[fengler]

i got the fender squier strat starter pack, cant wait to start! any hints/tips on learnin the guee-tar??

 

[swmtnbiker]

Play until your fingers bleed, then play some more.

Congrats!

 

[seantx]

Start and never stop!

I played every day from the age of 8 until I was 20. Then one day decided to put it down and have regretted it since. Now the demands of life keep me from picking it up again.

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fengler any hints/tips on learnin the guee-tar??

Take lessons. It's much easier to learn good habits than to unlearn bad ones later.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs Take lessons. It's much easier to learn good habits than to unlearn bad ones later.

x2...
learn to use a metronome. For me timing and Rhythm is harder (WAY harder) to nail down than riffs, chord progressions and scales. Learn to play with other musicians.

Garrett

 

[fengler]

oh i am, starting next week, community college summer course for the win!

damn this site

so far

grado sr80s - 85
pa2vs - 60
grado case - 20
guitar starter kit - 300
guitar lessons - 120
total - 585, just within the past couple weeks

 

[bubbamc119]

Congrats man! Patience is the key with guitar.

First - some inspiration: Check this out;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veFLv...rch=buckethead

I've been playing for over 10 years and I recently discovered this book;

"Guitar Fretboard Workbook" by Barrett Tagliarino.

Find it on amazon it's a steal. It's not a technique book, but it will give you a thorough understanding of the fretboard - and its written for all skill levels.

BTW I'm expecting my first Gibson les paul in the mail tomorrow

ps - I agree with kramer, if you don't listen to anything else I said, listen to this - YOU NEED A METRONOME.

 

[VicAjax]

in addition to the advice already given, buy songbooks of your favorite artists and learn them. best way to keep you motivated and interested is to be able to play the songs you like.

 

[ComfyCan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fengler i got the fender squier strat starter pack, cant wait to start! any hints/tips on learnin the guee-tar??

I wish I had started with an electric; I had an Alverez acoustic as my first guitar, and it was hard to practice--pain. I think my strings were made of razor wire. Some instructors actually suggest starting with an acoustic, or at least they used to. I think they are masochists.

There are many paths. A few have "the gift" and can just learn chords from a chord book, and start playing based on what they hear. (*I secretly hate these people). Everybody else will benefit enormously from lessons. However, lessons do nothing if you don't practice your a** off. I didn't, and 20 years later, I can barely play half a song anymore.

Therefore, I live vicariously through my son, who has my old guitars and started on a new electric. He is much better at age 14 than I was at age 21. He practices every day, and plays with friends that are better than he is--that is also a good idea. He also gets together with musicians who play other instruments. This, too, is helpful (particularly keyboards). People who play keyboards know how to read music, and they tend to have critical ears--they will keep you in tune.

Finally, pick up a copy of "Kill Bill 2", if you don't already have it. Develop the skills Uma used to get herself out of the coffin

 

[Drakemoor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 x2... learn to use a metronome. For me timing and Rhythm is harder (WAY harder) to nail down than riffs, chord progressions and scales. Learn to play with other musicians. Garrett

same, my timing is way off (i think if i was playing in a band or with other instruments it would be better but meh, i don't think i'd like lessons because i'd probably look at it like it's a chore rather than enjoying learning as i do now)

I'm currently playing an electro acoustic, any tips any what the best strings to use are and the differences? (i've been playing for over a year and my fingertips are rock hard yet and i'm really finding the strings hard to manipulate as opposed to another strat i've played and a classical guitar)

 

[seanohue]

Grats man

That was my first guitar too. To get started, learn all of your basic chords first (E, Em, E7, A, Am, A7, G, Gm, G7, D, Dm, D7, C, C7, F, and the four string B) and from there you can play a lot of acoustic songs. The first song I learned was Pearl Jam - Last Kiss, very simple, just G - E - C- D. If your looking for rock, start out with AC/DC, they have very simple riffs (TNT, Highway to Hell, Dirty Deeds). If your ready to start plucking, learn Sweet Child 'O Mine, Hells Bells, One, Fade to Black, and Enter Sandman. Then begin working on barre chords; for some they're very hard to learn but other's they are easy. If you want to start easy on barre chords, lower the action on your guitar until you first finger begins to callice (spelling?) then you can raise it again. Some easy barre songs would be Hotel California and Stray Cat Strut (SCS is just a barre slide, you don't even have to move your finger out of the E position until you get to the chorus, where you simply shift up one string).

Get a pedal too, they make things much more fun. I got a Zoom 505II pedal that has like 36 effects and was only $70. There are some nicer stuff out now but I will recommend Zoom.

 

[antiant]

http://www.guitar.com may want to check that out as well