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" At last, a guide to learning guitar that is so amazing and useful that even the critics loved it! You can finally learn the guitar and play it like the Beatles within a few short months! "

Table of Contents:

• History of the guitar 
• How do I play the guitar like a pro?
• Tips to buying a new guitar
• Related sites
• Related articles
• Additional resources
• Comments & ratings

The guitar that we see musicians use today has a long history. From the very beings of human culture between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, to smoked out bars in the inner cities of today. From the court entertainers of the great dynasties of Europe, to young girls and boys practicing their favorite song in their bedrooms today.

The first incarnation of the guitar is believed to have come from Babylon (modern day Iraq). Clay plaques dating from more than 2000 years before Christ have been found that depict naked figures strumming guitar looking instruments. The story of the guitar is then silent for nearly 2000 years until evidence of a Roman instrument was unearthed in a tomb. It was made completely from wood and has the same basic shape that classical guitars still have today.

In the Medieval period the guitar developed with a round bodied sound hole and a fat neck. It is not known whether this instrument is of French or German origin. Side by side with this creation was a straight sided instrument that was found in the tombs of ancient English churches. It is believed that the basic aspects of design were brought to Europe from the East by Moors who invaded Spain in 711.

It is unsurprising then that Spain was the place that the guitar began its most critical stage of development. The ‘Vihuela’ developed 12 steel frets and people began writing tablature for people to play. Also an instrument related to the guitar the ‘Lute’ was associated with the oppressive regime of the Moors. So playing the guitar and the music related to the guitar become part of the culture of resistance. This in a sense would be a precursor to what guitar music would come to represent in the 20th century.

In the 17th and 18th century the guitar moved in full force into Europe. It is known that king Louis the XIV played and loved the guitar. He along with many members of the European nobility popularized the guitar and internationalized guitar playing and guitar music. The 19th century saw a universal guitar adopted with the same basic tuning system we see today. Also in that century the guitar moved out from Europe to America and the rest of the world.

The 20th century saw the biggest explosion of acceptance and use in the history of the guitar. Mass media made musical expression something anyone could watch and enjoy. Also large dance halls and popular musicians created a need for louder guitars. So the electric guitar began its evolution from the resonators of 1927 to the magnetic pickups that adorn nearly all electric guitars today. The guitar rode a wave of popularity and became to most recognizable and commonly used instrument in music. Also the guitar is an excellent instrument for writing songs and expressing oneself. The instrument has many faces in modern music. From singer song writers with an acoustic guitar to wild metal guitarists, blasting out on their electric guitars.

Guitars and the people who have played them have spanned thousands of years and many different cultures. It is an excellent rewarding instrument to play and learn with many subtle styles and characteristics.

This article was adapted from Jamorama.com, the site where you can learn to play the guitar.

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Ben Edwards is a professional musician as well as a trained music teacher. He has come up with Jamorama, a multi-media course that uses video lessons to show you how to play the guitar. You will learn the various techniques in playing the guitar, such as strumming, palm muting, pull offs and much more!

Jamorama takes away the old boring drills so you will not feel that you are doing the same thing over and over again. The whole course consists of 148 videos, yes, 148! These videos take you from being an absolute beginner right through to playing some of the most advanced guitar techniques around! So no matter whether you're just starting, picking up the guitar after several years off or just improving your guitar playing skills, Jamorama is the course for you.

Listen to Mark Coughlin's testimonial

Here is a preview of what you will get with the Jamorama course:

• Two Jamorama course books (that’s 44 chapters and 252 pages of lessons), starting at complete “I don’t know where my fingers go” beginner and taking you to “How did I get so good” advanced guitar playing. These lessons have been specifically designed for easy use with integrated video and audio so that every powerful time saving tool and easy-when-you-know-how skill Ben has developed is RIGHT at your fingertips!
• 148 Step-by-step Video Lessons. These video lessons are amazing, they have been professionally recorded and edited and Ben guarantees they are easier to follow and more useful than anything you will find anywhere.
• Detailed instruction on how to quickly master impressive skills, such as picking strumming styles, percussive strum, deadening, staccato strum tricked out scales, hammer-ons, pull offs, transposing keys , percussive strum, deadening, staccato strum, vibrato, palm muting and much, much more!
• Step by step lesson on how to perform tricky guitar skills. That's over ten years' worth of expensive and hard-won information in a simple and easy to follow format - comprehensive insider knowledge at your finger tips, available 24/7, whenever you want to learn.
• Advice on how to decide whether you should learn to play guitar on an acoustic or electric guitar, and just what to look out for if you choose to buy a used guitar.
• and much, much more information!!

Why should you attend the Jamorama course?

• You do not need to take time to attend guitar lessons. We know you are busy enough.
• You can learn the skills as and when you like, even 1 a.m. in the morning! But be sure not to disturb your neighbours!
• You can learn at your own pace. There is no worrying about being unable to catch up.
• The course comes with a set of Jam Tracks for you to practise and play, as if you are playing with a 'live' band.
• You save money on guitar lessons. Each lesson easily cost $30 and you need several lessons to even get the basics. There is also no guarantee that you will play well!

When you place your order our system will allow you to access the Jamorama Members' Area immediately, so you can start learning amazing guitar skills within five minutes! There are 4 super bonuses and you will not want to miss them as well!

I want to play the guitar like a pro >>>

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Whether you’re buying your first guitar, upgrading or simply adding to your collection, the first thing you  must do is to do your homework. There are many great resources available and you should consider using all of them. You need to arm yourself with the right information so that you can get a good price from your guitar shop.

The first place that you can find loads of information is of course the internet. You can compare prices, get information on the manufacturers and even search for other guitarist’s reviews and opinions. Guitar magazines are a good place to find out prices and specifications on different models of guitar. You can get similar knowledge from browsing at your local instrument shop.

Often you can find online auctions where guitars sell for incredibly low prices; however, I wouldn’t advise you to take this option. As a rule you should always play before you buy so that you get a chance to gauge performance.

Once you’ve got the background knowledge that you need on the guitar of your choice the next task is to set yourself a budget and stick to it. Don’t let salespeople talk you into spending more money than you anticipated.

Testing out new guitars in the shop can be an intimidating task for beginners. It is a great idea to take an experienced guitarist along with you when you are looking at a possible purchase, so see if you can persuade a teacher or friend. Not only will they be able to offer helpful advice – they will be good moral support when it’s time to pick up the guitar and test it out in public.

Check the frets for buzzing by playing each one. Make sure that the neck is not warped by looking down it as if you were sighting a gun. Check that all of the volume and tone switches etc. are in good working condition.

If you cannot find a friend to go with you, ask for recommendations. When you are at the shop, state your budget and requirements and most salespeople will be glad to attend to you. You can also seek their advice if you have no idea at all. But remember, the decision lies with you. Buy the guitar that you are most comfortable with.

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