Learning Guitar

[alanschu]

For the past month and a bit I have been learning how to play guitar. I have just been using the about.com tutorial about it, and it seems pretty good. I am just learning chords and playing the crap out of them, getting comfortable with transitions and strumming patterns and whatnot. Starting to get blisters on the fingers for sure, and am having a good time all in all.

 

 

Anyone have any advice for a new guitar player, or links that they found useful? Just trying to absorb in as much as I can.

[Meshugger]

For the past month and a bit I have been learning how to play guitar. I have just been using the about.com tutorial about it, and it seems pretty good. I am just learning chords and playing the crap out of them, getting comfortable with transitions and strumming patterns and whatnot. Starting to get blisters on the fingers for sure, and am having a good time all in all.

 

 

Anyone have any advice for a new guitar player, or links that they found useful? Just trying to absorb in as much as I can.

 

Here are some tabulatures which probably includes your favourite songs.

 

There are about 140 000 of them. Have fun.

Edited February 1, 2009 by Meshugger

[Meshugger]

I take it that you have or will have a electric guitar, then this is highly recommended. For example, i have the "Zoom G2" (without the pedal). I got it for less than 100 bucks, so it isn't expensive or anything.

 

You can customize your guitar sound pretty extensively with it, everything from The Cure's tone on "Disintegration", to Pink Floyd's "The Wall", to Morbid Angel's "Covenant", and to the standard Slash signature sound.

 

Enjoy.

[Starwars]

Learning to read tablature can be good, especially when starting. But I would really, really, really, really encourage you to try learning stuff by ear as soon as you possibly can so you don't become overreliant on things like tablature (and even notation if you learn that someday). And of course, try to learn those songs that you really like.

But yeah, learning chords and practicing switching between them is a good way to start.

 

Practicing with a metronome is also recommend as it will teach you how to keep time, which is vital.

 

Have fun!

[Kaftan Barlast]

I think the most important parts to learn is:

 

 

1. Never pick up a guitar at a party, especially not an after-party.

 

2. Never play the following songs so someone else can hear you: Green day - Time of your life, Deep purple - Smoke on the water, Whoever - Knocking on heavens door, Someone - keep on rocking in the free world and generally EVERY song you've ever heard someone play at an after-party

 

3. The key to playing any instrument is your ear/pitch, develop this by trying to play every melody you hear on the guitar or any other instrument available. Notes are easier to hear on the piano than the guitar so if youve got some type of keyboard lying around thats good to practice with.

[Guest The Architect]

Give up that's my tip.

 

Sorry man, no guitar playing advice from this great bloke.

[Meshugger]

I think the most important parts to learn is:

 

 

1. Never pick up a guitar at a party, especially not an after-party.

 

2. Never play the following songs so someone else can hear you: Green day - Time of your life, Deep purple - Smoke on the water, Whoever - Knocking on heavens door, Someone - keep on rocking in the free world and generally EVERY song you've ever heard someone play at an after-party

 

3. The key to playing any instrument is your ear/pitch, develop this by trying to play every melody you hear on the guitar or any other instrument available. Notes are easier to hear on the piano than the guitar so if youve got some type of keyboard lying around thats good to practice with.

 

1. Ignore this point, do it. You will be the center of the party.

 

2. I always tried to ignore those songs and try do some Burzum or some free-jazz, but no one seemed to care. We usually pick those songs mentioned instead, because everyone will sing along. Then we all do the high-five and tell each other how awesome we are + the girl always go home with the guy that has the guitar, period.

 

3. Agreed.

 

//EDIT: I forgot to mention some other songs that always work:

 

- "Cherokee", by Europe. The falsetto in the beginning is very appriciated by the females.

- "Living on a Prayer", by Bon Jovi. No one knows the lyrics, except the chorus. Everyone can sing along to that.

- Anything by the Beatles from 1962-1965 + "Hey Jude" and "Let it Be". Girls who consider themselves be 'intellectuals' will now find you to be deep and edgy.

Edited February 1, 2009 by Meshugger

[Blarghagh]

Justinguitar.com

[Kaftan Barlast]

do it. You will be the center of the party complete arsehole.

 

 

Taking your pants of and defecating on the floor will also make you the center of attention, that doesnt mean its a good way to behave around people. Truth is, people hate self-appointed troubadours. Everyone except douchebags and girls with no self-esteem.

Edited February 1, 2009 by Kaftan Barlast

[Slowtrain]

Develop your ear. Learn to read actual music notation. Take a basic theory class.

[Meshugger]

do it. You will be the center of the party complete arsehole.

 

 

Taking your pants of and defecating on the floor will also make you the center of attention, that doesnt mean its a good way to behave around people. Truth is, people hate self-appointed troubadours. Everyone except douchebags and girls with no self-esteem.

 

Hey, hey! Being a douchebag rules, mistah! Everything always goes your way and the chicks dig it because of some misguided sense of you being dangerous.

 

Do not cave in to the "jante"-laws of Scandinavia Alanchu! rock on like there is no tomorrow!

[Meshugger]

Develop your ear. Learn to read actual music notation. Take a basic theory class.

 

I would advice not to do that unless you are really interested in creating your own music. Those courses are often so dull and boring, since they usually dissect melodies, like Beethoven's 9th, into abstract concepts, devoid of any understanding of the incredible craftmanship of the composer.

 

Alanchu, do you want to be like this: "Here the crescendo slowly transpires into pianissimo; it is interesting that the composer chose a scale of C-minor rather than D-major in this part of the fugue, hoho"

 

...oooooor

 

HERE I AM *DU-NU-NUNUNU* ROOOOCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE *DU-NU-NUNU* <guitarsolo!>

Edited February 1, 2009 by Meshugger

[Slowtrain]

Develop your ear. Learn to read actual music notation. Take a basic theory class.

 

I would advice not to do that unless you are really interested in creating your own music. Those courses are often so dull and boring, since they usually dissect melodies, like Beethoven's 9th, into abstract concepts, devoid of any understanding of the incredible craftmanship of the composer.

 

Alanchu, do you want to be like this: "Here the crescendo slowly transpires into pianissimo; it is interesting that the composer chose a scale of C-minor rather than D-major in this part of the fugue, hoho"

 

...oooooor

 

HERE I AM *DU-NU-NUNUNU* ROOOOCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE *DU-NU-NUNU* <guitarsolo!>

 

I disagree. WHile at a very early stage my focus was simply on learning how to form basic chords and develop hand eye coordination, that doesn't take very long. The guitar is a pretty simple instrument to learn at basic level.

 

Once I learned the basics, I found it greatly increased my enjoyment to begin to learn and understand music. If one is seriously interested in music, regardless of instrument, learning to read music is a must since that is how music is communicated between people in written form. Developing you ear is obviously important. Just say no to electronic guitar tuners. And theory classes, well, if you don't understand music theory on some sort of basic level, you are not really going to understand what you are hearing. Note that I said a BASIC theory class. Not spend 4 years in university studying music theory.

 

That's just my take based on my personal experience though. As always, YMMV. The best way to pursue any art is always mostly subjective and personal.

Edited February 1, 2009 by CrashGirl

[Dragon Lord Jones]

try here .... http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/

 

seems to be a good site with tips on different styles

[Starwars]

If you're gonna learn basic theory, then I generally think it's much better to try and get a good private guitar teacher rather than attending a class somewhere. If it's just you and your teacher, you can personalize the lessons much more, likely dive much more into your particular taste(s) in music and then work out the theory from there. Music should be fun, first and foremost.

 

Even so, if you don't feel like going into theory anytime soon, you shouldn't. There are many, many succesful musicians who don't know how to read music. But, knowing how *is* a great help if you choose to develop your playing.

 

Personally I tried to get into theory early on in my playing and I found it boring as hell at that time. A few years later of "self-teaching" I found it much easier and fun as I could "dissect" my playing.

 

Also, this is a bit overboard, but... Keep in mind that once you start soloing and stuff (and maybe rythm playing to I imagine), the type of soloing you do at that time (blues for example) is very likely to stay as the "base" for your improvising and general playing style. It's that mode of thinking you will generally revert to when you happen to run out of guitar licks to play in a solo or whatever the case may be.

So even if I'm playing gypsy jazz, the blues style can still be heard through that since that's really what I started as.

[Enoch]

Develop your ear. Learn to read actual music notation. Take a basic theory class.

This.

 

Guitar tab = training wheels for people who can't read real music.

 

Also, practice scales as well as chords. Essential for improvisation, and very helpful for understanding how all the chords are constructed (rather than just memorizing fingerings).

[alanschu]

Develop your ear. Learn to read actual music notation. Take a basic theory class.

 

I would advice not to do that unless you are really interested in creating your own music. Those courses are often so dull and boring, since they usually dissect melodies, like Beethoven's 9th, into abstract concepts, devoid of any understanding of the incredible craftmanship of the composer.

 

Alanchu, do you want to be like this: "Here the crescendo slowly transpires into pianissimo; it is interesting that the composer chose a scale of C-minor rather than D-major in this part of the fugue, hoho"

 

...oooooor

 

HERE I AM *DU-NU-NUNUNU* ROOOOCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE *DU-NU-NUNU* <guitarsolo!>

 

 

 

LOL I am definitely the latter.

[Gorgon]

Airguitar Voodo child in the mirror every morning.

[Rostere]

There's a nice little program called "Guitar Pro" (Guitar Pro 5 should be the latest version, I think) which you'll learn to love and cherish. I am a guitarist/ bassist myself and I have used it for about five years now, both to learn new songs and to write down my own/ make tabs for other songs. Good luck in your guitar playing!

[Meshugger]

Speaking scales, do try to start with the

Congratulations, you now know the base of every blues/rock/metal solo in existence, it is really that simple

 

If you want to broaded your horizons, then there's the more elusive

, mostly found in jazz, but also by some Death Metal bands, such as Meshuggah and Morbid Angel. The thrash-metal band Slayer uses these scales to a point of absurdity though. Edited February 1, 2009 by Meshugger

[alanschu]

The two scales I practice at the moment are the chromatic and the E phrygian scale. I mostly work at smooth notes (no metronome unfortunately) and accuracy. I can feel myself getting a bit faster though, which is good

[Starwars]

I use this: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

 

Again, I really encourage you to use it. There are soooo many players (and it really is especially true for guitarists) who think they're the sh*t, but can't keep proper time at all.

[Meshugger]

I use this: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

 

Again, I really encourage you to use it. There are soooo many players (and it really is especially true for guitarists) who think they're the sh*t, but can't keep proper time at all.

 

Thank you

 

My Zoom has one built-in ofcourse, but it sounds abit iffy to have a metronome sound and your guitareffects applied at the same time.

[Slowtrain]

I use this: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

 

Again, I really encourage you to use it. There are soooo many players (and it really is especially true for guitarists) who think they're the sh*t, but can't keep proper time at all.

 

 

Oh my yes. Can't believe I forgot that. Metronome, click track, even a cheap drum machine of some sort. Learn to keep time.

[alanschu]

Okay sounds good.

 

I know my time is bad on a lot of stuff, because I am slow on chord transitions and whatnot. Though some early songs I do feel better with.

 

One I play a lot is Leaving on a Jet Plane, and singing seems to help me keep time.

Edited February 2, 2009 by alanschu