Online guitar lessons

[johnnyshaka]

I've been putzing around with my guitar for 5 years now and can't really play much at all. I always get to a point...usually barre chords...and just get frustrated and put it away for awhile. Well...I'm sick of staring at the goddamn case...I WANNA LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE DAMN THING!!!!

I've got an accoustic 6-string and would really like advice on where to look for the definitive online guitar lessons/resources to learn how to play.

Now, with that said, I'm not all that interested in learning theory and the like...but, if that is the only way to learn how to play guitar...then so be it. I understand TAB and can read that no problem and can play most of the basic chords...just not the quickest at getting the forms switched up all that quickly. Getting the strumming pattern down seems to be my toughest hurdle...most times just can't get the rhythm and then, again, get frustrated.

Anyways...any tips would be really appreciated.

Thanks

[primelord]

SkyDog will be happy to give you lessons at $45 an hour. :)

It sounds to me like you are trying to progress to quickly. If you have had it for 5 years and you still have trouble smoothly moving between chords then I don't think you have devoted enough time to that. I know it can be a bit boring, but spending some real time just going up down through chords will help quite a bit.

It also helps to start with songs that have easy chord progressions. There are about 12 million songs that are made up of mostly C/D/G. Start with one of those songs until you can switch between those three with little effort (you may already be able to. Those three aren't very difficult) Then add in a song that adds in slightly more difficult chords such as A or Dm (again not really difficult overall, but I remember I had problems with Dm starting out :)). And then once you can move between those easily add in things such as F, Bm etc.

Being able to play chord progressions is the best place to start. Many of my friends were more concerned with just learning to solo, but being able to easily play all the chords allows you to pick up a guitar and play virtually any song. As for the strum patterns that just comes with time. At least it did for me. I remember being frustrated that I could never really pick out the pattern in a song and then literally one day I could just hear them.

Learning the guitar is not an overnight thing. You certainly don't have to learn anything about music theory, but it would acclerate your learning curve quite a bit. It is much easier to pick up on how to play a song when you have an idea on what direction they were going in and why. Again it is not required though. Either way it is going to take a lot of practice. I consider myself a pretty average guitarist and while I was learning I played 2-3 hours every day for years. Now some people will pick it up more quickly than others. YMMV. But I wouldn't be too quick to jump into something new until you feel you have solid grasp on what you are currently working on.

Just my thoughts. SkyDog or some of the other more accomplished musicians here may have much better advice for you. :)

[Ben E Lou]

Primelord's advice is very, very solid. He said just about everything I would have said, and said it in the way I would have said it. There are really no shortcuts or tricks to learning acoustic guitar. The most improvement I had was during baseball season in the 2-year period when I lived in an apartment by myself. Just about every single summer weeknight I would sit in front of the TV, watch the Braves, and play the guitar from first pitch to final out.

I'd emphasize the following from Prime's advice:

1. play songs with easy chord progressions until you can play them perfectly
2. knowing your chords is the key to it all
3. strum patterns are definitely a "feel" thing...after a while, i've developed my own unique ones...but that only came with time
4. learn the guitar is not an overnight thing

The only thing I would add is this: if you don't have callouses developed yet and *REALLY* want to dive in, go to a pawn shop and pick up a cheap classical guitar fro <$50. It won't sound all that great when you strum it, but no matter how delicate your fingers, you'll be able to play it for hours on end, and that's the most important thing when you're learning.

[Ben E Lou]

Oh...and as far as lessons, I have gotten to the point where I don't like to give them, and if I do, I won't do them more often than every 2 weeks. I always tell people that if we meet any more often than that, you're just paying me to keep you accountable to practice. Most people want to learn to play via chords, and there are plenty of chord charts you can get for no cost. When I "teach" someone to play, all I do is give them two or three new songs in each session that use the next chords I want them to learn, play those songs with them for an hour, and tell 'em to spend the next two weeks practicing those songs. Usually, they don't have them down pat in two weeks (and I'm even talking among guys who have become quite accomplished at acoustic guitar).

[Draft Dodger]

The only thing I would add is this: if you don't have callouses developed yet and *REALLY* want to dive in, go to a pawn shop and pick up a cheap classical guitar fro <$50. It won't sound all that great when you strum it, but no matter how delicate your fingers, you'll be able to play it for hours on end, and that's the most important thing when you're learning.

classical guitars also have a wider neck, and more space between the strings, which I always found to be easier for fingering. that is probably a preference thing, since I started on a classical...

[johnnyshaka]

Guys...thanks for the tips.

Learning guitar is NOT an overnight thing...I assure that I'm well aware of that. I'm not looking for a miracle here...cause if I were...I wouldn't waste it on the guitar. So, practising is something I don't mind doing at all...in fact, I love surfing the net for new tabs and just trying to play part of a song. But, after awhile, I just get frustrated when I hit a certain part of a song, whether it be a chord I can't do...blasted F...or some whacky picking that looks like arabic scripture. Those are the times when I expect God to come down and either pull the guitar from my hands beat me like a rented mule with it or to "show me the way!" Alas...neither has happened yet.

I guess it comes down to sticking with a song and not moving on until I've got it down...something I haven't been doing. I've always been all over the map...beginning of a song here...end of another over there...just a mess. Gotta focus...got it.

Ben, good point about the callouses. Mine aren't too bad...but when I get back into it after a little time off, I definetly notice the next day. Oddly enough, the first guitar I owned was an old classical guitar and I really didn't like it one bit. Like DD mentioned, the neck is wider and that made trying an F down right silly...for me at least. Agreed, the strings are softer...but, I just restrung my current guitar with an ultrasoft set of strings which feel pretty sweet. I also prefer going pickless...like the sound and feel without the pick...also hides the mistakes much better!!!

One more question...where do you guys find most of your tabs?? Also, I'm not liking the new trend of no longer including all the lyrics in the tabs. I find it easier to try and follow along when I have a better idea of when to progress to the next chord.

Thanks, again...primelord, skydog and DD!!

[Draft Dodger]

Ben, good point about the callouses. Mine aren't too bad...but when I get back into it after a little time off, I definetly notice the next day. Oddly enough, the first guitar I owned was an old classical guitar and I really didn't like it one bit. Like DD mentioned, the neck is wider and that made trying an F down right silly...for me at least. Agreed, the strings are softer...but, I just restrung my current guitar with an ultrasoft set of strings which feel pretty sweet. I also prefer going pickless...like the sound and feel without the pick...also hides the mistakes much better!!!


well, you don't really want to hide the mistakes - you want to learn to correct the mistakes...that's how you improve. (not that it worked for me either - I am, quite simply, the world's sloppiest guitar player ever). same thing with the lighter strings.

I admit, I have pretty large hands, so the classical neck was never that big a deal. to be honest, I prefer that feel to the steel-string neck - those end up just feeling too cramped for my hands.

oh, and I mentioned this in the thread you have going at OOTP, but Power Tab (http://www.power-tab.net/) is THE program to download for your tab (and staff notated) songs - it's a great program and there's tons of songs out there on the net for it. (guitar and bass).

[dacman]

I started on a classical -- played 2-3 hours a night every night and twice on weekends for an entire summer. The transition back to a standard acoustic threw me a bit at first, but within a week I was humming along.

Know the standard chords and chord progressions forward and backward -- note the particular transitions that give you trouble and practice them often. I found particular songs that had troublesome ones in it and practiced them nearly every day. Don't be afraid to slow the songs down considerably in order to ensure accuracy. Speed can be picked up as you improve, but bad accuracy can be hard to fix.

As for strumming -- hmmmm....I picked up on the rhythm/strumming patterns almost instinctively, so I can't really offer much advice. I do know that you won't get there until you know the basic chords and progressions instinctively, so don't fret too much if you don't think you sound good right away. (bad pun :p)

The "it" moment: The point in time in which you suddenly realize your fingers go where they're supposed to without much conscious thought on your part. That's what you're striving for and getting there can take quite a while, but once you arrive, guitar playing becomes significantly easier. Afterwards, you can focus on more difficult chords and progressions, capos and key transpostions, and maybe vocal accompaniment (if you're so inclined).

[johnnyshaka]

well, you don't really want to hide the mistakes - you want to learn to correct the mistakes...that's how you improve. (not that it worked for me either - I am, quite simply, the world's sloppiest guitar player ever). same thing with the lighter strings.

Damn you!!!! LOL

I'll give that Power Tab a look through...thanks.

[johnnyshaka]

DD...just downloaded Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here...and no, I don't wish YOU were here...and used Power Tab...VERY COOL!!!!

Thanks for the headsup!!

[hukarez]

I downloaded a supposedly 'complete' chord list; it's pretty lengthy...and I'm sure it's probably not 'all' the chords, but there's quite a few variations. In any case...strumming seems to be something I'm in need of working on; despite chord transitioning. :(

[primelord]

DD...just downloaded Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here...and no, I don't wish YOU were here...and used Power Tab...VERY COOL!!!!

Thanks for the headsup!!

That song is an excellent one to start out with. The chord progression is very easy. G/C/Am/D. It was one of the first songs I learned. :)The strum pattern is a little tricky, but it's easy to get it close enough so that everyone will know what you are playing.

[primelord]

I downloaded a supposedly 'complete' chord list; it's pretty lengthy...and I'm sure it's probably not 'all' the chords, but there's quite a few variations. In any case...strumming seems to be something I'm in need of working on; despite chord transitioning. :(

Again I would suggest making sure you have the basic chords (G/C/D/Am/E/Em/etc) down first before you try moving to some of the more difficult ones. Being able to move from C to F to G can be difficult enough in the beginning, but if you don't have just moving between C and G down pat it can get very frustrating.

[johnnyshaka]

...everyone will know what you are playing.

Who is this "everyone" you speak of??

You aren't suggesting I play in front of people, are you??

I can't stop shaking...PLEASE...somebody help me!!!

[SunDancer]

SkyDog will be happy to give you lessons at $45 an hour. :)


Does that include him teaching you in his stars-and-stripe thong?