How to Learn Guitar by Yourself in Five Steps

Learning guitar by yourself is very possible. Most self-taught guitarists learn through chords, and the ones who keep going follow the same few habits: easy chords first, short daily sessions, and a way to check they are playing right.

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MIDI keyboard
Digital or acoustic piano
Guitar
Computer, phone or tablet

Em E G B

1. Tune every single time

An out-of-tune guitar makes right chords sound wrong, and you stop trusting your ears. Use a tuner app before each session; it takes thirty seconds.

2. Chords in the right order

Em and Am: two or three fingers, the easiest start.
E, A and D: the next three.
C and G: a bit more stretch.
F and barre chords: when the others feel easy.

How to Learn Guitar by Yourself in Five Steps – ChordRunner

Practise it in a game

ChordRunner shows a chord name, you play it on a MIDI keyboard, a piano or a guitar through the microphone, and the game checks every note. Levels start with the chords on this page.

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3. Practise changes, not shapes

Knowing a shape is not the goal; getting to it in time is. Pick two chords and switch between them for one minute, counting four beats each. Em to Am is the gentlest first change.

4. Check yourself

Self-taught players lack someone saying "that string is muted". Strum each string of a chord one by one to hear dead notes, and use a game that listens through the microphone and tells you if the chord was right.

5. Short and often

Fingertips hurt for the first two weeks. Fifteen minutes a day lets them toughen up; one long session makes them sore and slows you down.

Common questions

Is guitar hard to learn by yourself?

The first weeks are the hardest (sore fingers, slow changes). With easy chords first and short daily practice, most people play simple songs within a month.

What are the first chords to learn on guitar?

Em and Am, then E, A and D, then C and G. Leave F and barre chords for later.

Can I check my chords with a MIDI keyboard or a microphone?

Yes. In ChordRunner a USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically, and a piano or guitar works through the microphone. The game shows a chord name and checks the notes you play.

Is everything in the demo?

The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

Try the demo

How to Learn Guitar by Yourself in Five Steps

1. Tune every single time

2. Chords in the right order

Practise it in a game

3. Practise changes, not shapes

4. Check yourself

5. Short and often

Common questions

Is guitar hard to learn by yourself?

What are the first chords to learn on guitar?

Can I check my chords with a MIDI keyboard or a microphone?

Is everything in the demo?

Your instrument is the controller.

Keep learning

Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners

Games to Learn Guitar That Listen to Your Guitar

What Is a Chord in Music? The Simple Answer

The Difference Between Chord and Harmony, Simply Explained

How to Learn Piano by Yourself, Step by Step

The Circle of Fifths, Explained by Playing