everybody. But there are some smart starting points I’ve seen work over and over in my 45+ years of teaching.
Start With a Few Basic Chords
For most people, I’d say start with chords. With just three or four simple open chords — say a G, C, and D — you can strum along to actual music. That’s a big deal when you’re just getting going. Nothing kills motivation faster than spending months on exercises and never making anything that sounds like a song.
Chords let you create real music right away. Even sloppy chords played in rhythm sound better than perfect single notes played with no feel. So that’s where I’d point most beginners.
If you need help with those first few shapes, I’ve got a full breakdown of basic guitar chords that’ll get you sorted.
Stiff Hands? Start With a Scale
Now, here’s where it gets individual. Some of my students come in with hands like vise grips. Mechanics, carpenters, guys who’ve been gripping tools all day — their fingers just don’t want to cooperate at first.
If that’s you, start with a simple scale before you tackle chords. The pentatonic scale (sometimes called the blues scale or rock scale) is perfect for this. It loosens up your fingers, builds coordination between your picking hand and fretting hand, and gets those muscles waking up.
You don’t have to want to play lead guitar to benefit from a scale. Even if all you want to do is strum chords around a campfire, running through a scale for five minutes at the start of your practice session makes everything else come easier.
You Need Some Theory (But Not What You Think)
Some teachers will disagree with me on this, and that’s fine. But I think you should learn some theory from the start.
Now — I’m not talking about sight reading or standard music notation. That’s a different animal. You don’t have to read sheet music to be a great guitar player. I’ve taught students who are blind, students with autism, students who just plain don’t relate to reading music, and they’ve become really good players. Guys like Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, B.B. King — you think they played their songs the same way every night? Not a chance. Jimmy Vaughan said about Stevie Ray: his brother never played the same note once, never mind twice.
The theory I’m talking about is the mechanical theory. Why do G, C, and D sound good together? What scale fits over those chords? How do chords and scales connect? That’s the stuff that turns you from someone who memorizes songs into someone who actually understands the instrument.
If you’re curious about how notes work on the fretboard, I’ve got a lesson that breaks that down too.
Don’t Compare Yourself to the Kid Next Door
This one’s important, especially if you’re picking up the guitar later in life.
A teenager with no job, no mortgage, and mom doing their laundry has a lot more time to practice than you do. If they’re putting in four or five hours a day while you’re squeezing in 30 minutes after work, they’re going to progress faster. That’s just math. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you.
I’ve had students come to me saying they’ve been playing for 30 years. But they’ve been playing the same six chords for 30 years, half an hour a day. Meanwhile, I’ve seen students who practice four or five hours a day become very good musicians in just two years. It’s not how long you’ve been playing — it’s how much focused time you’ve actually banked.
If you’re 55 and just starting, it’s going to take longer than it would for a 15-year-old. That’s reality. Be kind to yourself about it. Be patient. The guys who stick with it and stay consistent always surprise themselves.
Returning Players Have an Advantage
If you played between the ages of 10 and 20 and then put the guitar down for a couple decades — good news. Your muscle memory is still in there. It just needs to be woken up. Returning players almost always pick things up faster than true beginners, even if it doesn’t feel like it at first.
So Where Do You Actually Start?
Here’s my short answer:
1. Learn a few basic open chords (G, C, D, E minor, A minor).
2. If your hands are stiff, add a simple pentatonic scale to your warm-up.
3. Learn some basic theory — not reading, but how the guitar works. Start with the notes on your fretboard.
4. Be realistic about your time and patient with your progress.
5. Practice your chord changes every day, even just 10 minutes.
The guitar is a combination of scales and chords and learning how they fit together. That’s the foundation, no matter what style you want to play.
I truly believe everybody can play the guitar if they want to. You just have to meet yourself where you are and go from there.
If you’re serious about getting started the right way, come check out the Riff Ninja Academy — you can even try it free. And if you haven’t already, take a look at the 7 most common beginner mistakes so you can dodge the big ones right from the start.
For the complete learning path and more structured lessons, head back to the Beginner Guitar Lessons page where you’ll find all the foundational content in one place.
