What Should a Beginner Guitarist Learn First?
A clear, beginner-friendly roadmap for what to learn first on guitar. Chords, songs, rhythm, and confidence — in the right order.
What Should a Beginner Guitarist Learn First?
This is one of the most common questions new guitar players have.
And the reason it’s confusing is because the internet gives you too many options.
Scales. Tabs. Songs. Theory. Fingerpicking. Barre chords.
You don’t need most of that yet.
You need a simple order that lets you feel musical quickly and build confidence as you go.
That’s what this page gives you.
How to Use This Page
Follow these steps in order.
Don’t rush ahead. Don’t skip steps. Each one prepares you for the next.
You’re not trying to “learn guitar.”
You’re trying to play music as soon as possible.
Step 1 — Learn A and E
These are two of the easiest chords on the guitar and they sound powerful.
Step 2 — Play Real Songs
Now you apply those chords to music.
Try songs like:
You are now making music. This is where motivation comes from.
Step 3 — Learn 3 Chords: G, C, and D
These three chords unlock hundreds of songs.
They’re comfortable, sound great together, and are perfect for beginners.
Practice:
- Forming the shapes cleanly
- Switching slowly between them
- Strumming down slowly and evenly
Then try playing:
Step 4 — Add Em (Your First Minor Chord)
This is where songs start to sound emotional and complete. Add the Em chord to G C and D, and you have the most common 4-chord progression on guitar that you can use to play 1000’s of songs!
Try:
- Country Roads (Easy Strumming) – John Denver
- Hallelujah Guitar Tutorial – Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley
- Wagon Wheel – Old Crow
- Viva La Vida – Coldplay
- Brown Eyed Girl (Strummer) – Van Morrison
Now you can hear the difference between major and minor.
Step 5 — Learn the Easy F Chord
Not the barre chord. The easy version.
This unlocks a huge number of famous songs.
Start with House of The Rising Sun
Why This Order Works
You’re following the same idea used in most popular music:
Common chord progressions
You’re learning chords in the order they appear most often in songs.
That’s why it feels natural.
🎁 Free Beginner Chord Book
If you want clear diagrams and switching tips for all these chords, my free beginner eBook is made exactly for this stage.
FREE PDF Songbook
Play 15 iconic songs on guitar — starting with just 2 chords
- Play your first complete song today – even as a total beginner
- Build real skills (chord switching, strumming, rhythm) through music you love
- Sound like a real guitarist from your very first practice session
FAQ
Should I learn scales first?
No. Songs first.
How long should I stay on each step?
Until the chord changes feel comfortable and you can play a song smoothly.
When should I try barre chords?
After you’re confident with these open chords.
What if I get bored?
Switch songs, not steps.
Ready to Follow a Clear Path?
Inside my All-Access Pass, I guide beginners through this exact progression with structured lessons and play-along videos.
