Ping : guitar players

[Alf]

Hi,

I am six months into learning how to play guitar (I have a basic Yamaha folk guitar).

I've come to a point where our teacher has told us to get Tabs and try to read them to practice. Well, so far, I went to a music shop and, well, I can't read them, but I am in the process of learning.

I do want to play Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" <= reason why I started learning, so I am surely going to buy a Pink Floyd Guitar Tab book (Pink Floyd Guitar Tab Anthology, is going for €5 in Amazon.fr and is a sure purchase) and most Pink Floyd classics are listed there (Wish you were here, Another Brick in the Wall, Comfortably Numb , etc...)

However, even if I am more a Rock & Roll guy, I do like plenty types of music and enjoy blues too, and what do you think of this one : The Blues Bag: An Anthology of Traditional Blues Songs (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&st=books)

I am also likely to buy "Eric Clapton Unplugged: For Easy Guitar With Notes and Tablature"
1. Alberta
2. Before You Accuse Me
3. Hey Hey
4. Layla
5. Lonely Stranger
6. Malted Milk
7. Nobody Knows You
8. Old Love
9. Rollin & Tumblin
10. Running on Faith
11. San Francisco Bay Blues
12. Signe
13. Tears in Heaven
14. Walking Blues

Finally, there is Acoustic Guitar Tab White Pages (with 150 songs) liste here : http://www.activemusician.com/market...L_00699590.asp

Any further advice would be appreciated.

[Ksyrup]

I'm glad you posted this. I got a bug up my ass 2 years ago about wanting to learn to play the guitar, went out and bought one, and tried to teach myself. That lasted about 2 months, as I had gotten a few basic chords down, but could never really progress past that. The guitar is sitting in a corner, collecting dust.

It sounds like you're actually taking lessons. I assume that's the only way I'm going to be able to learn it, if I want to get serious about it, huh?

[corbes]

Alf-

That Eric Clapton album will keep you busy forever. Maybe literally. It's a wonderful place to practice.

In addition to tabs, I can't stress enough the importance of learning things by ear. Sit with your guitar, and try to pick out the melodies you hear. You can even do it while watching TV -- try to mimic the jingles on commercials and the theme songs. They may be stupid, but they still follow the same rules of music as does rock and roll.

That goes for you too, Ksyrup. It's a funner (and more sensible) approach than "learning" chords. Just pick out single-note melodies. It'll lead naturally to playing chords -- and you'll understand a heck of a lot more about music than if you had just memorized a bunch of random chords.

[corbes]

dola-

Lessons are fine, but you don't need to go to school to learn how to play guitar.

[Alf]

Ksyrup, the beginning is quite difficult since your fingers don't know where to go, everything goes too fast (still for me, but I am improving). Our teacher put the emphasis more on rythm than chords to begin with. He says that your fingers will find the right chords when your ears will be tired of hearing bad noise...

It's only a 1hour class on Saturday mornings (fun thing is we are a group of adult beginners in the 30s-40s age range). I agree that taking lessons is not mandatory, but it help staying focused when difficulties appear (bar chords for exemple , like a B- for exemple, or chords requiring all your fingers B7 which sounds nice in a Blues). Practicing as little as 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a week (which is already a lot for my schedule) helps you improve steadily. Also lessons learn you how to position your hands, fingers, body, etc so that you don't take bad habits early.

Corbes, thanks for the tips. I already try doing it by ear on Ben Harper latest album (there is a fairly "easy" ballad on it : She's Only Happy In The Sun ), nearly same rythm all along the song, but, for example, Wish you Were here is a much harder song to catch (at least for me), that's why I wanted to get the Tabs.

Ah, and the Clapton book is now on my Amazon wish list, thanks.

[Ksyrup]

I played piano for 15 years, so I "know" music and thought I could teach myself. Ironically, though, I learned to play the piano by memorization and never learned to "play by ear," and to this day, cannot pick up anything by ear. So I think that would be difficult for me.

The other complication is that I'm left-handed, but decided to buy a right-handed guitar because I figured it would be easier to find stuff to learn for right-handers. However, years of playing left-handed air guitar have made the transition to a right-handed guitar awkward. I'm not sure I'll ever be entirely comfortable with it.

[primelord]

Just a few thoughts.

You might want to check out this thread

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/f...ad.php?t=21366

It has some good advice in it from our fearless leader. (Some from me too )

Also if you are looking for tabs http://www.olga.net is an excellent resource.

Wish you were here was the first song I learned to play all the way through. It's a great song. The chord progression is very easy. G C D Am G D C Am G. The strum pattern is a little difficult, but it's easy enough to get close.

You can absolutely teach yourself to play. I am completely self taught. As is SkyDog. (I am pretty sure he is atleast) However it does take a lot of practice. If you aren't willing to put in the time expect your progression to be slow.

I have to disagree a bit with corbes though. Learning to play things by ear is great, but until you have the basic chords down I think it will be very difficult to do. I know it was for me. You might be able to mimick some solos just by ear through trial and error, but getting a chord progression down by ear when just starting seems like an uphill battle to me. Especially when you don't have a great familiarity with how to even play those chords.

If you master G C D E and switching between them there are a truckload of entire songs you can play. Add in Am, A, F and you will be in excellent shape starting out.

[Gallifrey]

I agree with practice learning by ear.

My older brother and I took a few lessions when we were 6 and 7. But quickly found we could learn from listening and watching. Now when I do studio work it is the big point that all producers make, that I can hear a song and play it. Or write a part to play to it.

Also, the books you buy will show you how to play a song, but a lot of the time not how that artist plays the song. They usually instruct you in the most simple way, where the aritist will play 'busted chords' that you will learn in time to get the real sound and feel of the song.
Good luck and don't give up. Learning is the most fun time.