Free Online Guitar Lessons

Single most effective way to learn to read guitar music
by Nikki Chapman
I would have to say the single most effective way to learn to read guitar music is to familiarize yourself with the guitar. A great way to start would be just messing around with what sounds right this will help you out.
I would say learn a few chords - and then fool around with just a few chords, maybe picking the notes out individually rather than just strumming. Get used to picking notes rather than depending solely on whole chords. Working on your note reading is not vital. If you want to learn a song, you can always the tab. Learning chords and how to play within those chords will help you know the guitar better as well as be able to jam along with some friends.
Don't get lessons, you'll be "better" than if you learn yourself, but you'll be bland.
Every person that I've heard who's been taught not learnt, has no creativity, because they've become too used to being told what to play, not making it up as you go.
However, for your first 6 months or so you should be taught the basics, thats a given, if you get taught the basics correct you won't pick up bad habits, which will then help youv easier progress in the future.
The most important part about learning guitar in the very beginning is familiarising yourself with the instrument, then learning songs. When you're just beginning with an instrument, the tendency is to get bored quickly with it. No one wants to be playing "Little Brown Jug" a year after they start (as would be the case if you worked out of some of these books). Rather, I would find someone who plays guitar, see if they'll show you the basics in terms of note names, how to hold the instrument, etc, and then try to learn some very simple songs.It doesn't matter which songs, you basically just pick a song you like. From there, you can either ask that guitar player teacher if he or she will help you learn that song, or you can learn from a tab online. Unfortunately, there's not a lot I can offer you in terms of books and such, as I didn't use them. I took a bunch of lessons with someone to get me started, which consisted of familiarising myself with the instrument and learning some songs. After that, we worked in a little bit of theory, but not a whole lot. Eventually I just broke off from those lessons and started playing in school and teaching myself. People learn differently, though, so books may be better.
For more advice on teaching and more effective ways to learn to read guitar music check out the site below.
http://tinyurl.com/ydae7h4
View more articles from Nikki Chapman