Learning the guitar? [Archive] - SV650.org

Alpinestarhero

30-01-10, 04:22 PM

Yo Tim

There are some books out there which can teach you the basics...mostly though, you want to familiarise yourself first with the basic major and minor chords. I had some instruction books, and I also learn't songs or bits from songs that I enjoyed listening to.

Learn how to read guitar tab and learn how to tune your guitar, and you will have no problems. Learn how to thold the guitar properly aswell...there'll be some instruction videos on youtube I expect. Holding the guitar the wrong way can make life harder for you, and it can also cause some strain injuries

I say, go for it :D Learn what you want to learn and when you've learned the basics, you can discover a few things of your own :D dont get too bogged down on theory at first :)

punyXpress

30-01-10, 04:30 PM

You're not off to serenade those Germans in the woods, are you?

fizzwheel

30-01-10, 05:58 PM

Depends how much practice you put in and what level / standard you want to get to.

I found I progressed very quickly and then plateau'd for few months after that. I reckon it took me 6 months before I felt comfortable playing in front of other people and that they would also be able to recognise what it was I was playing.

Acoustic guitar IMHO is the best place to start. Search on line for "tabs" of songs you want to play and those will show you where to put your fingers on the fretboard in order to get the right notes etc.

It might not be a bad idea if you are starting out just to get a few lessons, that way you learn good technique right at the start and dont develop sloppy habits which effect your playing later on...

El Saxo

30-01-10, 06:35 PM

I've been learning since just before Xmas, and right now I can play several chords, a few scales, and parts of a few songs (rhythm guitar bits from Knockin on Heavens Door, Hey Joe, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and the main riff from Daytripper). I practice between 30 mins to an hour most days.

I started having lessons with my mate (who is a guitar teacher) just after the new year and I started to progress so much better than I was doing by trying to learn stuff online.

That said, I found this guy - http://www.justinguitar.com - is really good if you haven't really got the option of having lessons. I learnt a lot of the theory stuff from him and when I went for my first proper lesson my mate was quite impressed with how much I'd actually learnt in just less than 3 weeks using that site. Best of all it works on an honour system - if you can afford to pay him a bit for upkeep of the site etc then do it but if you can't, no worries.

Von Teese

30-01-10, 07:19 PM

I got a Fender Strat as a leaving gift from the staff at Battersea Dogs home when I left there 7 years ago.

I went for a few lessons, got hit on my my 18 year old guitar teacher and never went back.

Sadly I still cannot play :(

I would love to learn too so will pay attention to the advice on here too.

Alpinestarhero

30-01-10, 08:38 PM

The acoustic guitar advice is a good idea, they can be had for cheap money...when you get confident, you can spend a bit more. Not only that, as you get better and your ears become more fine-tuned, you'll hear why an expensive guitar is better :D aswell as feel it

Saying that though, my first guitar was a strat copy electric, and it was easy to learn with because the strins didnt require alot of force to fret, so my figners didn't get sore. But you can always ask for lighter gauge (thinner) strings to be put on the guitar at first

Oh, and it helps to start "training" your fingers from early on...many people find using their pinky finger difficult, because it moves with the finger next to it and there isnt alot of strength. I found having my hand flat on a table and just lifting each finger one by one while keeping the other fingers flat down helped to develop "finger independance"

Matt

Cymraeg_Atodeg

30-01-10, 10:13 PM

Well, I been playing for 9 years and I still suck.

I don't like playing in public because I make a few mistakes too often. But, when I am on my own "practising" I am OK...

Depends what you are trying to play and how dextrous you are...

Good luck

Surfjayce

31-01-10, 03:26 PM

the first hurdle you will come across is the pain in the wrist when trying to train the left hand (or right if you are a lefty) to reach chord positions, after that its all about dedication and patience. iv been playing for about 16 years and at no where near the level i could be as i only play for recreation so if thats all you want to learn for and you dont want to be the next clapton the best advice i can give is this, if you get frustrated and irritated just put the guitar down and do something else for an hour then come back to it AND if you have passion for the guitar no matter what the circumstance and no matter if you havent played it for 6 months NEVER i repeat NEVER sell your guitar as there will always be a time you will miss it.

as for learning there are a bunch of beginner videos on youtube and any beginner books are usefull

AFTER you master the simple art of understanding TAB http://www.guitartabs.cc/tabfaq.php there are a massive amount of free TAB sites for most songs, my favs are
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/
http://www.guitarmasta.net/

and any music shop will stock TAB books for a majority of the bands and artists

good luck and always keep strummin :smt035 :D

Alpinestarhero

31-01-10, 05:00 PM

NEVER sell your guitar as there will always be a time you will miss it.

duely noted.

Wideboy

31-01-10, 06:29 PM

practise practise practise................. thats all you need to know, if anyone says its like riding a bike, you'll never forget....... they lie!!, i cant remember half the stuff i used to know

Bibio

31-01-10, 06:32 PM

i have been playing for 30+ years and still crap. forgot more than i know now. i can only play about 3 songs all the way threw.

rob13

01-02-10, 08:22 PM

6 months mate. Buy a book, look on youtube and buy something semi decent

Tim in Belgium

01-02-10, 08:57 PM

Sounds like too much effort for me! But thanks for all the tips and putting me off lightly, I just don't think I'll have the time to dedicate, but it would be cool.

fizzwheel

01-02-10, 10:06 PM

but it would be cool.

Then give it a try, what have you got to loose, you dont have to spend a fortune on a guitar, although more expensive ones do play and sound much better.

If you can find 1/2 hr or so a day that'll be enough, especially for your fingertips whilst you get started. You might find you get really into it.

Mike2165

01-02-10, 10:12 PM

Then give it a try, what have you got to loose, you dont have to spend a fortune on a guitar, although more expensive ones do play and sound much better.

If you can find 1/2 hr or so a day that'll be enough, especially for your fingertips whilst you get started. You might find you get really into it.

+1, good advice, give it a try

Surfjayce

01-02-10, 10:21 PM

Wideboy

01-02-10, 10:23 PM

its good to fill in all those little odd half hours you have, better than watching tele anyway

Elltg

02-02-10, 01:38 AM

If you find yourself having trouble fitting the tab to the tune but really enjoying playing the guitar then a program called guitar pro might help. Theres a 15 day trial here (http://www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php) and what you do is go to ultimate-guitar.com and download a guitar pro file and there are nearly as many of these as there are tabs. Then you double click the guitar pro file and it opens in guitar pro (rocket science so far i know! :)) Then the magic happens! It has all the guitar tracks, bass and drums to the song you chose with the tab to play any part you like, and not only can you view the tab but you can get the program to play the music to you (in slow speed if you really need to break it down) i always found if i could not get the rhythm quite right guitar pro would help wonders!

(sorry for no paragraphs and probably overall grammar and spelling it is late and although i am very tired i cannot sleep!)

barwel1992

02-02-10, 02:25 AM

Kuze

02-02-10, 10:49 AM

Got a guitar for my 21st learnt abit now forgotten i'm relearning again at 27! M8 of mine has been playing for 25yrs and hes good (can play some Joe Satriani stuff and hes a legend).

He recommended i use Justin Sandercoes stuff its on youtube and hes got a website http://www.justinguitar.com. hope this helps, i'll let you know how it helps or not for me!

CheGuevara

02-02-10, 10:57 AM

Sir Trev

02-02-10, 01:18 PM

I've always sorta wished I could play guitar (any instrument really, but guitar seems a pretty logical choice) as well. If I was about to start out, what should I look for in an acoustic (so as not to overspend and not end up with a silly piece of junk)?

Go to a guitar shop and ask. They're not intimidating and they shuld help you OK, especially if you're enthusiastic and might come back for something more expensive later on. They may also have second hand kit.

I'd avoid buying something from Argos - it will arrive in a box and will be badly set up. A shop will make sure the neck is angled right, the bridge is at the right height, the strings hold a tune and so on.

For her birthday last year I bought my daughter a an Encore guitar kit, like the one in the link here http://www.bbzguitarsshop.co.uk/acatalog/acoustic_guitars.html although hers is the full size one. BBZs is my local shop and made sure it was set up and ready to play at no extra cost.

Have a go, or it may be one of those things you always regret!

missyburd

02-02-10, 01:29 PM

Then give it a try, what have you got to loose, you dont have to spend a fortune on a guitar, although more expensive ones do play and sound much better.

I picked up a little 3/4 size acoustic from a secondhand shop for a tenner a couple of years ago. Love it to pieces. It's even more special too me now as I got a few uni mates to sign it at my 21st.

If you can find 1/2 hr or so a day that'll be enough, especially for your fingertips whilst you get started. You might find you get really into it.

They say 15 mins practice a day is all you need (obviously more is better :) ). I play a few tabs and enjoy making up my own little tunes but I don't take it too seriously, it's purely for my pleasure and I often play as a welcome break from drawing.

At least give it a go Tim, if you can find a cheapish guitar first. It's surprisingly rewarding but you need to keep at it ideally, I get so annoyed when I don't pick it up for a month and I forget stuff :rolleyes:

Milky Bar Kid

02-02-10, 01:33 PM

get a drum kit, if you have any kind of rthem then you can play the drums

i had lessons for a good few years and was fun and dosent take a age to get decent unlike guitar, and the added benifit that you can take stress out on it

What a load of codswallop. And as a Associated Board Grade 8 drummer I a more than qualified to say tht! I also play basic guitar.

Once you get past your very basic rock rhythms and start putting double bassing etc etc in, drumming becomes very difficult and will take a lot of patience and practice inorder to get your limbs working at different times from each other. I have been playing the drums since I was 11.

Guitar is similar. I know my very basic major minor chords but have never had the patience to sit down and go any further, although I would love to as I would like to write some music. When doing my Advanced Higher music I wrote a ouple of songs and the teacher said he was impressed and that I possibly have a flair for it but that they weren't "technical" enough for the advanced higher composition module because they were using basic keys so I would like to sit and learn to play properly.

barwel1992

02-02-10, 01:46 PM

balls !!! drums are far easier to play that guitar (also play guitar) i have allways been rythmic thogh so it could help i supose but i found them damn easy to lean and play also had no problems with coardiantion after the first month or 2, took 3 weeks to get used to the dobble bass

but every one has difforent learning speed so nether of us can comment on how easy or hard it is ;)

Milky Bar Kid

02-02-10, 01:50 PM

Talking through your hoop. Once past the very very basics, drums and guitar are pretty much on a par with each other.

missyburd

02-02-10, 01:53 PM

Barwel and MBK, don't forget that people pick up musical instruments very differently. What may seem pi$$ easy to some certainly won't to others. No point splitting ends over it :-P

barwel1992

02-02-10, 01:54 PM

Talking through your hoop. Once past the very very basics, drums and guitar are pretty much on a par with each other.

i still dont agree, i allways found guitar harder :smt094

Milky Bar Kid

02-02-10, 01:55 PM

Barwel and MBK, don't forget that people pick up musical instruments very differently. What may seem pi$$ easy to some certainly won't to others. No point splitting ends over it :-P

I agree, but the point I am trying to make is that neither is easier to learn that the other.

barwel1992

02-02-10, 01:57 PM

but every one has difforent learning speed so nether of us can comment on how easy or hard it is ;)

Cough.... lol :nomore:

malks

02-02-10, 03:06 PM

Talking through your hoop.

haha. only scottish people ever use that phrase! i love it

allantheboss

07-02-10, 10:59 PM

Yo yo, I enjoyed it, so I progressed quite quickly (granted I have a music background). Its well feel awkward and not so fun that you can't play amazing at first, stick to it and it will become better, and when you feel yourself getting slightly bored or plateau-ing, take up lessons. Bring in theory at this point if you're that way inclined. Until then, you can learn off tabs, its as easy as pie and you think you're awesome (At least, I did)