Just picked up a guitar

InHiding19

I just started to learn literally 2 days ago. Anyone got any recomendations?

the wolf

Oxxys wrote:

I just started to learn literally 2 days ago. Anyone got any recomendations?

yeah, DONT try to learn a song yet. just learn chords! start with G D and C lol.

im serious, everyone i have ever tried to teach guitar to has tried to learn songs right off the bat, and it winds up taking them forever to pick up on anything. except my nephew, who is 16 and started playing when he was 13 and now he is fucking awesome !!!


thats my opinion.

InHiding19

What is a good site to look at cords?

prytocorduroy

I agree, do not learn a song yet. Learn how to play, what sounds good, what sounds bad, what sounds weird, but cool, HOW TO TUNE IT. You don't have to play chords always either. Just try EVERYTHING. And as far as learning chords, I suggest trial and error at this stage. You'll be overwhelmed by a site listing a bunch of chords.

Make up your own songs. Then learn an easy song.

xtremehardy388

Oxxys wrote:

What is a good site to look at cords?

http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/index.php

dunkman

Oxxys wrote:

What is a good site to look at cords?

Levis do good cords.. but if its chords your after,,, then http://www.giventowail.com is your best place for PJ songs.... go to it. now. i guess the sticky just isnt blatant enough?

ianvomsaal

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w83/ianvomsaal/CHORDS.jpg
I made this for my students - click the image to enlarge it - then print.

ezyrydr

get a tuner!

Austicman

Picked up this baby about a month ago. Very happy with the sound.

xtremehardy388

Austicman wrote:

Picked up this baby about a month ago. Very happy with the sound.

Ya know, of the Ibanez acoustics I've played, I've been VERY impressed with the sound

ianvomsaal

An Ibanez CEW50CBE - those are nice student level guitars.
I have to say it's a very nice looking laminate Cocobolo guitar.
http://www.lifeismusic.co.uk/guitar/Ibanez-EW50CBE-NT---Natural----6326.aspx
I don't think they sell that model in the US - what a shame.
http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/country/frame_uk.html
I sure hope you get a lot of use out of it.

Anon

Oxxys wrote:

I just started to learn literally 2 days ago. Anyone got any recomendations?

Good advice here aleady from the guys. I'd just add a couple of things if that's ok. If you are able to swing it, i would suggest that you take some lessons from a teacher or another player. they can show you things in minutes compared to hours of reading and working out on your own.

also, check http://www.giventowail.com because it's the best site available for pj tabs and if you look to the left, they have an excellent section on lessons, and it also goes through tunings. it's easy to read and not to over the top.
http://www.giventowail.com/lessons/beginners.php

Fun times ahead. Good luck with it

Hebejebe

Is there a reason we've not been able to get the beginners help stuff in a sticky? It sure as hell would help. Not just beginners too, on more than one occasion I've struggled to find a link that I've stupidly not bookmarked.

Anon

Hebejebe wrote:

Is there a reason we've not been able to get the beginners help stuff in a sticky? It sure as hell would help. Not just beginners too, on more than one occasion I've struggled to find a link that I've stupidly not bookmarked.

I know that we have asked a few times before, but the mods may not have seen it. Maybe i'll bump the 'learning guitar' thread that has all of ianvomsaals links and other information and use the report post thingamajiggy to see if we can get is stickied and the new guys can just read and post in there. Might be more helpful for them to have all the information in one area.

acutejam

Good stuff, FYI -- that chord chart above lists each finger as a number:
1-Index
2-Middle
3-Ring
4-Pinkie

So that tells you which fingers to put on which strings at which frets.

Then, hop over to chordie.com, (http://chordie.com/publicbooks.php?cat=Campfire+songs) check out Campfire songs fer instance and find a bunch of easy 2 or 3 CHORD songs that are fun to sing along, print 'em out. If you know the song, it's easy to figure out kinda how to strum along. TAB is actual note by note notation, how to play riffs and licks and solos and stuff -- Stick with CHORD files first, then TAB, then heck musical notation!

Build a binder of songs you like from Chordie and giventowail, sit down, practice your chords for 10 minutes, flip open the binder practice a few songs 2-3 times, rinse, repeat.

But good advice, practice chords, finger the chord, strum it and adjust til it sounds, pluck each string make sure it's sounding out not muffled. And then practice switching E A D A E, G C D C G, etc etc etc

Hold_On

the wolf wrote:

yeah, DONT try to learn a song yet. just learn chords! start with G D and C lol.

im serious, everyone i have ever tried to teach guitar to has tried to learn songs right off the bat, and it winds up taking them forever to pick up on anything. except my nephew, who is 16 and started playing when he was 13 and now he is fucking awesome !!!


thats my opinion.

Absolutely, 100% agree. The songs will come ONCE YOU LEARN HOW TO PLAY. All of the basic chords & variations are available numerous places online. Learn the basic chords first, get the correct fingerings right, then move on to song-playing.

SBC03

don't forget to practice scales. I picked up playing a little more than a year ago and started with the basic chords: G, A, D, C. Plenty of songs can be played with these. Now Im starting with the scales and wish I would have earlier. I think this would help with YL. Just my 4 cents.

Thanks to all here that help out the newbies, I know you 've helped me.

It_Wasnt_My_Surface

I learned by going to ultimate-guitar.com and looking up songs that I liked and playing along with them. To me it was the best way for me, cause I learned chords as I learned songs. If you like Neil Young (Which if you like PJ its a good chance you do haha) then look up Heart of Gold. I learned real quick, it helped me with my hand speed because you it has hammer-ons in there and you learn chords and chord progression. I couldn't learn just by learning chords.

It_Wasnt_My_Surface

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Ya know, of the Ibanez acoustics I've played, I've been VERY impressed with the sound

I have an Ibanez Acoustic Electric I bought brand new for $200 bucks and I love it. My friend has a Martin that he paid 2 grand for and I just can't compare the sound. I'll take a cheap sounding acoustic guitar any day. Electric however...you need the good stuff!

xtremehardy388

StrangestTribe27 wrote:

I have an Ibanez Acoustic Electric I bought brand new for $200 bucks and I love it. My friend has a Martin that he paid 2 grand for and I just can't compare the sound. I'll take a cheap sounding acoustic guitar any day. Electric however...you need the good stuff!

Not always true. My I prefer my squier strat to vintage original 59 strats, any day.

Austicman

StrangestTribe27 wrote:

I learned by going to ultimate-guitar.com and looking up songs that I liked and playing along with them. To me it was the best way for me, cause I learned chords as I learned songs. If you like Neil Young (Which if you like PJ its a good chance you do haha) then look up Heart of Gold. I learned real quick, it helped me with my hand speed because you it has hammer-ons in there and you learn chords and chord progression. I couldn't learn just by learning chords.

Same. Firstly I got volume 1 of a learn to series of books (I'll hunt it up and give you the right name of the book, it was really good one) . I went through that and then jumped on Ultimate-guitar and away I went. Stick to the 5 star rated tabs and chords and you'll be OK. I found Small Town a good place to start when it came to PJ stuff. Slop John B was a good one to learn some picking.