With the proper guidance and focus you can learn to play guitar in only 14 days. Do one step a day for 2 weeks and after 14 days you will know how to play guitar. Some of these steps will require that you do a little search engine research or visit a "free guitar lessons" site.

Day 1 - Learn the names of all your guitar strings. Starting with the lowest or thickest string and moving across your guitar strings are E -A -D -G -B - E . Play each string and say its name while you play it. I find it helpful if you "sing" the name along with the guitar string.

Day 2 - Learn how to hold a guitar pick. Either Google "how to hold a guitar pick" or visit my website to learn. Today, practice holding your pick correctly and randomly playing each string on your guitar while "singing" its name.

Day 3 - Learn how to fret a guitar string. Your finger needs to be just behind the fret to maybe halfway between the fret you want to play and the next fret towards the tuning pegs. When you pick the guitar string there should be no buzzing of the string anywhere. Practice playing and fretting your strings at random places all over your guitar neck. Work on it until you get a nice clear tone.

Day 4 - Learn how to tune a guitar. Using either an electronic tuner or by tuning a guitar to itself, today learn how to tune your guitar properly. Find as many ways as possible to tune it by searching the Internet. Learn which frets on the lower strings are the same notes as the open string above it. For example: the 5th fret on the E string is the same note as the open A string.

Day 5 - Learn how to play an open G Chord. The open G chord uses all six strings and is one of the easiest chords to form. There are two acceptable ways of forming this chord: one that use your pinky and one that does not. Find and practice playing this chord both ways. The practicing point here is to fret the strings that need fretted while allowing the open strings to ring out. This requires a nice arch in your fingers.

Day 6 - Learn all the notes on your low and high E strings. Starting with the low E string open, play each fret and say the name of the note. Working your way up the guitar neck the fretted notes are these: F - F#(sharp) or Gb( flat)- G - G# or Ab - A -A# or Bb -B - C - C# or Db - D - D# or Eb - E and repeat. Do the same for the high E, the thinnest string, the notes are the same.

Day 7 - Learn how to do alternate picking on your guitar. Alternate picking is when you pick a guitar string going down and then the next note or string you pick you pick going up. This is the best way to learn guitar picking as it requires the least amount of effort and is also the fastest way to pick a guitar. Practice alternate picking on open strings starting with just one string then randomly moving from one string to the next picking down one string and then up on the next.

Day 8 - Learn how to play the open C Chord. The open C chord usually uses all 6 strings although some guitar players don't play the lowest string. There are 2 generally accepted methods of playing this chord, find them both and practice strumming this chord today again making sure that your open strings ring clearly.

Day 9 - Learn all the notes on your A string and D string. Like you did with your two E strings, start with the open strings and then say each note or sing it, as you work your way up the guitar neck on both your A and D strings. Note that the 6th fret on your E string is the same note as the 1st fret on your A string. Same is true for your A and D strings.

Day 10 - Learn how to play an open D chord. The open D chord requires a little more finger dexterity than the open G and C chords. You will only need to strum the top 5 or 4 strings to play this chord. Practice playing this chord without hitting your low E string.

Day 11 - Learn how to switch from your open G chord to your open C chord. Today you will practice switching between your open G chord and your open C chord. Since there is more than one way to play each chord, practice the various combinations until you find the one that works best for you. Practice going back and forth between the two chords, randomly selecting how many times you play each chord. Go as slow as you have to.

Day 12 - Learn all the notes on your G and B strings. Just like we did before, however notice that even though the 6th fret on your D string matches the first fret on your G string that it's the 5th fret on the G string that matches the 1st fret on your B string.

Day 13 - Learn to switch from your open G chord and your D chord. Today you need to practice switching between your open G chord and your open D chord, like we did with the G and C chords.

Day 14 - Play a song. Ok now we're going to tie it all together by playing a little guitar song. Nothing fancy, but we need to finish the day knowing how to play guitar. Strum the chords we learned previously in the following pattern, starting with simple light strumming. Once you have the pattern down, try and fancy up the strumming a bit. Play the G chord 16 times (tap your foot along to count), then the C chord 8 times, the G chord 8 times, the D chord 8 times, and the G chord 8 times again. This is the entire pattern. When you finish start it over from the beginning. This should sound like a familiar song to you. And guess what? You're playing the guitar.

Scott Olewiler is veteran guitarist and bassist who has played all styles of music in all types of bands all across the Eastern United States. Be sure and visit his web site for some great free guitar lessons.