Guitar Video Lessons Online. A must have for the musically inexperienced

I think I was about 11 years old when I got my fist guitar and I was adamant that I was to be the next best guitar soloist of all time. Alas, some 10 years later, I’m still strumming the first and only 2 tunes I ever learnt. In fact, I’m probably worse now than I was back then and to say I need a beginner guitar lesson is somewhat of an understatement. All these so called free guitar lessons online, Jack Johnson guitar tabs, and easy guitar songs, are all very well for the intermediates, but to be honest, there’s no substitute for a personal tutor to keep you on the right track when you’re just starting out.

Anyway, I recently purchased my second ever guitar which is a Fender Squire, a beginner guitar, apparently infamous for its lack of quality. I saw this guitar for sale ad in the local rag, and as it was a ‘Fender’ I rushed round to buy it. I assumed that Fender was a reputable name in music and therefore couldn’t go wrong with this purchase.

Naively exuberant, I showed it to my jazz cat friend, Damon. “Oh no man,” he groaned, staring, “tell me you didn't just get squired?” He then picked up the Fender and proceeded to ruin my day, showing me how the octaves didn't line up, how the action was lousy and the bridge rattled, and a few other things wrong with it that I couldn't understand. He went on to comment on how naff it sounded. I told Damon that I had tuned it using an online guitar tuner but he just laughed and said there’s no point as it’ll go out of tune on the first strum.

“Thanks Damon,” I said, gritting my teeth, “thanks a lot mate.”

“Sure, no problem, he replied apparently not picking up on the irony. From that auspicious beginning, I set out immediately to get a beginner guitar lesson. Naturally, I began my search on the internet, where such services can be had for free, and immediately Googled several thousand beginner guitar lesson sites. Absolutely worthless. As I’m very musically inexperienced, watching a small image of some goateed dude strumming on his axe beside a diagram which showed little numbers in circles, did next to nothing in helping me become the next Slash!

My first real beginner guitar lesson was actually from Damon. He smiled at me and glowered at the Fender, as if it was a hated ex of his I was now unknowingly dating. Now this was a real beginner guitar lesson – he even held my hand for me, and placed it on the strings. I found out what all of those numbers were in that supposed beginner guitar lesson video I had just watched: they were symbols to show me what frets to put my fingers on and even which fingers to used. Easy guitar tabs, Damon called them. Easy for him to say!

“So, when do I learn to rock,” I asked Damon as my beginner guitar lesson came to a close. Apparently my attitude irked him. “Well, if I give you some homework, you going to stick with them and practice?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Man,” I said, “I just want to play some songs.” He directed me to a tablature site on the internet, where I could download files on how to play all of the simplistic music which I adored to my hearts content. My first beginner guitar lesson was also my very last one. That didn't matter to me – I learned enough to play a little rock and roll, which is really all that I wanted and at least when I next go to visit those free online guitar lessons, they’ll make a lot more sense.