Playing Guitar

[Hooe]

Because I play Guitar Hero way too much, I've warmed up quite a bit to the idea of playing a real guitar instead of a video game guitar.

In any case, does anyone on here play guitar? Any tips for someone like me who is just beginning to play?

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Playing Guitar

I've been playing for a year now (even though I've had my guitar for more than three years).

Since you're starting off... I suggest you begin with learning chords. Chords are VERY easy to pick up and there are websites at hand that will offer you all you need to know about Chords.

Also, stretch out those fingers... and warm up. The warm up I use is I get my guitar. This is my warm up routine before and after my playing session. It really helps build your finger speed:
(For 1, use your pointing finger, 2, middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky... the numbers also refer to the bar/fret whatever it's called on the guitar).

E: ----------------------------------
B: ----------------------------------
G: ----------------------------------
D: ----------------------------------
A: -----------------1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1-
E: 1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1------------------
(and so on until you hit the high E string... then you do the same again.)
-Start of slow, then try to get faster each go around, until you get as fast as you can do these without messing up. I suggest about 6-10 rounds of these depending on your preference.


You can also work on your hammering and releasing in the same fashion.


Keep it simple. Do not try to learn in one day or you'll be discouraged. Once your fingers have a feel for the guitar you can practice by learning songs of bands or artists you know. Mxtabs is a great site for tabs for the guitar. I'm not sure how long it'll be up if the RIAA does have their way.

*Keep in mind to rest your hand every five minutes or in between songs.

[Blzer]

Re: Playing Guitar

I still have yet to play Guitar Hero, so I don't know what it's like compared to a real guitar.


My only real tip(s) to learning to play guitar are the following:

1) Learn on an acoustic; it makes an electric that much easier if you ever want the switch.

2) Play every day, and have patience. You will not nail one thing the first, second, or twentieth try. Play with the pain in your fingers until that callous grows on it. Give it a month before thinking that barr chords are the hardest thing in the world.

3) Finally, I'd advise taking guitar lessons. I never did, and I just learned the chords online. I found out that there's a BIG difference between me and some other people in terms of... well... knowing the chords, and knowing what you're doing. I'm just following the cookbook ingredients, and other people understand variation, the music, patterns, etc. Don't instantly go with trying to do riffs and tough fingerpicking songs. Learn the chords first, and the transitions between chords. It took be a long time to find out how many songs derive, etc.



Guitar is very intuitive, and it has a great basics section that I pretty much skipped. Go there first, and you'll get that by taking lessons.



That's the best advice that I can give you.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Playing Guitar

My only real tip(s) to learning to play guitar are the following:

1) Learn on an acoustic; it makes an electric that much easier if you ever want the switch.

2) Play every day, and have patience. You will not nail one thing the first, second, or twentieth try. Play with the pain in your fingers until that callous grows on it. Give it a month before thinking that bar chords are the hardest thing in the world.

Just quoting these to reiterate. Callouses will grow through hours of practice daily. And yes I agree with the acoustic. And if you do learn with an electric guitar... never learn a song with the distortion and effects on until you master it. Clean sounds are okay.

However I could not learn with an acoustic since it was too big for even my lanky arms to handle.

[aukevin]

Re: Playing Guitar

1) Learn on an acoustic; it makes an electric that much easier if you ever want the switch.

I recommend this too. Now that said, if acoustic sounding music doesn't appeal to you and you want to play electric sounding stuff, don't bum yourself out feeling like you have to play acoustic. Do whatever's the most fun.

[Jon22]

Re: Playing Guitar

Learn music theory even tho it sucks ***. It will help you alot and check out this website its the best I've found. It has lots of tips on everything

www.wholenote.com

[Misfit]

Re: Playing Guitar

I'd say take lessons. They'll force you to keep up with your practice and you'll learn a bit about music theory. I've had a guitar since my sophomore year in high school and I wish I had taken lessons as I'd probably be a much better player now than I truely am.

[DrStrangepork]

Re: Playing Guitar

I would also suggest lessons and pick up a tuner when you buy a guitar.

A tuner will help on two fronts: keeping in tune (naturally), and helping to devolop an "ear". I played for around four years before I bought a tuner and what a difference it made. It will also help if you eventually want to sing and play, helps you stay in key.

My biggest word of advice if you are just starting out is don't get discouraged. It takes a while to learn but its definitely worth it, and you will get better with practice. If you stick with it and practice on a regular basis you will be suprised how quick you can get better.

Good to hear you want to learn to play man. Playing an instrument is a great thing to do, you can play your whole life and always keep learning.

[Ger]

Re: Playing Guitar

I've been playing for 5 and a half years. Once you get through the first year or so you'll love it.


1) pick up a decent chord book and learn the basics.

2)get a metronome. VERY important to learn to keep good timing early

3)i've never had lessons so most of my knowledge comes from various
websites: wholenote.com, guitartricks.com, harmony-central.com

4) learn the pentatonic major and minor scales and practice them with your metronome. these two scales are the most common that bands use.

5) learn your favorite songs (this will keep you motivated)
its very easy to get discouraged so learn something that you love. make it fun.

6)find others who play guitar and jam with them. this helped me immensely. sure playing alone can help you on certain things, but learning to play with a group will help you tremendously. very inspiring.

7) like i said i havent taken lessons but i have lately thought about them. if you can find a competent teacher (not too expensive) then go for it.

also learn to keep good rythm-very important. learn different styles of rythm: blues, rock, funk (which is the most fun)

[elicoleman]

Re: Playing Guitar

Someone mentioned music theory...

Would other people agree that learning music theory will help tremendously? I've been thinking about getting a video, or a book to learn.

I took about 8 guitar lessons, and then stopped. I learned a little bit, but not alot.

I have a tough time moving up and down because my fingers just don't move fast. They're pretty short, which makes it difficult.

I've also got some back problems on my left side, which affect my nerves causing my fingers to move slower than on my right hand.

For those that have played a long time, do you guys have any video of yourself playing? I'd love to see how good some of you guys are.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Playing Guitar

Just to comment on something already said... Learning chords is easy... Doing progressions between chords is not so easy when it comes to using the C/G/F chords in between the others. Progressions take time to get down, so just because you can't hit your progressions smoothly, don't give up. They will come in time with practice.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Playing Guitar

Just to comment on something already said... Learning chords is easy... Doing progressions between chords is not so easy when it comes to using the C/G/F chords in between the others. Progressions take time to get down, so just because you can't hit your progressions smoothly, don't give up. They will come in time with practice.

Yeah this is great advice, I definitely got frustrated with the chord progressions, but one day it all just clicked and I was able to do progressions from any chord to any other chord fairly easily. It's just a motor skill you have to let your brain develop through repetition. Barre chords were a huge pain in the *** after that though!

[Birdsonbat]

Re: Playing Guitar

Whenever you feel frustrated, just search around on Youtube for a while and trust me, you'll feel better about yourself. If you've got timing down, you're already better than 90% of the people who post their videos on there. And if you can tune your guitar, you're in the elite class.

[SLAYER]

Re: Playing Guitar

If you get any instructional DVDs, save the trendy picks for later (Rock Discipline, etc.). Start with the Fretboard Logic series. I have the books, but I think there are DVDs of them now.

Also, get a metronome and a guitar tuner. Or use one of the metronomes on the net, if that's more convenient.

Get in the habit of playing your guitar only when it's in tune. I learned this the hard way.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Playing Guitar

Getting Started on Electric Guitar with Keith Wyatt is an AWESOME dvd. It goes from open power chords to theory and soloing.