I Have decided

[Keight]

I'm going to learn how to play the guitar! :willy_nilly:

Ayden has had his guitar collecting dust for the last two years I found it when on the hunt for dirty laundry this morning and checked it out its still in really good condition so i figured why waste a perfectly good instrument AND Im constantly bored a lot of the time now im no longer smoking so why not right??

I have no idea where to start though
Hints??

 

[cam elle toe]

Ear plugs for the kids and neighbours

 

[Joe the meek]

I'm going to learn how to play the guitar! :willy_nilly:

Ayden has had his guitar collecting dust for the last two years I found it when on the hunt for dirty laundry this morning and checked it out its still in really good condition so i figured why waste a perfectly good instrument AND Im constantly bored a lot of the time now im no longer smoking so why not right??

I have no idea where to start though
Hints??

My first step was with a book.

Like anything else, practice, practice, practice, and more practice.

 

[Peter Parka]

My first suggestion, through personal experience would be -

GIFSoup

 

[Keight]

LOL pete i have already done that!! WIth another guitar of course and once again with a chair :ninja

I know i need to get lots of practice in but hopefully it wont take long for me to master Im pretty quick at picking up things

 

[Francis]

I'm going to learn how to play the guitar! :willy_nilly:

Ayden has had his guitar collecting dust for the last two years I found it when on the hunt for dirty laundry this morning and checked it out its still in really good condition so i figured why waste a perfectly good instrument AND Im constantly bored a lot of the time now im no longer smoking so why not right??

I have no idea where to start though
Hints??

Here's a start..

http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/lessons/

But keep in mind what is free will always be harder.. I remember my brother finding some good YouTube lessons, not sure if they are still up as the account may have died, or the person may now be charging..

But there are some good computer programs out there that can really help you. With a decent microphone it will even tell you if you are on chord..

http://guitar-lesson-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

 

[Keight]

Oh thanks Francis

 

[Codrus]

I'm going to learn how to play the guitar! :willy_nilly:

Ayden has had his guitar collecting dust for the last two years I found it when on the hunt for dirty laundry this morning and checked it out its still in really good condition so i figured why waste a perfectly good instrument AND Im constantly bored a lot of the time now im no longer smoking so why not right??

I have no idea where to start though
Hints??

is it acoustic or electric?
use metal strings (your fingers may be sore at first, but its nothing compared to if you go from plastic to metal)...keep it tuned,..do not bend the neck (either lay it flat, or if you stand it up use the body as the prop)

learn your notes/chords/tables first. there are a lot of "learn guitar" books out there....try to get one with cd/dvd lessons included...some people do better actually seeing it done than trying to learn it just from a book so the visualization will help.
dont try to learn complex songs right away,..you will get discouraged,..keep it simple, learn "mary had a little lamb" etc. and build up from there.
dont worry about playing fast either,..it will come the better you get

heres are some lessons
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/chords/

 

[Keight]

Oooh thanks Coddy.
I have metal strings but the guitar has been strung with nylon for Ayden. I need to take it and get it restringed anyways as one is broken.
Its an acoustic guitar.

 

[CaptainTurtles]

I've seen a lot of how-tos on Youtube for this kind of thing, a free way of watching some tutorials rather than buying a DVD =)
Myself, I know I prefer to see something be done to then copy it rather than just reading how it is done...if that makes any sense?

 

[Zorak]

I think you need just a simple beginners book at first. Get one out of the library for free. Personally, I never liked videos or tracks to help me learn, but you might have more luck with them.

What you're aiming to learn at first is open chords and right hand technique. Learn what makes up a chord! Get that theory down and you'll reap the benefits when you're more advanced. You're first few months will probably be spent learning how to switch between different chords quickly, there's no real trick or shortcut; just practice and technique refinement.

I'd also start learning the minor pentatonic scale from the get go, aside from it easily being the most useful scale to know, running through it constantly alternating between up and down strokes is really good practice for both right and left hand technique.

 

[yolandazhong]

Persevere, and you will get improvement. This is the rule for doing everything. :trustme

 

[Tuffdisc]

Don't expect to be like Jimi Hendrix in one day, it can be disappointing, leading you to be discouraged

 

[Keight]

Thanks For the tips

I will definatley take them all on board. I know I wont be great right away and i know it will take practice i just want to make sure Im doing it right aswell. Learning the chords may be the hardest part to name them etc. My dad plays the guitar and i could always tell by ear when his guitar was going out of tune before he could so i guess thats something i have going for me.
I also have long fingers... another bonus or so im told.
Im very interested in learning though, I may try both reading and videos see which makes more sense. If i have further q's be prepared for more annoyance :24:

 

[Alien Allen]

I bought my first guitar when I was around 20. I just made noise. I had no idea how to do things and chords seemed impossible. I tried books but nothing clicked so I got frustrated and gave up on the thought of actually being able to play much. Finally at my ripe old age I decided earlier this year to take lessons. I was determined that I would either learn or fail. To my huge surprise I can do stuff now that I never thought possible 6 months ago.

Taking lessons worked wonders for me. I am a long way from where I need to get to but also a long way from where I started. I pay $20 for a half hour lesson and try to get there once a week. For me lessons were the only way. But there are plenty of videos on the internet that teach the basics. What you miss though going that route are some of the nuances of the fingering.

Good luck

 

[hart]

Keight do you have a VHS player? If you are in the states I can mail you some beginner tapes I have if you pm me your address.

 

[Darrell]

I learned to play Bass watching YouTube videos.

 

[Keight]

I bought my first guitar when I was around 20. I just made noise. I had no idea how to do things and chords seemed impossible. I tried books but nothing clicked so I got frustrated and gave up on the thought of actually being able to play much. Finally at my ripe old age I decided earlier this year to take lessons. I was determined that I would either learn or fail. To my huge surprise I can do stuff now that I never thought possible 6 months ago.

Taking lessons worked wonders for me. I am a long way from where I need to get to but also a long way from where I started. I pay $20 for a half hour lesson and try to get there once a week. For me lessons were the only way. But there are plenty of videos on the internet that teach the basics. What you miss though going that route are some of the nuances of the fingering.

Good luck

THanks Dude, I did consider lessons however, i want to see if i can do it myself first.

Keight do you have a VHS player? If you are in the states I can mail you some beginner tapes I have if you pm me your address.

I dont have a VHS player Im not sure i know many people who do to be honest, but thanks for the offer xx

 

[Alien Allen]

Just be patient

If I can learn to play then anybody can. I have small stiff fingers and never thought some things would be possible.

Also play slow. Don't worry about speed. Download a free metronome and keep an accurate beat.

And make sure the guitar is in tune every time you pick it up.

I have horrible ears when it comes to translating a sound from one string to another to tune. I never seem to get it quite right so I bought a tuner which makes it a slam dunk. As long as you don't do it when drunk

 

[Keight]

Im excited to start but i need to find somewhere i can get the thing restrung or I have actually heard its better if i can learn to re string it myself.

WIll have to hit you tube on the weekend and see if i can find a how to.