Teach myself guitar?

Pearl_Juli wrote:

I really need to get back to basics, and learn the essentials instead of just reading a tab and learning a song.

That's typical, Pearl Juli, and hello!


Everyone's different in how they approach learning. Some people have the knack to learn via ear, some need to see it on paper, or in a book, and some need a live person to show them the ropes.

Remember if you're self taught, you're learning from someone who doesn't know what they're doing!

I think getting a teacher that you like will put you farther ahead than someone without a teacher, because if you get some of the basics in you, then you build on them, rather than plunk away at stuff from a TAB site THEN get the basics.
A good teacher should show you how to practice most efficiently. I think the time invested into learning the basics is far less than the time people spend on the computer trying to get the tab for each song. It takes time to learn the basics up front, but then you have them,,, and in most cases you won't need the TAB.

There ARE some good DVD's out there and that can work, because you can plug that thing in whenever you have time, but you have to have the discipline to do it.

If you want to help ear training, one thing I used to tell students is to at least:

1) Learn to barre the E and A formation major chords all the way up the neck. That takes some strength training but it's great to know.


E formation

Letter on the left is the string, Number on the right is the fret
On an open E, the 0 is an open string.
On a barre chord, the 0's will be your index finger struggling to barre across all the strings.

E -0
B-0
G-1 < middle finger
D-2 <pinky
A-2 <ring finger
E-0

A formation:

E-0
B-2 < pinky
G-2 < ring
D-2 < middle
A-0
E-0

2) Learn all the notes on the low E string and A string frets.
The note on the low E string is the root of the chord in the E formation.
The note on the A string is the root of the chord in A position.

For instance, when you're playing a barred E position chord at the 7th fret, you are actually playing a B chord.

3) Now listen to a song you want to learn and find the key by fretting the E string up to what the general sound matches and voila,,, that's the general chord that's being played.
Use trial and error and soon your ears and your hands will mesh and you will be released from looking up TAB in most cases.

4) Now learn the Em, E7 , Eminor7th,,,Am, A7 and A minor7th positions and you have just about all rock and roll chords right there.

Em:

E-0
B-0
G-0
D-2
A-2
E-0

E7th:

E-0
B-0
G-1
D-0
A-2
E-0

E minor 7th:

E-0
B-0
G-0
D-0
A-1
E-0

A Minor:

E-0
B-1
G-2
D-2
A-0
E-x

A 7th

E-0
B-2
G-0
D-2
A-0
E-x

A minor 7th

E-0
B-1
G-0
D-2
A-0
E-x

Those aren't hard to learn to barre after you get the major chords down, but then you'll have some basics.

If you listen to the sound of an E7, E minor, E minor 7th enough, for instance, you WILL recognize what chord it is sooner than you think, without even playing it.

There are MANY different ways to play all those chords, but they are basic ways, and that should keep beginners busy for a day or so!



Ok, this post took a long time to type! I missed lunch!

I'm getting by, I dont have school lessons for a while, so I'm using internet lessons. Its going ok. I guess just playing a guitar is practice.

Pearl Jam and toast wrote:

^ bob why do you use your pinky to play E and A?

It's not the only way I play them, but it frees up your index finger to barre those chords up the neck.
It's also good to learn to play the open C , and G chords without your index finger for the same reasons. You can barre them, too.
It stretches out that pinky and strengthens it up for playing lead, too!

Pearl Jam and toast wrote:

oh i see what you're doing.

I play that formation like that too, but I don't use my pinky when i'm just playing the open E and A.

I usually play A by barring my ring finger, or index across three strings, but I don't want everyone to have my bad habits!

I usually play the open chords with my index middle and ring, but doing it with the other fingers is good to get you in position if you're barring.




Haha,,,, I have to sit here an play a guitar to figure out how I'm playing! I can't explain it without looking at my fingers!

who's_pearljam? wrote:

I usually play A by barring my ring finger, or index across three strings, but I don't want everyone to have my bad habits!

I usually play the open chords with my index middle and ring, but doing it with the other fingers is good to get you in position if you're barring.




Haha,,,, I have to sit here an play a guitar to figure out how I'm playing! I can't explain it without looking at my fingers!

haha yeah when I read you were using your pinky I went..

"huh?... do i..?... wait... what?" and ran over to my guitar to see if I do it too.

Never too late! :cool:

Boom The Cat wrote:

I really wish I was better at guitar. Its just finding the time to practice.

That's a common problem. Finding time. Which is exactly why I stress that you have to try to learn to practice properly. A good teacher can help, or the program that ,,,, hell, the name escapes me! It's great, too!
DOH!!! :(

Enharmonic will know if he signs in because he's mentioned it, too, or I'll look it up.

But you have to focus on your practice and not wander around diddling into licks and out of them. Learning in 20 minute chunks of time is good, too. It gives what you've learned time to sink in, and doesn't get as boring if you're running scales, or learning triads. etc.

who's_pearljam? wrote:

That's typical, Pearl Juli, and hello!


Everyone's different in how they approach learning. Some people have the knack to learn via ear, some need to see it on paper, or in a book, and some need a live person to show them the ropes.

Remember if you're self taught, you're learning from someone who doesn't know what they're doing!

I think getting a teacher that you like will put you farther ahead than someone without a teacher, because if you get some of the basics in you, then you build on them, rather than plunk away at stuff from a TAB site THEN get the basics.
A good teacher should show you how to practice most efficiently. I think the time invested into learning the basics is far less than the time people spend on the computer trying to get the tab for each song. It takes time to learn the basics up front, but then you have them,,, and in most cases you won't need the TAB.

There ARE some good DVD's out there and that can work, because you can plug that thing in whenever you have time, but you have to have the discipline to do it.

If you want to help ear training, one thing I used to tell students is to at least:

1) Learn to barre the E and A formation major chords all the way up the neck. That takes some strength training but it's great to know.


E formation

Letter on the left is the string, Number on the right is the fret
On an open E, the 0 is an open string.
On a barre chord, the 0's will be your index finger struggling to barre across all the strings.

E -0
B-0
G-1 < middle finger
D-2 <pinky
A-2 <ring finger
E-0

A formation:

E-0
B-2 < pinky
G-2 < ring
D-2 < middle
A-0
E-0

2) Learn all the notes on the low E string and A string frets.
The note on the low E string is the root of the chord in the E formation.
The note on the A string is the root of the chord in A position.

For instance, when you're playing a barred E position chord at the 7th fret, you are actually playing a B chord.

3) Now listen to a song you want to learn and find the key by fretting the E string up to what the general sound matches and voila,,, that's the general chord that's being played.
Use trial and error and soon your ears and your hands will mesh and you will be released from looking up TAB in most cases.

4) Now learn the Em, E7 , Eminor7th,,,Am, A7 and A minor7th positions and you have just about all rock and roll chords right there.

Em:

E-0
B-0
G-0
D-2
A-2
E-0

E7th:

E-0
B-0
G-1
D-0
A-2
E-0

E minor 7th:

E-0
B-0
G-0
D-0
A-1
E-0

A Minor:

E-0
B-1
G-2
D-2
A-0
E-x

A 7th

E-0
B-2
G-0
D-2
A-0
E-x

A minor 7th

E-0
B-1
G-0
D-2
A-0
E-x

Those aren't hard to learn to barre after you get the major chords down, but then you'll have some basics.

If you listen to the sound of an E7, E minor, E minor 7th enough, for instance, you WILL recognize what chord it is sooner than you think, without even playing it.

There are MANY different ways to play all those chords, but they are basic ways, and that should keep beginners busy for a day or so!



Ok, this post took a long time to type! I missed lunch!

Hello there!

Thank you so much for your reply It was very helpful. I saved your post, and I'm gonna get to it as soon as I change strings. I broke the high E...it always seems to be the only one that breaks