Help me start out with acoustic guitar

[sasamith8]

My regards to the community. I already have a taste of music as I played Saxophone for 6 years and sang in choir for 5. I want to have my fingers going on an acoustic guitar. I already own 2. . I was wondering if anyone could tell me a good way to start out. What should I be doing, etc... That kind of stuff. Any advice would be great.

Thanks

[CJB100]

Well, any one here who plays guitar could tell you what to do, but that's about it. I can help u (a little, just to get u started) if u pm me, but the best thing to do if you wanna learn to play guitar and be serious about it is get a tutor. Even video tutoring is better than internet tutoring.

[HEXEN/TRACKER22]

Yep! for anything, the best is have a tutor, if you find guitar clases keep it mind this more students=less tutor atention, u can find a class of 4-5 students and works pretty well

[CJB100]

if you find guitar clases keep it mind this more students=less tutor atention

Exactly right.

[hzac]

Tutors are for poofters. Learn or self. Youll be better off. Only geta tutor if your serious about the thoery side of guitaring. Dont get a tutor to teach you hwo to play. they waste your time and money. You can easy sit at home with guitar pro and some tabs and learn how to do things whilest reading on the internet. Trust me thats how i started out. and my music project is in the other thread if you want proof what you cand o

[CJB100]

well ya hzac u hav a point if ur just gonna play other people's songs or if u just wanna play, then don't get a tutor. If ur really into composing ur own music or ur used to another instrument idk let's say piano, the tutor tells u how the guitar works and why the notes are placed where they are on the guitar neck.

[hzac]

Thats what I said. Theory. Most people get tutors to learn how to play.. Which is stupid

[albrat4]

If you want to learn acoustic guitar I think that the best going would be to get an online source.

This is our new fast-track beginner course without notes. In 30 daily lessons you’ll learn the most important chords to accompany various styles. You’ll learn the different styles such as easy ballad, folkpop ballad, groove pop, pop ballad, and more, by playing together with the band. Direct downloadable to your pc.

[guitarded]

yeah hzaac is right... if you laern by yourself or self study ...it would be fulfilling....you can practice songs with simple cords..or you can go read tabs already....

[iamsensay]

There are some very helpful videos on youtube and also some teachers who you can subscribe too. Hzac, your spot on.. I was advised against getting a tutor and just thought id learn what i could myself you know pick up the basics. More to kinda find out if there was any point in getting lessons if i really had no natural talent. Ive been going for 6 months now and its bloody hard work and frustrating but now i dont even want outside help as i enjoy teaching myself! But seriously, i think its MARKMUSICMAN you wanna search on youtube but the guy has up some really helpful videos and is probably who i spend most time watching for advice and techniques. Hope that helps?

[cool29801]

I've been playing guitar for quite awhile, learned really quick playing without lessons. Basically, learn to read a guitar tab (takes literaly 1 minute to learn), Learn to tune a guitar (howtotuneaguitar.org), and then practice, alot. Its the only way to get better with guitar really.

Even if you took every tutorial on guitar, it probly wont help you much at all. Guitar is all muscle memory and rythym. IMO, the only thing you may have to look up on how to do is pinch harmonics on a electric guitar. Took me forever to nail them down right, but they sure do sound cool.

[basshero0]

Yeah, I agree with the other guys here, best way is to get help from somebody who has played guitar but don't waste your time taking guitar lessons. If you don't have anybody who would teach you, search online. There are a few really good tutorial videos on youtube and other places. And tab-reading is a good thing to master too, it helped me a lot 'cause with tabs you can learn everything all by yourself.

[TicoRocker]

i am learning myself with guitar pro. it works, my playing has gone up a lot these past months and that helps. plus practice daily. tutors are for losers... just look at slash!

[blindfath222]

Hey I've been playing guitar for six years I have had a teachers in the past, now I do not. The only reason I had a teacher really was to keep myself motivated so that I continued to study guitar myself

Some suggestions on where to start.

I'm glad that you have played saxaphone, as you already have plenty of experience reading music, and you probably understand basic music theory.

First of all I'd like to say that people who strictly read tab, and don't bother learning to read sheet music are really cheating themselves. Think about it, someone asks you to sight read something, and they hand you a sheet of music, and you say, I only read tab... how does that look, tab is wonderful, for learning songs, and there are never-ending databases filled with guitar tab, but care should be taken to learning to read guitar sheet music as well. (This shouldn't be much of the problem)

Next I suggest that you learn scales. Scales are very simple on guitar because they are just the same patterns repeated on different locations on the neck.

Once you have the patterns for the scales down you can play around and make up your own stuff quite easily as long as you play within a scale it sounds good (obviously)

Next learn some chords. Don't just memorize the chords, but learn the theory behind chords. There are several ways to play any one chord, if you learn the theory behind making chords, you'll be able to figure them out, and the memorization will come naturally.

Once you have down the basics I'd learn some theory about modes. If you notice a large majority of bands that are out these days release songs and all of them sound exactly the same. In my opinion in sixty years these bands won't matter. Learn modes, learn what key changes are plausible, learn the differences between the modes, modes are what keep your music from sounding stagnant.

Play a broad range of songs from broadly differing genres. Sure you can prefer metal or grunge or whatever, but don't strictly limit yourself to one style learn them all.

Don't worry about so much about speed, it will come in time... It's better to play something slow and accurately, than to play it quickly and have it sound like s**t. Remember you have to walk before you run.

if you are learning acoustic, fingerpicking is an important skill to learn, practice by fingerpicking different chord progressions.

Also I'm going to leave you with one important note. Learn how to play both rhythym guitar and lead guitar. Don't be one of those (I know a few of them personally) who can shred up guitar like a bad-[censored] but when you ask them to play a chord they look at you like an idiot, don't limit yourself. There are professionals who have done this then, when they realized what had happened, had to go back and relearn basic fundamentals to rectify the problem.

I hope this was of some help to anyone who wants to learn either acoustic or electric guitar.

In my opinion it is important to learn theory as well, but it isn't anything you can't learn by yourself. If you want to pick it up faster, then yes I would suggest a teacher, but having a teacher is not necessary, just get a few books and you should be able to pick it up yourself

[deziresoft]

Jun 9, 2008 23:57:00 GMT -5 blindfath222 said:

Hey I've been playing guitar for six years I have had a teachers in the past, now I do not. The only reason I had a teacher really was to keep myself motivated so that I continued to study guitar myself

Some suggestions on where to start.

I'm glad that you have played saxaphone, as you already have plenty of experience reading music, and you probably understand basic music theory.

First of all I'd like to say that people who strictly read tab, and don't bother learning to read sheet music are really cheating themselves. Think about it, someone asks you to sight read something, and they hand you a sheet of music, and you say, I only read tab... how does that look, tab is wonderful, for learning songs, and there are never-ending databases filled with guitar tab, but care should be taken to learning to read guitar sheet music as well. (This shouldn't be much of the problem)

Next I suggest that you learn scales. Scales are very simple on guitar because they are just the same patterns repeated on different locations on the neck.

Once you have the patterns for the scales down you can play around and make up your own stuff quite easily as long as you play within a scale it sounds good (obviously)

Next learn some chords. Don't just memorize the chords, but learn the theory behind chords. There are several ways to play any one chord, if you learn the theory behind making chords, you'll be able to figure them out, and the memorization will come naturally.

Once you have down the basics I'd learn some theory about modes. If you notice a large majority of bands that are out these days release songs and all of them sound exactly the same. In my opinion in sixty years these bands won't matter. Learn modes, learn what key changes are plausible, learn the differences between the modes, modes are what keep your music from sounding stagnant.

Play a broad range of songs from broadly differing genres. Sure you can prefer metal or grunge or whatever, but don't strictly limit yourself to one style learn them all.

Don't worry about so much about speed, it will come in time... It's better to play something slow and accurately, than to play it quickly and have it sound like s**t. Remember you have to walk before you run.

if you are learning acoustic, fingerpicking is an important skill to learn, practice by fingerpicking different chord progressions.

Also I'm going to leave you with one important note. Learn how to play both rhythym guitar and lead guitar. Don't be one of those (I know a few of them personally) who can shred up guitar like a bad-[censored] but when you ask them to play a chord they look at you like an idiot, don't limit yourself. There are professionals who have done this then, when they realized what had happened, had to go back and relearn basic fundamentals to rectify the problem.

I hope this was of some help to anyone who wants to learn either acoustic or electric guitar.

In my opinion it is important to learn theory as well, but it isn't anything you can't learn by yourself. If you want to pick it up faster, then yes I would suggest a teacher, but having a teacher is not necessary, just get a few books and you should be able to pick it up yourself

About the "Only Reading tab" I can read tab well, but, most of it looks hard as [censored] if you look at it, but, when you go to play it, it seems much easier! I can play reading Sheet music, but I read tab better, I mean, I'm oly 14, and Only know sheet music through Music Period, when I was in school, and I didn't learn much. Basically I only learned what notes are where, and the Time signature, and clefs, but I can play guitar pretty good, I've never had a guitar lesson, or instrument lesson, excluding music period lol,, the first song I learned happened to be "Beast and the Harlot" I always thought it was hard, until I picked up my guitar. I've been able to play my guitar for about... 3, 4 days tops xD, I learned: Beast and the Harlot, Those Who Fight Further, Sweet Child O Mine, One Winged Angel[Metal], and Hypnotized o.o

I can't really help ya out, unless this helps: You're using an Acoustic, learn some simple no-pick songs, then move on to using a pick. I suggest the First song to learn is sweet child O mine, use a pick. It's Standard Tuning [EADGBE/EBGDAE whichever you prefer, but From the Heaviest string to the Lightest String its EADGBE], and find a tab, or the sheet music, and try your hardest to learn that, if it fails, go to youtube, and search "Acoustic Guitar beginners tutorial" you'll find something ^^

[EtHiZzLe]

OMFG

[ImChris4Life]

well the first things you should learn are the chords

[ImChris4Life]

ohh if you wanna learn the basic chords i could teach you, PM me and i could teach you, I play acoustic and electric guitar for about 8 years only PM me XD

[CJB100]

Jun 11, 2008 0:06:03 GMT -5 deziresoft said:

Jun 9, 2008 23:57:00 GMT -5 blindfath222 said:

Hey I've been playing guitar for six years I have had a teachers in the past, now I do not. The only reason I had a teacher really was to keep myself motivated so that I continued to study guitar myself

Some suggestions on where to start.

I'm glad that you have played saxaphone, as you already have plenty of experience reading music, and you probably understand basic music theory.

First of all I'd like to say that people who strictly read tab, and don't bother learning to read sheet music are really cheating themselves. Think about it, someone asks you to sight read something, and they hand you a sheet of music, and you say, I only read tab... how does that look, tab is wonderful, for learning songs, and there are never-ending databases filled with guitar tab, but care should be taken to learning to read guitar sheet music as well. (This shouldn't be much of the problem)

Next I suggest that you learn scales. Scales are very simple on guitar because they are just the same patterns repeated on different locations on the neck.

Once you have the patterns for the scales down you can play around and make up your own stuff quite easily as long as you play within a scale it sounds good (obviously)

Next learn some chords. Don't just memorize the chords, but learn the theory behind chords. There are several ways to play any one chord, if you learn the theory behind making chords, you'll be able to figure them out, and the memorization will come naturally.

Once you have down the basics I'd learn some theory about modes. If you notice a large majority of bands that are out these days release songs and all of them sound exactly the same. In my opinion in sixty years these bands won't matter. Learn modes, learn what key changes are plausible, learn the differences between the modes, modes are what keep your music from sounding stagnant.

Play a broad range of songs from broadly differing genres. Sure you can prefer metal or grunge or whatever, but don't strictly limit yourself to one style learn them all.

Don't worry about so much about speed, it will come in time... It's better to play something slow and accurately, than to play it quickly and have it sound like s**t. Remember you have to walk before you run.

if you are learning acoustic, fingerpicking is an important skill to learn, practice by fingerpicking different chord progressions.

Also I'm going to leave you with one important note. Learn how to play both rhythym guitar and lead guitar. Don't be one of those (I know a few of them personally) who can shred up guitar like a bad-[censored] but when you ask them to play a chord they look at you like an idiot, don't limit yourself. There are professionals who have done this then, when they realized what had happened, had to go back and relearn basic fundamentals to rectify the problem.

I hope this was of some help to anyone who wants to learn either acoustic or electric guitar.

In my opinion it is important to learn theory as well, but it isn't anything you can't learn by yourself. If you want to pick it up faster, then yes I would suggest a teacher, but having a teacher is not necessary, just get a few books and you should be able to pick it up yourself

About the "Only Reading tab" I can read tab well, but, most of it looks hard as This is a story of the birds and the bees.. if you look at it, but, when you go to play it, it seems much easier! I can play reading Sheet music, but I read tab better, I mean, I'm oly 14, and Only know sheet music through Music Period, when I was in school, and I didn't learn much. Basically I only learned what notes are where, and the Time signature, and clefs, but I can play guitar pretty good, I've never had a guitar lesson, or instrument lesson, excluding music period lol,, the first song I learned happened to be "Beast and the Harlot" I always thought it was hard, until I picked up my guitar. I've been able to play my guitar for about... 3, 4 days tops xD, I learned: Beast and the Harlot, Those Who Fight Further, Sweet Child O Mine, One Winged Angel[Metal], and Hypnotized o.o

I can't really help ya out, unless this helps: You're using an Acoustic, learn some simple no-pick songs, then move on to using a pick. I suggest the First song to learn is sweet child O mine, use a pick. It's Standard Tuning [EADGBE/EBGDAE whichever you prefer, but From the Heaviest string to the Lightest String its EADGBE], and find a tab, or the sheet music, and try your hardest to learn that, if it fails, go to youtube, and search "Acoustic Guitar beginners tutorial" you'll find something ^^

don't listen to this guy he obviously doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.

[akalink]

What I suggest if to get someone to teach you. If possible I suggest finding guitar class at a local community college. It is a good cheap way to learn guitar from a certified professional. I also suggest studying music theory by going to www.musictheory.net and getting some music theory books at local music stores. If you have any questions on music theory feel free to send me a message since I am study music theory for my major (music composistion).

But one thing that I can't stress anymore than anything else is practice at least 10 minutes a day.

Also last thing. If you want some music you can learn some stuff off of I got a lot of lead sheets. It is important to learn more than just tab.

[canped]

I'd say practice at least an hour a day. As for music theory; learn it from a guitar book, not a pure theory book as it will be quite difficult to connect it to your insrument for quite a while.

Akalink; do you have any recordings or sibelius sessions I could listen to? I do a bit of composing myself (mostly electronic, but I've written a few scores).