Preparing

• 1). Tune your guitar. Using a digital tuner or notes sounded by another instrument, tune the strings to E A D G B E, from thickest string to thinnest. You will have a much easier time learning to play guitar if your strings are in tune.
  
  
• 2). Plug your guitar into your amp using a guitar cable. Amplifier inputs are generally clearly marked and the cable input on the guitar is usually located on lower section of the guitar's body.
  
  
• 3). Turn on your amplifier. If you have a tube amplifier (if your amp has a standby switch, it is a tube amp), you should turn on the power and then give the tubes a minute or two to warm up before flipping the standby switch.
  
  

Playing

• 1). Hold your pick between your thumb and the first knuckle on your pointer finger. You can choose to play with your fingers, but most electric guitarists use picks.
  
  
• 2). Strum across the strings above the pickups until you start becoming comfortable with the motion. Use your wrist to create the picking motion as opposed to your fingers or your arm.
  
  
• 3). Practice fretting notes with each of your fret-hand fingers (if you are right handed, your fret hand is your left hand and vise versa). Pluck the string you are fretting with the pick. Try to produce a clean note that rings out.
  
  
• 4). Learn easy songs. The best way for a beginning guitarist to learn songs is by using guitar tabs. Tabs show the guitarist where to put his fingers with numbers that correspond to frets as opposed to musical notes. Pick songs that sound simple at first.
  
  
• 5). Practice as often as possible. In order to become a good guitarist, you must put in many hours of practice. Being a musician requires dedication and a strong work ethic.