Lesson on Polyphonic Guitar

If only learning acoustic guitar is similar to . But it’s not, so we turn to our second fastest option — infographics!

But unlike most Internet junk (like Matrix memes), the ones listed here are full of easy to digest, practical knowledge. So without further ado, let’s download the know how into what little space our brains have.

Parts of an Acoustic Guitar

We start by knowing the parts of an acoustic through the infographic below (instead of smashing to break it open). It also shows how to hold the instrument, and how to actually do some chords. It even illustrates the types of acoustics according to strings (also discussed in my post about the ). Hands down, this is the best beginner cheat sheet.

This infographic is from designer , who actually really plays the instrument. It was first published on Gulf News’ Friday Magazine about how stuff works. It’s been awarded Gold in 2012 by the WAN-IFRA Asia Media, an international award giving body. Talha Khan, Trazo’s intern at the time, also contributed to this work.

How to Restring an Acoustic Guitar

What follows is a double whammy – a two part infographic on how to restring an acoustic. It includes two more quick guides, making the cheat sheet a triple treat actually. The first is about how to tune the instrument, and the other is about guitar tabs. But the guide alone is already worth the attention, because there aren’t a lot of its kind. The infographic is a work by , a motion media and graphic designer. It’s actually intended as a product insert, but fortunately he made it accessible online.

Hacking the Acoustic Guitar Chords Chart

What if I told you…you can do any by memorizing only a few? The next infographic “hacks” the acoustic guitar chords chart and teaches how to rebuilt it on the fly. It presents a method of building other chords based on their names, and by remembering just the major ones. Hence, you won’t have to memorize all the chords, bring a chart every time, or use a chord finder online. This cheat sheet is from , a multimedia engineer. Aside from this infographic, his portfolio also shows software projects and audiovisuals. One of such audiovisuals is the music video of “Do You Feel the Bogeyman?” by a metal band named Lothringen.

Picking the Best Plectrum for Acoustic Guitars

Our next infographic contains valuable tips on choosing the best plectrum for acoustic guitars. It’s from the website of the , maker of the Tortex brand of picks. It has a gauge guide based on playing style, and also some notes on shapes and their advantages.

The infographic also mentions lots of musicians, some of which might be your inspiration or favorite. The ones on the gauge guide provide an insight about what pick works for what genre. There’s also a survey on what gauge people at Facebook choose, thus also providing some sort of crowd opinion.

Learn How to Play Acoustic Guitar

Last but not the least, we have a “learn how to play acoustic guitar” infographic. At first glance, some of its tips from common references may appear too general or trivial. But on the contrary, it conveniently compiles useful but often overlooked tips for playing. Some examples of those valuable tips are about applying proper pressure, doing barre chords, and learning to strum with rhythm. The infographic is from the (CMS), a matching service for music teachers and students. The CMS is headed by Jennifer Paterson, who was the principal soprano for the Boston Lyric Opera Company. She also has an Associate of the Royal Conservatory (ARCT) diploma, the highest academic credential awarded by The Royal Conservatory for voice and most instruments.