View Full Version : Anyone learned to play the guitar?
Just got my hands on a cheap electric guitar with amp. I'm going to book a lesson next week just to see if I can grasp it and it's for me, always wanted to learn to play an instrument and got offered this cheap.
So just wondered if anyone else had learned to play the guitar on here, how much is a home lesson usually and how long before you can put some chords or a tune together, any easier then others songs to learn to play.
Tried. Mostly failed.
It got to the point where I was feeling that the practice was ' homework' for the lesson and was dreading it.
I can play some chords, some scales and sound a bit bluesy but that's about it.
Trouble is, I want to play a musical instrument but I just want it to happen without all that boring effort!
Put the electric away and get a decentish (£200+) acoustic. :thumbs:
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 08:54
Yes, there's plenty of people here who play. Probably a thread which will get more fullsome responses in the music forum.
Your questions are not ones which can be easily answered as it all depends on the individual. If you seriously want to play the guitar then you will need to be prepared to put in hours of practice every week.
I did on my own. A big clunky £50 acoustic first where the strings were miles away from the fret, then electric (which you discover is then far easier to play once you can manage songs on the acoustic). Also moving to a decent acoustic from the one I had is a big difference.
I simply learned songs by buying tab books and downloading tabs and looking at chord reference charts.
Only ever mastered playing chords and such, and could play any song if I had the chords handy.
Scales etc I never bothered with as I only cared about playing stuff I knew and liked.
By far the hardest thing to do is chord changes and this is something that only comes with a lot of practice and hand cramping.
If I pick up a guitar now I can barely remember or play a full song before my hand is killing me, so regular practice is a must to stop this from happening.
PlexShaw
15-10-2010, 10:07
This seems like a good thread to start with:
http://forums.thedigitalfix.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=438024
retroandy
15-10-2010, 10:53
Get yourself a decent electronic tuner as well, and if it just ain't happening for you and you get frustrated with all the pesky finger noodling and chord changing, retune to Open G (http://www.strummeronline.com/openg.html) and make up some of your own tunes, just putting a finger across the entire fretboard and moving it up and down - a great way to feel like you're getting somewhere quickly.
splobber
15-10-2010, 10:59
moving to music
How old are you ? I learned to play when I was about 12, similarly to some methods described above. Personally, I reckon it's pretty easy and not the holy grail it cane be made out to be. Keep at it every day for a few weeks and suddenly you'll realise that the really tricky bit - changing chords - has happened all at once.
I've just gone back to it after years away and I'm learning with my 13 year old. She's having lessons and you can see the improvement. Oh, and we're working through the Dummies Guide together, which is actually okay.
36 years old. Heard the dummies guide is good. I work from home and do long hours so half an hour a day is no problem. How much are lessons nowadays, ive sent an email to the local guitar shop.
My 9 year old daughter is learning the guitar. She has a Classical Guitar, with the nylon strings which she started on about a year and a half ago. She was having a 30 minute lesson every other week, with an absolutely fantastic teacher (very patient and good humored). Last Christmas she entered her school talent show and played Let It Be (with a backing track the teacher recorded for her) and she did brilliantly, only one duff note, but she did as her teacher says and continued as if it was the right one.
She now has an Electric guitar as well and has a 30 minute lesson in the alternate weeks with the same teacher.
Practice wise, she does need pushing, but she definitely enjoys playing and wants to keep learning.
I also would like to learn and as I sit in the lesson, I have a chance to pick up the correct techniques as well, but for me it is a problem to find time for myself to put the practice in.
Brad- look at youtube for some good lessons to see if you like it.
I like this guys style personally.
http://www.youtube.com/user/martyzsongs
I'd love to be able to play "more then words" love that song and also green day time of your life.
clarkyboy100
15-10-2010, 12:30
Make sure you have something you want to learn. I went to lessons originally and they were expensive and quite frankly pants! He taught me slow country numbers and it just wasn't my scene and put me off.
I learned faster on my own learning songs I liked. Use online tabs, tab books by your favourite bands etc. If you want to go down the theory route and nail it properly then lessons is the way to go.
It can be frustrating a lot of the time, but things suddenly click into place at certain times. It's great fun once you can play a few things and the feeling from being able to play a song is amazing.
Which evers easiest to learn from them two then?
clarkyboy100
15-10-2010, 12:38
I don't know More Than Words, but I hated them anyway.
Time of Your Life is four chords if you just want to strum it. So you could possibly play that fairly early, but picking the notes fast is a bit harder and will take some experience.
I went down The Beatles route when I started. Their early stuff is great to learn. Look for 3 chord songs. There's bound to be a website dedicated to three chord songs.
Hello again, from the other thread. :)
Id say good riddance is easier. My daughter learned this as her first ever song, altho she finds it easier to just strum it.
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole Guitar would be good to learn.
This site looks good.
http://www.songsterr.com/a/wa/song?trackPos=4&id=23053
clarkyboy100
15-10-2010, 13:04
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole Guitar would be good to learn.
This site looks good.
http://www.songsterr.com/a/wa/song?trackPos=4&id=23053
While not the hardest song, you need to aim lower to start with. I found It's A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads was a good easy album to learn for the most part.
If you like muse then have a looksy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Can3K6jomc
Im crap at anything fancy. If you want to show off then stick to that electric, :D but if you actually want to enjoy your playing, get an acoustic.
clarkyboy100
15-10-2010, 13:20
I found the electric a bit easier to learn because the strings weren't so rough on the finger tips, but I bought an acoustic not long after my first electric and enjoy both.
im still struggling with a tuner, theres so many, i need one that does it for me as much as possible, off ebay if i can so i can buy it now, i have a lesson tuesday with an instructor.
You can buy these tuners from the shop Brad, if you really want one that bad.
Why wait for ebay?
Cos it means going into town and Halifax is a skanky **** hole lol.
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 13:33
im still struggling with a tuner, theres so many, i need one that does it for me as much as possible, off ebay if i can so i can buy it now, i have a lesson tuesday with an instructor.
What was it about the one I linked to in the other thread that you ignored which was a problem for you?
Heres another tip, ignore tab, well at least til you can strum a few songs out first.
Hi deadyankee, sorry mate didnt ignore it, just heard those clip on ones are easier for us beginners, though you seem to know your stuff reading the long guitar thread you participated in.
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 13:51
The clip ones are not easier. They are very convenient but, from my experience, they are very easily confused and give incorrect or slow responses. I would suggest that a bog standard, plug in tuner with a needle or green light display would be your best bet. It's not like you are going to be playing gigs next month so the clip on tuner doesn't really give you any real convenience
Green light display I presume you mean when the strings tuned correct you get a green light? If so thats better I feel.
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 14:07
Yeah, or a needle will hit the centre of the display. You can't go wrong really
So do you tune each string individually with these. Well with a 60 quid guitar you will most likely find some tweaking of the strings needed after you think the thing is tuned up. Certainly applies to cheaper acoustics. Therefore learning how to tune up all strings together on the 5th fret is very important. I dunno what you are worrying about anyway, its pretty straightforward.
megatron
15-10-2010, 15:16
I have a clip on tuner on my acoustic and it's a godsend. Permanently clipped on for convenience. :D
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 15:25
So do you tune each string individually with these. Well with a 60 quid guitar you will most likely find some tweaking of the strings needed after you think the thing is tuned up. Certainly applies to cheaper acoustics. Therefore learning how to tune up all strings together on the 5th fret is very important. I dunno what you are worrying about anyway, its pretty straightforward.
Yeah, that'll look fantastic stood in front of a crowd
Yeah, that'll look fantastic stood in front of a crowd
Ive seen it.
Seems to be a few good iphpone guitar tuner apps, i have an iphpne 4.
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 17:00
That'll be fine for what you need at this stage
fbatgirl
15-10-2010, 20:27
I wouldn't say the guitar tuner apps are that great to start with. It's ok when your used to hearing the sound of each string when properly tuned but I'd say get a proper tuner.
As for learning the ultimate guitar iPhone app is fantastic and well worth the money!!
There is thousands of songs within it and you can do searches on difficulty and parts played (lead, chords etc) also if you use chords then u just press the chord and up comes the tab chart for how to play chord!
Brad, mate. Tell us your taking the pee. Please. :)
Read some guitar stuff up on the interweb, youll find it very enlightening.
DeadYankee
15-10-2010, 20:57
A "chord" is a collection of notes played together
The Boogerman
15-10-2010, 23:46
Seems to be a few good iphpone guitar tuner apps, i have an iphpne 4.
I have Guitar Toolkit (http://forums.thedigitalfix.co.uk/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=55&url=http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/guitartoolkit/id284962368?mt=8), on my iPhone, and find it really useful, specifically the tuner as it is always with me, rather than digging out a dedicated tuner.
My lad started on a cheap nylon stringed acoustic from argos,then went onto a cheap electric guitar and last year he got an Ibanez for christmas.Has lessons every 2 weeks for an hour.His guitar teacher has grouped the kids he teaches into a band that do occasioanl gigs.Heres my lad playing at the last one:
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GfFXxLCA5ms?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GfFXxLCA5ms?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
I'd love to be able to play "more then words" love that song and also green day time of your life.
I started to learn in my 20's and remember my guitar teacher at the time showing me this. Once you've got the hang of changing chords its not that bad a song to learn IIRC, although there is a Cm in there (a barre chord) so I wouldnt suggest learning that right away but you should be able to manage to intro/most of verse with a bit of practise
I would suggest that a bog standard, plug in tuner with a needle or green light display would be your best bet.
Would agree with this. Although seeing as you have an iPhone4 its cheaper to try out an app first I guess (dont have one myself so cant comment on quality)
The most important thing is to do regular short bursts of practice each night (or thereabouts) rather than say wait until the weekend (or the night before a lesson) and cram it all in.
Also for longer term benefit keep notes of what you can/cant do each week so you can go back and chart your progress. After a while you "just start playing" things which seemed impossible before, and you take your progress for granted
Hope this helps
clarkyboy100
18-10-2010, 09:41
I've been learning a lot of Slayer and Metallica in recent years and can play quite a bit (rythm parts, not solos), but struggle with Blackened. Anyway, I was looking for tips online and came across this...
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2IRyXzDOsA?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2IRyXzDOsA?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
:eek::eek::eek::notworthy:notworthy:notworthy
She's only been playing for 3 years! Puts me to shame! :(
Awesome stuff though, some inspiration for you there Brad. :D
I can play Blackened (never bothered trying to learn the solo though and I can say she's pretty ****** good at that.
KeyserSoze
18-10-2010, 14:27
I've been learning a lot of Slayer and Metallica in recent years and can play quite a bit (rythm parts, not solos), but struggle with Blackened. Anyway, I was looking for tips online and came across this...
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2IRyXzDOsA?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2IRyXzDOsA?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
:eek::eek::eek::notworthy:notworthy:notworthy
She's only been playing for 3 years! Puts me to shame! :(
Awesome stuff though, some inspiration for you there Brad. :D
Yeah I've known people to play like that plus tapping and sweep in a similar amount of time. However they did admit that they practised around 8 hours a day to get there!
Also some people will find it naturally easier than others.
clarkyboy100
18-10-2010, 14:48
Also some people will find it naturally easier than others.
You've definitely got to have some natural gift to be able to play like that, especially at that age and having not played long.
I'm too lazy. A song can just pop into my head from nowhere and I can almost instantly play most of it, but learning it properly and practicing are my downfall. I'm extremely sloppy.
I find I give up too quickly. If I basically can't play the song in 5-10 minutes then I give up.
Shes good, but can she do classical gas?
Just had my first 45 minute lesson, enjoyed it, learned the ADE chords, got some cd's and sheets to practise.
Good to hear. Keep up the (regular) practising!
How much are you paying for the lessons Brad?
£17 for 45 minutes. Came reccomended by a few people and the local specialist guitar shop.
So how is the practicing going Brad? Do you have another lesson for tomorrow?
Hi yep 2nd lesson tommorow, only practised last week for 1 hour but its been a crazy week work wise, im talking 9am till 9pm and later every night.
But ive got some prep done, ive bought a music sheet holder stand and a guitar for dummies book so im all good to go now and have been reading the book too.
SGP_Mustang
26-10-2010, 17:39
I shamefully admit that i bought a Yamaha beginners kit over a year ago and have hardly touched it! It just feels like alot of hard work but i'm going to really start getting into it now.
You need discipline. You need to set aside even an hour most night with the practice sheets. Ive been 'learning' for about 25 yr and lack of practice has severly hindered any progress. Im still crap.
Just set yourself time to play. Thats why I like acoustic over leccy, you can actually enjoy playing an acoustic without going mental.
Plus if you use electric with effects it can hide a lot of your mistakes, so you'll never then take the time to play better.
DeadYankee
26-10-2010, 21:24
If you can't find time in week X then you wont find time in week y or z. Lessons are a waste of money unless you are practicing regularly. That's not judgemental, just fact based on experience.
Totally agree. Get yourself some kind of timetable (ie an Excel Spreadsheet) and list what time you've spent and what you did/aim to do each day. If you dont get into some kind of routine you may as well not bother IMO
dancleary1
27-10-2010, 10:09
I'm trying to do an hour each night. I use gametabs.net quite a bit as it's nice to play tunes you actually enjoy the sound of. I can play the FFVII and MGS main theme, and started learning the Mario Theme last night, and can muddle my way round without looking at the tab.
I also find that "sleeping" on a recently learned tab can really improve your playing the next time you come round to it- I find the most painful part of learning a tab, especially fingerpicking, is figuring out what "chord" can be played instead of moving fingers around, especially to play one note.
Anyway, like all posters have said, practice ,practice, practice!!
clarkyboy100
27-10-2010, 15:10
I always take a break if I'm struggling with a song, and when I go back it seems to have sunk in and I can play it much better.
Worked with Blackened, which I can now play :D
Cool. Why not post it on youtube???
clarkyboy100
28-10-2010, 09:38
That'll be the day! I'm all kinds of ugly! :)
Hey, two song titles there. :thumbs:
megatron
28-10-2010, 16:50
That'll be the day! I'm all kinds of ugly! :)
Ugly youtube guitarists just film the guitar and hands.:thumbs:
I managed to go from A chord to D chord and back and almost to an E chord today, yaa me.
Ugly youtube guitarists just film the guitar and hands.:thumbs:
True. ;)
I managed to go from A chord to D chord and back and almost to an E chord today, yaa me.
Good stuff, thats the status quo entire back catalogue right there mate :thumbs:
I remember my guitar teacher showed me how those chords are related ie If you start with the E chord and moved all notes down one string at a time, then apply "the b-string shift" (whatever fret is held on the b string is moved one fret nearer the body) then you end up with an A. Do it again and you end up with a D. Was a revelation to me at the time after just learning those chords by rote :thumbs:
clarkyboy100
29-10-2010, 08:24
Ugly youtube guitarists just film the guitar and hands.:thumbs:
Only ever filmed myself once playing Black Door by The Black Keys, mainly because I was trying to see if I'd got the echo on the guitar right. Still not gonna post anything on youtube though. :)
kohoutec
29-10-2010, 11:08
I managed to go from A chord to D chord and back and almost to an E chord today, yaa me.
Wait till he teaches you an F....
[evil laughter]
fbatgirl
29-10-2010, 11:13
Ah the F chord... Now that is a ba***rd!!
Looking back thats pretty dismal attempt.:nuts:
Anyhow, Brad, how was your third lesson?? You still doing an hour a night??
Not been this week, been a bit crap bug wise and pulled my back so not in the mood, been having a play each day and im remembering things and where to go which is good.
Good stuff, keep it up. :thumbs:
WildWayz
05-11-2010, 15:52
Glad you are taking it up Brad. I have been playing guitar on and off for about 17 years before I gave it up as a bad job. I was never as good as I wanted to be.
(Mainly due to unsupportive parents when I was younger - kinda messed me up)
Went from a cheap Encore guitar to things like Ibanez JS1000's, Jem 7V's etc
(Incidently, the JS1000 was the best feeling guitar I ever owned - wish i never sold it!).
I knew loads of theory; scales/modes how to encorpate them into songs with chord overlays etc but in the end I decided to call it quits and I sold all my gear.
Guitar-wise, I always believe in getting a decent guitar to learn with (they FEEL better and set up better) - the Encore was terrible, but my 1st Ibanez (Ibanez EX370) was great. Yamaha Pacificas are meant to be VERY good guitars for about £200ish.
James
fbatgirl
07-01-2011, 18:59
Is there an easier way of playing an F? Other chords I'm fine at.... F is a b*****d!
Play the full Barre. Easier to jump onto and sounds much fuller.
Wonder how Brad is getting on with it?? :suspect:
fbatgirl
07-01-2011, 19:19
Must try harder....
DeadYankee
07-01-2011, 19:35
There's a great many ways to play an F chord, as with all chords. It's just a case of learning root notes and patterns
http://jguitar.com/chord?root=F&chord=Major
I would find the barre version of the open chord easier than most of them. If youre a beginner I would avoid going further up the neck just yet.
megatron
07-01-2011, 19:45
Stick a capo on so you don't have to push down as hard. ;)
fbatgirl
07-01-2011, 19:53
Just for one chord? Surely that'll change all chord soundings tho and dependent on what you are playing it might sound crap..
DeadYankee
07-01-2011, 19:56
Clearly it changes the tonality of the chord - I play chords all over the neck depending on what song I'm playing.
Yeh, that wouldnt work would it.
DeadYankee
07-01-2011, 20:00
What wouldn't work?
Putting a capo on the first fret just to play an F chord easier.
DeadYankee
07-01-2011, 20:05
No, that's just mental
I thought that was what megatron meant, to avoid having to barre the full F. Therefore it basically becomes an E shape open chord. Mebbe he didnt mean that.
megatron
07-01-2011, 20:11
Sure it works. Just play the song in a different key.
If you got a crap guitar, playing barre chords can be a bitch.
DeadYankee
07-01-2011, 20:12
Well, it's not an F chord then is it? :nuts:
eh? she would still have difficulty on the fingering of the open F and if she had to barre it a capo wont make that easier?
What song is it your trying to play Fbatgirl?
Is there an easier way of playing an F? Other chords I'm fine at.... F is a b*****d!
Are you laying you index finger over all 6 strings ? If so it may be worth ignoring the bottom F (thick string) - or use your thumb to hold it. Either way your index finger just holds the top two strings. You may find that easier :thumbs:
clarkyboy100
10-01-2011, 09:17
Using the thumb on the low E is much easier I'd definitely try that and see which is more comfortable. Learning barre chords adds a whole lot more to your repertoire. A lot of bands make big use barre chords (The Pixies, REM, Kings of Leon etc).
Id say its one of THE main things you need to be able to do. Unless you're mumford and sons.
DeadYankee
10-01-2011, 11:36
I'm not so convinced. I play in a covers band and I almost exclusively play half chords and inversions. The bass covers the majority of the root notes - playing barre chords is ok in the bedroom but leads to a pretty pedestrian sound for a band
Id say its one of THE main things you need to be able to do. Unless you're mumford and sons.
some of Mumford tracks are pretty difficult to play. Admittedly they may not sound like it but they are ;)
fbatgirl
22-01-2011, 21:51
Hello all, can anyone answer this... My bass guitar sounds awfully buzzy on certain strings. I seem to be having huge difficulties tuning it and would have thought too loose strings could be one cause of this but its driving me mad!!
Hello all, can anyone answer this... My bass guitar sounds awfully buzzy on certain strings. I seem to be having huge difficulties tuning it and would have thought too loose strings could be one cause of this but its driving me mad!!
you need to get it set up. Get it in to a shop. Sounds like your strings are too low therefore they are hitting the frets and not allowing to ring true. It can be done yourself, but if it's something you've not done before better off getting somebody who knows to sort it out for you.
I wonder how Brad is getting on. He must be flying by now. :suspect:
shall we have a sweepstake for which excuse he'll use :lol:
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.