I've tried to learn guitar on my own about 10 different times and I never get anywhere. I took my first lesson last week and my second starts in about 2 hours. 30 minutes with someone who knew what they were talking about and could show me hands on was the smartest thing I've done. I still can't believe I can actually play (and play correctly) some guitar!
I have been playing guitar for about 7 years, and practice as much as I possibly can lol
I'm currently trying to learn the entire Backaspacer album using no help from any outside sources (friends, internet, etc.). It can be quite challenging only having your ears to guide you through the music, but at least a lot of songs on Backspacer aren't that hard to play.
Learn to read music. At least read the rhythm. Tabs are great for position, but don't note duration. Standard notation will tell you how long to playh a note for, to get phrasing right.
My daughter will be getting her first electric guitar (she hopes for her birthday!) and she has been looking at self-teach stuff. As a musician (she plays 3 other instruments, violin at a high level being one of them) she finds tabs 'too basic' for the reasons you mention but has problems finding 'proper' instruction (ie notation).
Any of you know of self-teach DVDs or such using notation?
I've tried to learn guitar on my own about 10 different times and I never get anywhere. I took my first lesson last week and my second starts in about 2 hours. 30 minutes with someone who knew what they were talking about and could show me hands on was the smartest thing I've done. I still can't believe I can actually play (and play correctly) some guitar!
TAKE LESSONS!!!!
This is true, not only paid lessons. I've met up and played with a friend just a few times over the last year or so, who plays much better than me and has years of experience, and a couple of hours with him is worth more than weeks at home on my own. He shows me a lot of stuff I am doing wrong, gives me a little confidence to try new things and also puts me on to a few songs that are a good level for me.
If you are learning, don't be afraid to ask friends who can play for a "jam session". They may be flattered and really willing to teach you a few things and show off their talents
I just got a guitar for my 44th Birthday :?
We got ones for both my boys and they are kicking my ass I am doing it so they can learn and it's really been amazing!
Taking lessons and have really started practicing...
It's really hard, I have big hands and keep putting fingers in places they should not be
It's really hard, I have big hands and keep putting fingers in places they should not be
yeah, my wife gave me a row for that also.
oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
i got frustrated with figuring out a song last night. so i flipped the guitar over and tried playing left handed. it seemed impossible. reminded me of when i first started and wanted to quit. made me feel better
Its a life long journey. Stick with it. It can't seem like work, you gotta enjoy picking it up and strumming. I try to learn a new song a week. Really all I do is hum them and try to note it out on the fretboard.
Gund Arena - Apr 25, 2003
Quicken Loans Arena - May 20, 2006
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Bonnaroo - Jun 14, 2008
United Center - Aug 23, 2009
Nationwide Arena - May 06, 2010
Quicken Loans Arena - May 09, 2010
I'd like to learn to play the guitar, so here is my situation:
I was shown a few intros and could play them...but that was 15 years ago...
I played piano for 7 years, so I know how to read music (yeah it was a long tome ago, but I can pick it back up)
Heard that you can interchange piano music with guitar music (yes/no?)
Should I learn to play tabs or go with the reading music (I hear about so many gutiar players that don't know how to read music)
I have a crappy electric guitar but no amp, so should I buy an acoustic guitar or a small amp?
thanks for any advice!
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
I'd like to learn to play the guitar, so here is my situation:
I was shown a few intros and could play them...but that was 15 years ago...
I played piano for 7 years, so I know how to read music (yeah it was a long tome ago, but I can pick it back up)
Heard that you can interchange piano music with guitar music (yes/no?)
Should I learn to play tabs or go with the reading music (I hear about so many gutiar players that don't know how to read music)
I have a crappy electric guitar but no amp, so should I buy an acoustic guitar or a small amp?
thanks for any advice!
It's a big step up and advantage if you can read music, because it trains you to be able to read and know where to place what where, what note to be playing. Builds sight reading skills which will help you read guitar tabs.
I'd go with learning using tabs - very easy for you to figure out - simply because a HUGE amount of music is out there in tabs. Harder to find sheet music for guitar, unless like you said you convert piano music to guitar. Which is possible. A lot of piano sheet music is converted into guitar chords/tabs. Despite the instrument being different, the notes and forming a chord is the same
To be honest though, whichever you find easiest. You'll probably find it easier to figure out songs using tabs, simply because there are more tabs than sheet music (available free online)
As to what guitar I'd go for an acoustic to learn on. It will build strength in your fingers and hands as acoustic guitars are harder to play. So that after you've made progress, learnt the basics, you'll be surprised and amazed at how good you are on electric My guitar teacher suggested it and at first I was pretty bummed out, because I was so keen to play loud songs on an electric. I played acoustic guitar for 2 years before I even touched an electric ! But I'm so glad now, because I find electric guitar much easier to play than I would've if I had just gone straight to electric first.
Another bonus of learning on an acoustic is that you'll be able to switch between both. A lot of people who learn on electric guitar first find it harder/impossible to play acoustic guitar, because electric guitars have smaller necks,smaller frets, smaller bodies, easier strings to press down on etc. It's all about strength and endurance when learning to play on acoustic and it really helps
If you're dying to play electric though (if your budget allows) you could buy a small amp as well and play both. Swapping between both is very fun, keeps it interesting (especially in the beginning stages of learning to form and play chords)
But I really really advise that you learn how to play the basics - open chords, barre chords - on acoustic. It'll be better in the long run IMO
i agree with the above. tab is easy to find and real fun. as far as a guitar, i started with a really cheap acoustic with a wider than normal neck. i thought i would never be able to make some of the chord shapes..but i eventually did. and when i switch to electric it was much easier to play.
as mentioned somewhere on this thread the best site is justinguitar.com
he has a ton of free lessons and just recently started doing a riff and lick of the week. pretty cool stuff.
About the only thing I can't do is lead work. I can play little pieces here and there, but I have never gotten the hang of it. I know I just need to practice scales but that is so boring. To me it is much more fun to find the tab or just figure out the chords and learn the song. I've been playing around with it for years, but doing any kind of lead still escapes me. Its like I can't get the timing down.
Lately I just tuned my guitar to open G, bought a capo and have set out to learning as many songs as I can in that tuning. Open G is fun as hell to play in and easy too.
When I first started I was taught to just work on basic tedious stuff such as picking open strings. Go slow and gradually build up speed. Use alternate strokes and a metronome. 1, 2, 3, 4. Take that across all the strings then reverse. Next use the same drill but with fingers fretting the first 4 notes on each sting. Use all down strokes than all up strokes than alternate across the board. I can not tell you how valuable this is. The last thing you want to do is rush ahead. If you rush ahead you pick up too many bad habits. These habits become impossible to break. Bad habits make it extremely difficult to start learning songs, intricate chords, and rhythms. I guarantee that if you work on these drills religiously for 2-3 weeks you will be tearing it up Mccready style in no time. OF course You, Me or anyone else out there will never achieve Mike Mccready status. Just remember patience is the key. It is not going to happen overnight, and much like anything else you get out of it what you put into it. In order to progress you need to buid up the dexterity in both your hands.
there was a helpful post on here recently, someone suggested playing your own songs.
For the first year of playing I just learnt simple rock and folk classics and it was great but I found that most songs use a very limited amount and range of chords. After a while I was at a certain (quite low) level and it was enough but I wasn't getting better.
I got an acoustic guitar at Christmas and I've been experimenting with sounds and chords and finger positions and just improvising. I feel like it's taken me forward a long way. I'm working out what things sound good togther and having more fun than I did just following tabs. I'm still a pretty dire guitar player compared to most others but I'm better than I was. I think...
I have a beginners question: is it better to start with acoustic over electric?...from what I can gather...perhaps acoustic and if that's the case nylon or steel strings??
I saw Ed play solo a couple of weeks ago and it reignited my passions to try guitar again...
I'm no expert but I spent a year on a low-price classic guitar then ought a reasonable acoustic one. Classic has bigger spaces betweent he strings so it is a little easier for beginners playing basic chords. Not great for rock music though.
I'm no expert but I spent a year on a low-price classic guitar then ought a reasonable acoustic one. Classic has bigger spaces betweent he strings so it is a little easier for beginners playing basic chords. Not great for rock music though.
Thanks for that. I think I'll go straight to steel strings but now I have a friend talking me into going straight for the electric...I think I will give in to my temptations!!!
We had the annual attempt to break the record for the most people simultaneously playing guitar here in Wroclaw, Poland today. There were 5600 guitarists of all ages and abilities playing 'Hey Joe' together. Didn't break our own record but it is always a lot of fun.
I have a beginners question: is it better to start with acoustic over electric?...from what I can gather...perhaps acoustic and if that's the case nylon or steel strings??
I saw Ed play solo a couple of weeks ago and it reignited my passions to try guitar again...
thanks
As a teacher, i get asked this question ALL THE TIME!
The answer is, it depends on what music you want to create. i actually wrote an article on what to look for when buying your first guitar. Here's the link and if you have any other questions after you read it, I'd be more than happy to answer them!
If You Like Crunchy Guitar Riffs, Powerful Vocals, Melodic Guitar Solos, And Meaningful Lyrics..then you need to check out one of the most refreshing new hard rock bands in quite some time...-->The Liberty Underground<--
This is a great thread. I am really happy that I found it. I just got an acoustic guitar and a few lessons for my birthday.
For someone who is completely new to guitar (or any other instrument), does it make sense to use the lessons right at the start or teach myself a few "basics" before going to a lesson? I don't want to waste a lesson learning things that I could teach myself but I also don't want to start with bad technique.
I'd seen a couple of Justin's lessons on youtube before but had never checked out his site. Wow, it's all free and he is a great teacher. I ended up spending a couple of hours last night and today learning some scales he teaches and I already feel like a better player!
We had the annual attempt to break the record for the most people simultaneously playing guitar here in Wroclaw, Poland today. There were 5600 guitarists of all ages and abilities playing 'Hey Joe' together. Didn't break our own record but it is always a lot of fun.
More on: heyjoe.pl
do you have pics / video of this? It sounds like amazing fun!
We had the annual attempt to break the record for the most people simultaneously playing guitar here in Wroclaw, Poland today. There were 5600 guitarists of all ages and abilities playing 'Hey Joe' together. Didn't break our own record but it is always a lot of fun.
More on: heyjoe.pl
do you have pics / video of this? It sounds like amazing fun!
Sure, I have my own pics but I don't know how to post them here. Here is their myspace page with loads of pictures.
We had the annual attempt to break the record for the most people simultaneously playing guitar here in Wroclaw, Poland today. There were 5600 guitarists of all ages and abilities playing 'Hey Joe' together. Didn't break our own record but it is always a lot of fun.
More on: heyjoe.pl
do you have pics / video of this? It sounds like amazing fun!
Sure, I have my own pics but I don't know how to post them here. Here is their myspace page with loads of pictures.
Just picked up a Yamaha FG700s at my local guitar shop. My first ever guitar. Its been about a week and i've just started learning just the basic chords A, E and D. Ive been trying to do 30 minutes a day but my fingers cant handle it right now. How long does it usually take before the pain goes away?
I find it very hard to go from one chord to the next, but i guess in time it will get better.
Any suggestions on what are good ways for a beginner to learn besides taking lessons. I've been trying that justin site that was recommended.
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Just picked up a Yamaha FG700s at my local guitar shop. My first ever guitar. Its been about a week and i've just started learning just the basic chords A, E and D. Ive been trying to do 30 minutes a day but my fingers cant handle it right now. How long does it usually take before the pain goes away?
I find it very hard to go from one chord to the next, but i guess in time it will get better.
Any suggestions on what are good ways for a beginner to learn besides taking lessons. I've been trying that justin site that was recommended.
I'm still not a good guitar player but I can say that I made progress playing thirty mins a day like yourself... until I got lazy over the recent months. If you have a good regime, stick to it. And don't be shy abobut asking friends who can play to jam with you, even when you are a beginner. I learn the same in an hour with friends that I would have in a week at home doing it alone. Plus, most friends are psyched to help someone else learn a little, as they have been beginners themselves. You can do this right from the beginning, you don't have to fall into the "I'm not ready" trap.
Also, pick some simle songs you like and try and find them on ultimateguitar.com
There are chord diagrams when you hover the mouse over the name of the chord. Just play until it sounds right.
If you can play A, E & D then 'Evangelin' by The Band is about the simplest song around and you already know all the chords:
Just picked up a Yamaha FG700s at my local guitar shop. My first ever guitar. Its been about a week and i've just started learning just the basic chords A, E and D. Ive been trying to do 30 minutes a day but my fingers cant handle it right now. How long does it usually take before the pain goes away?
I find it very hard to go from one chord to the next, but i guess in time it will get better.
Any suggestions on what are good ways for a beginner to learn besides taking lessons. I've been trying that justin site that was recommended.
Get the G chord down and with the chords you already know, you've got the chorus to "Alive!" (E-G-D-A)
In my experience with beginner guitar players, the pain and stiffness subsides greatly in about 4-6 weeks with 30min, 5 day a week practicing. But it could be shorter or longer depending on the quality of your practices. 4-6 weeks is about average.
If You Like Crunchy Guitar Riffs, Powerful Vocals, Melodic Guitar Solos, And Meaningful Lyrics..then you need to check out one of the most refreshing new hard rock bands in quite some time...-->The Liberty Underground<--
I was given guitar lessons for XMas ! I have never even played guitar and I am very excited to learn. I was hoping the music studio rented guitars but, they do not. So, I went in the store today and the was the model that was recommended as a starter set. I was hoping for some help. The salesman also recommended a few others but I feel comfortable spending this to get started. Any help?.....
Comments
TAKE LESSONS!!!!
I'm currently trying to learn the entire Backaspacer album using no help from any outside sources (friends, internet, etc.). It can be quite challenging only having your ears to guide you through the music, but at least a lot of songs on Backspacer aren't that hard to play.
My daughter will be getting her first electric guitar (she hopes for her birthday!) and she has been looking at self-teach stuff. As a musician (she plays 3 other instruments, violin at a high level being one of them) she finds tabs 'too basic' for the reasons you mention but has problems finding 'proper' instruction (ie notation).
Any of you know of self-teach DVDs or such using notation?
This is true, not only paid lessons. I've met up and played with a friend just a few times over the last year or so, who plays much better than me and has years of experience, and a couple of hours with him is worth more than weeks at home on my own. He shows me a lot of stuff I am doing wrong, gives me a little confidence to try new things and also puts me on to a few songs that are a good level for me.
If you are learning, don't be afraid to ask friends who can play for a "jam session". They may be flattered and really willing to teach you a few things and show off their talents
We got ones for both my boys and they are kicking my ass
Taking lessons and have really started practicing...
It's really hard, I have big hands and keep putting fingers in places they should not be
yeah, my wife gave me a row for that also.
Quicken Loans Arena - May 20, 2006
Grant Park - Aug 05, 2007
Bonnaroo - Jun 14, 2008
United Center - Aug 23, 2009
Nationwide Arena - May 06, 2010
Quicken Loans Arena - May 09, 2010
I was shown a few intros and could play them...but that was 15 years ago...
I played piano for 7 years, so I know how to read music (yeah it was a long tome ago, but I can pick it back up)
Heard that you can interchange piano music with guitar music (yes/no?)
Should I learn to play tabs or go with the reading music (I hear about so many gutiar players that don't know how to read music)
I have a crappy electric guitar but no amp, so should I buy an acoustic guitar or a small amp?
thanks for any advice!
- Christopher McCandless
It's a big step up and advantage if you can read music, because it trains you to be able to read and know where to place what where, what note to be playing. Builds sight reading skills which will help you read guitar tabs.
I'd go with learning using tabs - very easy for you to figure out - simply because a HUGE amount of music is out there in tabs. Harder to find sheet music for guitar, unless like you said you convert piano music to guitar. Which is possible. A lot of piano sheet music is converted into guitar chords/tabs. Despite the instrument being different, the notes and forming a chord is the same
To be honest though, whichever you find easiest. You'll probably find it easier to figure out songs using tabs, simply because there are more tabs than sheet music (available free online)
As to what guitar I'd go for an acoustic to learn on. It will build strength in your fingers and hands as acoustic guitars are harder to play. So that after you've made progress, learnt the basics, you'll be surprised and amazed at how good you are on electric
Another bonus of learning on an acoustic is that you'll be able to switch between both. A lot of people who learn on electric guitar first find it harder/impossible to play acoustic guitar, because electric guitars have smaller necks,smaller frets, smaller bodies, easier strings to press down on etc. It's all about strength and endurance when learning to play on acoustic and it really helps
If you're dying to play electric though (if your budget allows) you could buy a small amp as well and play both. Swapping between both is very fun, keeps it interesting (especially in the beginning stages of learning to form and play chords)
But I really really advise that you learn how to play the basics - open chords, barre chords - on acoustic. It'll be better in the long run IMO
anyway hope that helps
as mentioned somewhere on this thread the best site is justinguitar.com
he has a ton of free lessons and just recently started doing a riff and lick of the week. pretty cool stuff.
Lately I just tuned my guitar to open G, bought a capo and have set out to learning as many songs as I can in that tuning. Open G is fun as hell to play in and easy too.
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Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
For the first year of playing I just learnt simple rock and folk classics and it was great but I found that most songs use a very limited amount and range of chords. After a while I was at a certain (quite low) level and it was enough but I wasn't getting better.
I got an acoustic guitar at Christmas and I've been experimenting with sounds and chords and finger positions and just improvising. I feel like it's taken me forward a long way. I'm working out what things sound good togther and having more fun than I did just following tabs. I'm still a pretty dire guitar player compared to most others but I'm better than I was. I think...
Thanks 10C members for the good advice, again.
I saw Ed play solo a couple of weeks ago and it reignited my passions to try guitar again...
thanks
Thanks for that. I think I'll go straight to steel strings but now I have a friend talking me into going straight for the electric...I think I will give in to my temptations!!!
Start early if you can!
We had the annual attempt to break the record for the most people simultaneously playing guitar here in Wroclaw, Poland today. There were 5600 guitarists of all ages and abilities playing 'Hey Joe' together. Didn't break our own record but it is always a lot of fun.
More on: heyjoe.pl
"Learn as many different styles as you can, develope your own style from all of these and practice with as many different players as possible."
As a teacher, i get asked this question ALL THE TIME!
The answer is, it depends on what music you want to create. i actually wrote an article on what to look for when buying your first guitar. Here's the link and if you have any other questions after you read it, I'd be more than happy to answer them!
http://guitarlessonsinscranton.com/inde ... &Itemid=58
If You Like Crunchy Guitar Riffs, Powerful Vocals, Melodic Guitar Solos, And Meaningful Lyrics..then you need to check out one of the most refreshing new hard rock bands in quite some time...-->The Liberty Underground<--
For someone who is completely new to guitar (or any other instrument), does it make sense to use the lessons right at the start or teach myself a few "basics" before going to a lesson? I don't want to waste a lesson learning things that I could teach myself but I also don't want to start with bad technique.
http://www.justinguitar.com/
Düsseldorf 21-06-2007, Nijmegen 28-06-2007, Werchter 29-06-2007.
London Shepherd's Bush 11-08-2009, Rotterdam 13-08-2009.
Nijmegen 27-06-2010, Berlin 30-06-2010, Arras 04-07-2010,
Werchter 05-07-2010, Manchester 20-06-2012, Amsterdam 26-06-2012, Amsterdam 27-06-2012, Werchter 29-06-2012, Berlin 04-07-2012, Amsterdam 16-06-2014, Amsterdam 17-06-2014, Werchter 05-07-2014
I'd seen a couple of Justin's lessons on youtube before but had never checked out his site. Wow, it's all free and he is a great teacher. I ended up spending a couple of hours last night and today learning some scales he teaches and I already feel like a better player!
Thanks for the link.
do you have pics / video of this? It sounds like amazing fun!
just like MMA! - one of the first things students are taught
Sure, I have my own pics but I don't know how to post them here. Here is their myspace page with loads of pictures.
http://www.myspace.com/thanksjimifest/photos/30396149#%7B%22ImageId%22%3A30396149%7D
that is one of the most spectacular things ive seen!
....now if we can get the whole world to do it......maybe someday
I find it very hard to go from one chord to the next, but i guess in time it will get better.
Any suggestions on what are good ways for a beginner to learn besides taking lessons. I've been trying that justin site that was recommended.
I'm still not a good guitar player but I can say that I made progress playing thirty mins a day like yourself... until I got lazy over the recent months. If you have a good regime, stick to it. And don't be shy abobut asking friends who can play to jam with you, even when you are a beginner. I learn the same in an hour with friends that I would have in a week at home doing it alone. Plus, most friends are psyched to help someone else learn a little, as they have been beginners themselves. You can do this right from the beginning, you don't have to fall into the "I'm not ready" trap.
Also, pick some simle songs you like and try and find them on ultimateguitar.com
There are chord diagrams when you hover the mouse over the name of the chord. Just play until it sounds right.
If you can play A, E & D then 'Evangelin' by The Band is about the simplest song around and you already know all the chords:
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/t/the_band/evangeline_crd.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-rTkqn-4qg
Get the G chord down and with the chords you already know, you've got the chorus to "Alive!" (E-G-D-A)
In my experience with beginner guitar players, the pain and stiffness subsides greatly in about 4-6 weeks with 30min, 5 day a week practicing. But it could be shorter or longer depending on the quality of your practices. 4-6 weeks is about average.
If You Like Crunchy Guitar Riffs, Powerful Vocals, Melodic Guitar Solos, And Meaningful Lyrics..then you need to check out one of the most refreshing new hard rock bands in quite some time...-->The Liberty Underground<--
http://www.westmusic.com/1002403-guitars-folk/g7000-guitars/g7000a-acoustic/g7000a14-packages/fender-r-dg-8s-solid-top-guitar-value-package.htm