Tips for learning how to play guitar?

[eytonxav]

Hello,

I'm 64 and have been playing for about two years. I only play electric guitar (telecaster and Les Paul type), although I have an Acoustic for when I visit my DS/DDL and grandkids. I practice every day and, as you mentioned, you should too! You can't do this guitar thing "once in a while... forget about it!" Learning guitar is difficult at any age, but it can be done and IS satisfying. A few things that might help.

1. get the guitar re-strung and professionally set up (the action that is). Change the strings at least once every six months if you play every day.
2. play every day, seven days a week for at least 30 minutes. If you don't feel like playing one day, at least do 10 minutes and you'll probably find that, before you know it, you've done 30 minutes.
3. if you can, take lessons from a professional, but via Skype. It's a lot less hassle.
4. you could also start out with a basic online school like "TrueFire," "JamPlay" or "Guitar Tricks." This will cost $20 to $30 per month and will give you things to work on.
5. Don't jump around from platform to teacher or all-around YouTube. I have been guilty of this and it is confusing. Finish one complete course or lesson before you move on.
6. I would recommend you learn guitar tablature (tab) not music notation. I learned some notation (notes on the staff, etc.) when I first started and dropped it. I am sure it is helpful, but I don't think either of us will end-up being pit orchestra musicians. For me, it's too late in the game for that.
7. play around with the Chord Buddy a little, but your fingers will have to toughen-up so you can play the chords yourself. I doubt it does Barre chords anyway, which are important for playing electric guitar.
8. Start out with Rock, Blues, or Country, but avoid Jazz & Classical for now, as they are very challenging.
9. Consider getting stickers for the frets that let you know what the notes are. This can be very helpful for beginners. On the guitar, it is not easy to visualize the notes like it is on a piano.
10. Question: "Is it best to work on finger exercises first, learn to read music, just learn chords, etc?" Read music, no. Read Tab, yes. Finger exercises, yes. Learn only chords, no. Chords are for Rythym Guitar (harmony) and Notes are for Lead Guitar (melody). You need both.

Final thoughts: I think learning guitar is a great hobby. It's good for the mind and well being. I love it, despite not progressing as quickly as I want and being frustrated with it from time to time. Give it at least a year, play every day, don't switch lessons or teachers all the time, and enjoy yourself with it! Try to get into "Improvisation" as soon as you can where you play along with a backing track; this is quite amusing.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks for that info. I got my guitar back from the luthier and it does feel and sound much better. The original strings were rusted and needed lowering, so that has been a big help. There is so much info and options in the world of guitar playing, I have been kind of bouncing around a bit trying to pick something to go with, and that is probably a mistake.

I appreciate all the info provided from everyone on here and this is practically becoming a lesson game plan in itself. I hope others that are starting out like me can benefit from the thread, and that it re-motivates the more experienced players who have been away from playing for a while.

 

[oggelbe2015]

Age 67 - Started 7 months ago

I play an acoustic guitar (a used Martin dreadnought junior). Started out using a guitar method book by Hal Leonard but switched to Yousician. Yousician listens to the note being played (along with the timing) and gives you direct feedback (good/bad, late/early, etc). It starts off very slow but builts up speed as you're able play more and more notes correctly. I find it helps motivate my practice plus I can directly see my daily progress. You can loop on small sections of the song to practice difficult finger shifts. It works for me but everybody learns differently so try a few different methods.

It's a great hobby and I love the sound of this acoustic guitar plus it keeps your brain cells exercised. Try not to get overwhelmed by all the guitar information; do this, don't do that, learn this first, learn that first, etc. (it will just harsh your mellow)

This time next year you'll be sitting on the back porch noodling away on the guitar - beats watching TV.

 

[shafer9]

Cool. I’ve been playing for 50 years. I still play in a band for fun. (Well, I did until last February) �� By all means, do it! There are a zillion beginning guitar vids on YouTube. Take a full day and watch the first couple of minutes of as many as you can stand. Bookmark the ones that seem simple and understandable. The ones you choose must be fun and keep your attention.
Try to Practice an hour a day, using maybe 2-3 videos. They have to be really basic and seem easy. Realize that it won’t be all laughs at first. Your fingers will hurt, though a Strat is way easier to play. Get the local music store to put new strings on it. Tell them you want 9s. (Lighter Gauge )
Give it a few weeks and try to learn some songs you like right away. Again, it’s ALL on YouTube. Makes it fun. I wish that had existed when I was a kid, I’d be way better. Lol
Enjoy! Good luck with it.

 

[sengsational]

Learn the G,C, D chords and how to transition between them and the world is yours. It is amazing how many songs use these 3 chords

While you might really play those songs in your list with three chords, many probably wouldn't sound very good if you really stuck to only those three. And some, I'm not sure how you could do any justice to the original with just three chords.

 

[Music Lover]

While you might really play those songs in your list with three chords, many probably wouldn't sound very good if you really stuck to only those three. And some, I'm not sure how you could do any justice to the original with just three chords.

Learning 3 chords is just a starting point...it's not an excuse to take the easy way out. It allows a beginner stumble though a few easy songs while they get a handle on forming chords and strumming. Once they're comfortable with that then they can progress to the next level.

 

[target2019]

Thanks for that info. I got my guitar back from the luthier and it does feel and sound much better. The original strings were rusted and needed lowering, so that has been a big help. There is so much info and options in the world of guitar playing, I have been kind of bouncing around a bit trying to pick something to go with, and that is probably a mistake.

I appreciate all the info provided from everyone on here and this is practically becoming a lesson game plan in itself. I hope others that are starting out like me can benefit from the thread, and that it re-motivates the more experienced players who have been away from playing for a while.

It is certainly true there are many opinions or options about guitar playing. It arises from the history of the guitar. There's great range in styles, such as classical, blues, folk and rock. There are many books written about its history. Guitar construction is also a fascinating topic.

What is confounding is how approachable and personal it can be while requiring coordination of body, hands, vision and hearing.

As with any activity, it helps to get immediate results. That's where the online lessons come into their strength. However, also pay attention to core basics which include posture and not stressing more fragile muscles.

 

[corn18]

Thanks to this thread, I pulled out my Takamine guitar and started strumming again. Decided it was old and beat up. I've had it since I taught myself how to play back in test pilot school in 1994. I could have gotten a tune up for it but found a new Martin DX2 on craigslist and bought it. Oh my! What a difference in how it plays. Much easier to play. And it sounds very different from the full dreadnought Takamine. I may keep the Tak and get it serviced to make it more playable. Really like the tone of a full dreadnought.

I also downloaded the Justin app. So far I have figured out that I have been playing all the cowboy chords wrong. So I am relearning how to play chords. Also downloaded the Ultimate Guitar app for tabs.

My fingers are sore and building up calluses again. We'll see where this goes. My friend plays as well, so we will be jamming together. Will have to dust off the digital piano as well.

 

[audreyh1]

Here, you can take a lesson directly from Brian May. He mostly played a guitar that he and his dad designed and built in the early 60s. No wonder his sound was unique.

There are several famous musicians giving lessons in this series.

 

[target2019]

Thanks to this thread, I pulled out my Takamine guitar and started strumming again. Decided it was old and beat up. I've had it since I taught myself how to play back in test pilot school in 1994. I could have gotten a tune up for it but found a new Martin DX2 on craigslist and bought it. Oh my! What a difference in how it plays. Much easier to play. And it sounds very different from the full dreadnought Takamine. I may keep the Tak and get it serviced to make it more playable. Really like the tone of a full dreadnought.

I also downloaded the Justin app. So far I have figured out that I have been playing all the cowboy chords wrong. So I am relearning how to play chords. Also downloaded the Ultimate Guitar app for tabs.

My fingers are sore and building up calluses again. We'll see where this goes. My friend plays as well, so we will be jamming together. Will have to dust off the digital piano as well.

congratulationsI
here is a link for your Martin DX2 I think.
https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/x-series/d-x2e/

 

[corn18]

congratulationsI
here is a link for your Martin DX2 I think.
https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/x-series/d-x2e/

That's the one. Had a jam session with my friend tonight. Fingers were hurtin' so I switched to the digital piano. Had a blast.

 

[corn18]

One thing I learned from my jam session yesterday is that it is really hard to unlearn bad habits. After about 10 songs of not being able to keep up, I reverted back to my old fingering. The proper way is sure easier once I learn it and I will have to practice a lot to unlearn 15 years of doing it the wrong way.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

One thing I learned from my jam session yesterday is that it is really hard to unlearn bad habits. After about 10 songs of not being able to keep up, I reverted back to my old fingering. The proper way is sure easier once I learn it and I will have to practice a lot to unlearn 15 years of doing it the wrong way.

James Taylor has a unique way of fingering the open D cowboy chord which is unlike most people. But it works well for him and his style of playing. In fact, he offers a small set of guitar lessons (using that D chord: see Lesson 6) that is worth checking out.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Have your guitar nearby, some place you pass by often, and think of it as fun, not a challenge.

And we all shine on....

 

[eytonxav]

Do you use a phone app or clip on for tuning?

 

[hotwired]

tuner

I use the "Snark" clip on tuner for my acoustic. I do have an inline pedal tuner on my pedal board when I'm playing with a band, but those little snarks are really pretty good stuff. EAsy to see, and as long as some oblivious friend isn't sitting next to you trying to have an overly loud conversation with you, it filters out bg noise pretty well.

 

[like2]

I use Guitar Tuna app on my phone most of the time it seems to work well.

How is your playing coming along?

Are you having fun?

Its amazing isn't it?

 

[eytonxav]

I use Guitar Tuna app on my phone most of the time it seems to work well.

How is your playing coming along?

Are you having fun?

Its amazing isn't it?

I a slow learner for sure, but I did sign up with a local teacher and lessons start this saturday. It is still a challenge to quickly perform a chord without some buzzing/muting. I also have a hard time repeating/memorizing a scale without going very slowly and checking the scale's diagram.

 

[Music Lover]

I use the "Snark" clip on tuner for my acoustic. I do have an inline pedal tuner on my pedal board when I'm playing with a band, but those little snarks are really pretty good stuff. EAsy to see, and as long as some oblivious friend isn't sitting next to you trying to have an overly loud conversation with you, it filters out bg noise pretty well.

My Snark tuner (several years old) works off either vibration or microphone. Put it on vibration mode and it doesn't matter how loud it is around you.

 

[Nemo2]

I can't play, (anything), so this'll be a 'one and done', but the thread title brought back a memory from about 53 years ago.

I worked (in sales) for a musical instrument importer/wholesaler in Toronto......they had a secondary section that sold sporting goods to stores.

Sporting goods sales rep (who also could play nothing) told us he'd been asked by a customer for tips for his son who wanted to learn guitar.

Son, it turned out, was left handed. "No problem" said our guy "Just get him to strum upwards".

When he related this at the office, the musicians pointed out his error.

Some time later, when he revisited the store, he told us that the kid was getting along pretty well strumming upwards.

 

[corn18]

I just finished cleaning up my old Tak and putting on new strings. It is a G3300 dreadnought with cutout and it is big. I played it back to back with my Martin and they sound very different. The Tak is much brighter sounding. I thought it would be fuller at the low end vs. the smaller Martin, but it wasn't. The Martin is just better balanced, sound wise.

Playability is great on the Tak, at least when it's on a strap. Sitting down and playing, the dreadnaught / wide body just makes it uncomfortable to hold vs. the Martin.

All in all, the Tak is a great guitar. But I will probably put it up on Craigslist or Facebook. I thought about keeping it, but I mostly play sitting these days and it is just not comfortable for that.

 

[steelyman]

Playability is great on the Tak, at least when it's on a strap. Sitting down and playing, the dreadnaught / wide body just makes it uncomfortable to hold vs. the Martin.

All in all, the Tak is a great guitar. But I will probably put it up on Craigslist or Facebook. I thought about keeping it, but I mostly play sitting these days and it is just not comfortable for that.

I much prefer playing seated. With a pedal steel that’s pretty much required (not so for non-pedal) but even with more traditional guitars, electric and acoustic.

One time I fooled around with an acoustic (double) bass and decided a cello would be better for me.

 

[audreyh1]

I use the "Snark" clip on tuner for my acoustic. I do have an inline pedal tuner on my pedal board when I'm playing with a band, but those little snarks are really pretty good stuff. EAsy to see, and as long as some oblivious friend isn't sitting next to you trying to have an overly loud conversation with you, it filters out bg noise pretty well.

I also use the Snark clip for my classical guitar. It's been very handy.

 

[corn18]

I have found one of the simplest songs to play (and sing). I'm usually a three chords and a bridge kinda guy, but 2 chords and no bridge is even better. And the two chords only require 2 fingers and 1 finger. A little strumming practice and I'll be a campfire hero!

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Tuning Guitar to 'Standard Tuning'

Do you use a phone app or clip on for tuning?

When I got my first guitar circa 1969, a Silvertone from Sears that my folks co-signed the payments on, I didn't know how to tune the thing. I knew this older guy who owned a stamp collectors shop in my hometown (Everett, WA) that knew how to tune a guitar. I'd go to him to tune it.

A bit later, when I first became a Neil Young fan, after hearing his Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere album, I learned how to tune my guitar to "standard/concert tuning" by listening to that LP's "Down by the River" with its beginning E(m)....

I later learned how to use harmonics at the 5th and 7th frets etc. (And doesn't Steven Tyler of Aerosmith mention in his bio book how to use another method to use harmonics to tune a guitar?)

Today, I mainly use a Snark tuner, and my old ears.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I just finished cleaning up my old Tak and putting on new strings. It is a G3300 dreadnought with cutout and it is big. I played it back to back with my Martin and they sound very different. The Tak is much brighter sounding. I thought it would be fuller at the low end vs. the smaller Martin, but it wasn't. The Martin is just better balanced, sound wise.

Playability is great on the Tak, at least when it's on a strap. Sitting down and playing, the dreadnaught / wide body just makes it uncomfortable to hold vs. the Martin.

All in all, the Tak is a great guitar. But I will probably put it up on Craigslist or Facebook. I thought about keeping it, but I mostly play sitting these days and it is just not comfortable for that.

I came across this recent Don McLean YouTube video just the other day. In it, he suggests how to use various parts of the guitar neck to create tones. He's a fan of old Martins, especially the early 1950s dreadnoughts, but definitely not a fan of "cutouts" on an acoustic. He thinks the cutout part of an acoustic loses some crucial "sound" while offering useless frets beyond #12 or so: