Learning the guitar

Started by MR E, December 29, 2009, 12:21:20 PM

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MR E

I want to learn how to play the guitar.

When I ask other guitarists how they learnt each and everyone of them said 'I learnt off the internet'.

Where? Anybody out there who have learnt from the internet can you post the links here?

thewobbler

Get a chord book from a music shop and practice strumming the main chords (i.e. majors and minors) until your fingers bleed. Then practice moving between the main chords until your fingers are worn to the bone.

Once you've done that, Youtube is full of brilliant tutorials, and any song music you want is freely available, a lot of the time with associated videos for all levels of guitarist. Honestly though, this stuff won't be any use to you until you know your chords.

el_cuervo_fc

I taught myself to play.  http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ is a handy website for both chords and tabs for 1000's of songs.  I've also found youtube can be very useful.  Here's a few easy songs to get you started. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M836_e2FH_0  Wonderwall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjUjxGac_0  Good Riddance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F4kZYESimI&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_stronger_r2-2r-1-HM Knockin' on Heavens Door



Dougal

Quote from: el_cuervo_fc on December 29, 2009, 12:58:06 PM
I taught myself to play.  http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ is a handy website for both chords and tabs for 1000's of songs.  I've also found youtube can be very useful.  Here's a few easy songs to get you started. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M836_e2FH_0  Wonderwall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjUjxGac_0  Good Riddance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F4kZYESimI&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_stronger_r2-2r-1-HM Knockin' on Heavens Door

i never bothered much with rhythm and chords,so i cant even play the last 2 songs.im fairly handy on the guitar,but not practisin chords has really set me back.you tube and ultimate guitar are great websites to learn how to play.
Fcuk you I won't do what ya tell me!!!

Puckoon

When I learned there were no Internet resouces for things like this. I'll only use ultimate guitar if there's a sequence of a song that I just can't get by ear.

The fundamental point remains that's already been made- learn your chords first, otherwise you'll get frustrated trying to learn the songs from tab either online or in books. Once the chords and their basic finger shapes become second nature, it's a little easier to throw on progressions and the little rythmn that make them into songs.

Good luck

Maguire01

Total Guitar - monthly magazine, also includes a CD for your computer with audio/visual content.

boojangles

Learn as many of the Basic chords first then learn the simple tunes like the ones listed above. You will then move on to bar chords and progressions.
But the main thing is PRACTICE,PRACTICE and more PRACTICE.

achadh gallain

I'm learning the guitar myself, but I am rarely near the computer, especially to sit down and learn the guitar from it. Thats why i prefer to go to an actual teacher.
Where are you from? I may know a few guitarists from around your area if you wanted to pay someone for lessons?

muppet

MWWSI 2017

maximus

Have been learning for a while know the main chords but struggle with strumming pattern/ rhythm any ideas on how to improve this?

Puckoon

Get yourself a metronome to keep time to, or play along with tracks for basic rythmn skills.

If you need to count in your head, just do it.

Once you get basic timing down you should be able to progress.

I think it's just like everything else, walk before running.

maximus

Thanks for the advice I'll keep at it!

muppet

Puck any tips for getting rid of (or at least reducing) that noise of fingers sliding up/down strings?
MWWSI 2017

Puckoon

Muppet,
I actually hadn't noticed the squeak in years, but I was sure it still existed so I tried to run a little experiment before replying.

Sure enough, on certain runs, or chord progressions it's still there if I listen for it, but markedly different on my two guitars.

One is my performing guitar which I use weekly for 3-4 hours at a time so I guess it has more of my natural oils on the fret board and the strings, which are medium gauge d'addario exps. They are also bout 6 weeks old.

The other guitar doesn't get played too much, but it has higher action, newer less used strings, and the strings are elixers.

So, because that didn't really help I looked at some forums and the suggestions ranged from using moisturizer on your hands, and string lube on your guitar, to sliding your fingers more on their sides, as opposed to their tips.

I went back and played the same runs again and realised I do kind of release fingertip pressure onto their sides when I'm sliding, which I presume may be why I don't notice the noise so much anymore.

It's not a noise that particularly would bother me anyway, do you get it a lot?