How To Play A 6-String Acoustic Guitar?

From the early beginnings of stringed instruments, the 6-string acoustic guitar moved up to center stage very quickly. The sound from a hollow body dreadnought is somewhat heartwarming. The acoustic guitar in general is the best instrument for both veterans to show off their skills and beginners to learn the basics 

The 6-string guitar is the most versatile of the other instruments with strings. You can get 4 string variants like the ukulele or a 12-string guitar. Still, the 6-string is the standard as it can be used easily in various contexts. Not only is it easy to play, 6-string guitar tuning is far simpler than the others. 

If you are starting to learn to play a 6-string guitar, there are a few things that you need to know about one. So let’s get down to breaking down the ins and outs of mastering one!

Anatomy of a 6-String Acoustic Guitar

The Parts of a Guitar Explained

Before learning how to play a 6-string acoustic, you need to know what the different parts of it are! 

• Fretboard: Marked with metal frets which helps finger positioning.
• Neck: Supports the fretboard, where you form chords. 
• Body: The hollow section is made from different tonewoods that give each guitar its unique sound.
• Strings: Comes in a choice of steel or nylon strings that produce sound.
• Tuning Pegs: Used to adjust string tension and pitch.
• Bridge: The part on the body that anchors the strings to the body and transmits vibrations.

How to Choose a Good 6-String Acoustic Guitar?

When choosing an acoustic guitar you can filter your choices by the following factors 

• Budget: As a beginner, we recommend guitars within $700 to $ 1500.
• Wood Type: Depending on the type of sound you want you can choose a guitar with different tonewoods. For example, spruce sounds bright whereas mahogany sounds warm.
• String Gauge: Lighter strings are easier for beginners. 
• Body Shape: Larger bodies produce louder sound but can be hard to handle. For beginners, smaller guitars are recommended.

Beginner-Friendly vs. Advanced Guitars

A guitar is beginner-friendly if it has a low-string action. This means there will be less stringing on the fingers to form chords. Additionally, having built-in electronics can come in handy if you want to plug it in. On the other hand, advanced guitars are more on the expensive side with larger bodies, or premium tonewoods. The goal is to gradually move up to an advanced guitar once you get a grasp on playing the instrument!

Understanding the Basics of Guitar Playing

How to Hold a 6-String Acoustic Guitar Properly?

You can use a guitar with a strap or sit on a chair to play one. Here is how should properly hold a 6-string guitar.

• Sit in a comfortable position and place the guitar on your right leg (for right-handed players) with the body resting against your thigh. 
• The neck should allow you to easily access the fretboard. 
• Grip the neck with your left hand, using your thumb to support it from behind. 
• Your fingers should curve over the fretboard. 
• Strum or pick the strings with your right hand keeping the wrist relaxed 

How to Tune a 6-String Guitar?

To tune a 6-string guitar you have the option of using different methods. 

• Use an Electronic Tuner: These can come in different sizes and prices, the easiest ones to use are clip-on tuners. 
• Apps: The cheaper way to go is by tuning apps on a smartphone. They are similar to clip-on tuners but accuracy may not be as great. 
• By Ear: You can also use another instrument to use a reference pitch 

The Importance of Posture and Finger Placement

Having the right posture can avoid any potential injuries when playing the guitar. Keep your shoulders and wrists relaxed at all times. In the beginning, your fretting hand might get sore from playing. But with time you will get used to it! Position your fingers just behind the frets when pressing down on the strings. Use fingertips to avoid muting adjacent strings. This will produce a clean sound and reduce the risk of injury. 

Learning Basic Chords

What Are Chords and Why Are They Important?

Chords are the backbone of playing the guitar. They are simply two notes played together to form different chords like C, A, D, and so on. Chords can be of major or minor scales that convey different emotions. 

Open Chords vs. Barre Chords

Open Chords use open strings typically played in the first few frets of the guitar. They are easier for beginners because they require less finger strength. Some of the most common and easy open chords for beginners are C, G, D, E, and A. 

Barre Chords use the index finger to press down multiple strings across a single fret. It can be difficult at first as you need more hand strength and precise finger placement. However, barre chords allow guitarists to play chords in any key and move up and down the neck of the guitar. 

Practice: Simple Chord Progressions for Beginners

With enough practice, you can get a hold of open chords easily. You need to be able to move from one chord to the other smoothly. Start slow and focus on clean transitions before increasing speed.

Here are some easy chord progressions you can practice. 

• G – C – D-Em
• E – A – D-Bm
• C- F- G-Dm

Strumming Patterns and Rhythm

Understanding Strumming Patterns:

A strumming pattern is a sequence of downstrokes and upstrokes that sets the rhythm. 

Easy Beginner Strumming Patterns:

• Downstrokes Only where you start by strumming only downstrokes on each beat. For example, in a basic 4/4 pattern, you strum on beats 1, 2, 3, and 4.
• Down-Up Pattern (D-U-D-U) alternates between downstrokes and upstrokes. A common pattern is down-up-down-up, which works well with many songs.
• Down-Down-Up-Up-Down-Up (D-D-U-U-D-U): This is another popular pattern used in many songs.

Mastering Rhythm and Timing

Having good rhythm and timing is essential for playing any instrument. When playing in a professional setting skills and rhythm are what you need to keep in check. The rhythm helps set the beat of a song and is important to have it sound nice. To practice rhythm, you can use a metronome at a slow tempo and move up gradually.

Playing Simple Songs on a 6-String Acoustic Guitar

Best Beginner-Friendly Songs to Play:

Here are a few beginner-friendly songs that you can start playing right after nailing the basics of a guitar. 

• “Wonderwall” by Oasis: Uses a simple chord progression (Em7, G, Dsus4, A7sus4) with a repetitive strumming pattern. 
• “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan: This also has a simple progression (G, D, Am, C) and a straightforward strumming pattern.
• “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King: Uses a repeating four-chord progression (G, Em, C, D) and has a slow tempo. 

Breaking Down Song Structures

You can learn to play a song by breaking down the learning process into a basic structure. To play songs using basic chords and strumming patterns first identify all the chords used in the song. Then understand the strumming pattern and learn how the chords are played throughout.

Tips for Memorizing Chord Progressions and Transitions

• Break Down the Song into Sections and practice each section (verse, chorus, bridge) separately. 
• Repeat Chord Changes to build muscle memory and practice changing between chords without strumming to master finger placement.
• Use Mnemonics to remember chord sequences or visualize the progression as a pattern.

Using Tablature and Sheet Music:

Tabs are an easy way to learn guitar songs. They represent the six guitar strings, with the top line for the high E string and the bottom for the low E string. Numbers on the lines show which fret to press for example, a “3” on the top line means you play the third fret on the high E string. Chord charts give you a visual guide for finger placement on the fretboard. Additionally, you can also use tabs for riffs and solos

3 Advanced Techniques to Master the 6-String Acoustic Guitar

Fingerpicking Basics

Fingerpicking is a technique where you use individual fingers to pluck the strings instead of using a pick. It is a more intricate and expressive style of playing popular in folk, classical, and acoustic music.

In fingerpicking, each finger is assigned to a specific string or group of strings. Typically, the thumb (P) handles the bass strings (E, A, D). The index (I), middle (M), and ring (A) fingers pluck the G, B, and high E strings, respectively.

A common beginner pattern is the “Travis Picking” style, which involves alternating bass notes with the thumb while the fingers pluck melody notes. For example, a simple pattern in 4/4 time could be Thumb (P) on the bass note, Index (I) on the G string, Thumb (P) on the D string, and Middle (M) on the B string.

Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Slides

• Hammer-ons: Pluck a note, then press a higher fret without re-plucking like from the 5th to 7th fret.
• Pull-offs: Reverse of hammer-ons where you pluck a note, then release to a lower note.
• Slides: Play a note and slide to another fret for a smooth transition.

Playing with Dynamics and Emotion

Dynamics can invoke emotion in the playing.

• Vary strumming force: Light strumming near the soundhole creates a softer tone whereas more force near the bridge adds intensity.
• Accent notes: Emphasize specific notes to create contrast and rhythm.
• Palm muting: Lightly rest your hand near the bridge for a muted sound.

3 Common Challenges With Acoustic Guitars and How to Overcome Them

When playing the guitar early on, you may face some discomfort. With the right techniques, you can overcome them easily.

1. Sore Fingers: Pressing on steel strings can hurt at first so start with short practice sessions (10-15 minutes) to build calluses and consider lighter gauge strings.
2. Learning Plateau: Break your practice into small goals that are easy to achieve. For building rhythm, you can use a metronome or tap your foot.
3. Improving Chord Transitions: Practice slow transitions between chords to build speed and accuracy.

Practice Routine for Beginners

We recommend practicing for 15 to 30 minutes a day focusing on warm-ups, chord transitions, and strumming. With time you can move on to longer sessions, make sure you break down the time spent on each type. A great practice for beginners would be to keep a journal where you track your progress. With some expertise, you can even record yourself to improve the little details. 

Ready to Begin Your Guitar Journey?

Learning how to play a 6 string guitar can be a rewarding journey if done right. When you have a strong base knowledge, you can move on to the complexities with ease. Practice is very important at the end of the day. There are many ways you can play a guitar and strumming is just the start of it all.

If you want to learn more about learning how to play a guitar, YouTube is a great resource to utilize. If you want to go deeper into the literature of it all you can check out The Guitar Handbook and Zager Guitar Lessons where you have many hours of guitar lessons from Denny Zager himself!

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are 6-string guitars hard to play?

In reality, learning to play a 6-string guitar can be challenging for beginners. However, with a good foundation on the basics and practice, you can slowly build your skills.

How do you tune a 6-string acoustic guitar?

A standard tuning for a 6-string guitar is EADGBE (from lowest to highest string). Acoustic eclectic guitars come with a built-in tuner most of the time otherwise you can use your phone apps to tune a guitar. 

How to learn guitar?

To learn the guitar start with a basic understanding of the instrument and learn basic chords. Once you get this done skim through online resources to strengthen your knowledge.