Best way to learn guitar?

[Dwhit]

I learned guitar by ear as a teenager. Being young seemed to help a lot (like it does for languages).

When I retired, I took piano lessons fo a couple of years to learn how to read music and to learn more music theory. It seemed much harder to me.

One advantage a guitar has over the piano is if you can learn your bar chords and your scales, then you can just slide up and down the neck and play the same in any key. With a piano, you can't do that.

Also, I always caution people just starting to buy a "good guitar" that is easy to play and tune. A really cheap guitar can be almost impossible to learn on for anyone. You might get lucky and find a good, cheap guitar, but if possible get someone who already plays to help you pick your guitar.

 

[skipro33]

First, an acoustic guitar is much harder to play than an electric. The strings are much tighter and therefore, much harder to fret correctly. If you're wanting to just play to enjoy, get an electric and stay away from acoustic. If you do go acoustic, nylon strings are easier to play than steel.



Now, with an electric guitar, you'll need some sort of amp. I recommend a Crate TAXI TX-15 model. They are tiny, will work plugged into the wall or with an internal battery and have lots of 'voices' to play around with. Reverb, fuzz, chorus and distortion are your friend. Learn cords C, G and E and you'll be a rock star hero within a couple days. Or Blues, or Country.

Youtube vids will have you playing anything in a hurry too. I learned most Beatle songs within an hour and harder stuff, like the theme song from Deadliest Catch, (Dead Or Alive, by Bonjovi) in a day or two.

Jam with friends. The feedback and relaxing atmosphere along with the pace of matching another's playing really will get you going. Lots of fun! With that in mind, have a few guitars for your friends when they come over. I also have a professional quality keyboard, a bass guitar and a beat box.



Oh, and when you are feeling frustrated and want to quit, pick up a ukulele. So easy and so fun to jam with. Harmonica is also a quick way to jam along with others. Lots of youtube stuff for the uke, I don't know about the harmonica as I just somehow naturally have been able to play those things.


And just so you know you don't need an expensive guitar, I give you the Walmart Rockstars;

 

[kitesurfer2]

you absolutely do need a good guitar. cheap guitars don't play well, so you won't practice. I bought my first as an early teen. my buddy was gifted. he could figure out th4 song, and then show it to me. that's how I learned. I can't read a note so I guess I play be ear. a few years back, I discovered utube lessons, so I continue to watch and learn. when I retired 3 years ago, I bought a mandolin and a banjo. I realized it takes practice time to learn the two, and I found the practice time was better spent on the guitar. so the banjo and the mandolin sit.

 

[frayne]

Been playing since I was about 14, have played in bands back then and in recent years a few bars. Have bought, sold, traded more guitars and amps than I care to admit and currently have two MIA strats, and a Tak acoustic. My advice is find a good teacher and go from there. Learning any instrument starts with a strong understanding of the basics which to build on. Music and playing an instrument is great relaxation and therapy not to mention very satisfying learning and playing a difficult piece. As mentioned above, start off with a decent instrument which can be had for less than $500 and there are plenty good used instruments on Craig's List. Good luck and party on Wayne !

 

[sengsational]

To me, it's all about the journey, not the destination.



My recommendation is to pick an easy song that you are excited to play, or maybe even just a riff. Something achievable fairly quickly. Then keep going until you get it to your own personal satisfaction.


Now, look back at the process of learning. Was it fun? Was getting to that level of playing something you'd like to repeat 100 or 1000 times? If yes, pick another near term goal. If you liked the result of playing the lick or whatever you chose, but getting there was painful, then find a new hobby.

 

[sengsational]

And just so you know you don't need an expensive guitar, I give you the Walmart Rockstars;

And the Barbies go crazy! Lol!

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

My two cents' worth:

• Get a good acoustic guitar that stays in tune, plus a quality capo.
• Learn how to tune to standard pitch.
• Learn the basic "open" chords--sometimes called "cowboy chords." Like C, G, D and E--the easiest to learn at first. A is a little harder for some. B and F even harder, because you use your forefinger as a capo. Also learn some of the 7th chords: E7, C7, A7, D7, etc. B7 is a good chord to learn early on. Then the minor chords: Am(7), Em(7), Dm. Bm is a great one to learn early on--because a lot of great songs use G, D, A and Bm.
• That capo will help you play the basic cowboy chords in other keys without having to master the more difficult barre chords.
• You can then move on to learning those barre chords. (Those chords require using your forefinger as a capo. B & F are usually the first barre chords a beginner learns. Learn the F chord; that chord is used a lot.)
• Then move on to even more subtle chords--like suspended chords, suspended 7ths, and major 7ths. (Lots of songs by America, the Bee Gees, etc. use major 7th chords--like the E major 7th.)
• These days you can find images of how to "finger" chords online all over the place. I had to learn from friends or books when I was a kid. It is so much easier today to learn fingering on the Internet.
• Once you have down the basic cowboy chords, learn a bunch of two and three-chords wonders. Lots of folk songs (and Rolling Stone tunes) are only three chords. Check out "Helpless" by Neil Young, for example. D, A & G repeated over and over.
• I too recommend checking out the JustinGuitar YouTube videos. I've learned a ton of songs there. He's great!

[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]And practice.... most of all: Have fun![/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]GOOD TIME CHARLIE'S GOT THE BLUES[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]:[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif] G C D7 G x2; [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Some gotta win...:[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif] Am D7 G[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Everybody's goin' away, Said they're movin' to L.A.
[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]There's not a soul I know around, Everybody's leavin' town[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Some caught a freight, some caught a plane
[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Find the sunshine, leave the rain[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]They said this town's a waste of time, I guess they're right, it's wastin' mine[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Some gotta win, some gotta lose, Good time Charlie's got the blues
[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Good time Charlie's got the blues; interlude[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]You know my heart keeps tellin' me, "You're not a kid at thirty-three"[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]"You play around, you lose your wife, You play too long, you lose your life" [/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]I got my pills to ease the pain, Can't find a thing to ease the rain[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]I'd love to try and settle down, But everybody's leavin' town...,
[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Some gotta win, some gotta lose[/FONT]
[FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Good time Charlie's got the blues, Good time Charlie's got the blues
[/FONT][FONT=Liberation Serif, serif]Good time Charlie's got the blues.[/FONT]

 

[Badger]

I got my first guitar at 14 around 1964. Tried to learn a few chords playing songs out of an instruction book like "she'll be coming around the mountain" etc. and gave up a few times. The guitar was a terrible Sears $14 meat board. Eventually picked it up again a year later and got good enough to play folk songs without buzzing the strings.


In college a few of us got a little band together to play at mostly fraternity parties. Usually once a month. Lots of fun.



I eventually traded my Gibson SG for an acoustic EKO 12 string that I still have in almost new condition. I also have an acoustic EKO 6 stri ng of the same vintage as well as an electric DeArmond Jazz box, thin body, and Bass. The DeArmonds are all in the closet in cases in new unplayed mint condition. Unfortunately arthritis prevent me from playing anymore. Bummer.


So go for it while you can. The hundreds of youtube and other websites are a great way to learn. Sore fingers will force you to take it slow for awhile until calluses build up.


Good luck!


Cheers!

 

[Music Lover]

A lot of good advice has been given. I've been playing guitar and bass for most of my life, and have performed at countless gigs...mostly on bass, but also as a guitar player.

My recommendation...before you go too far on your own, is to take some lessons either from a music teacher or from a competent guitar playing friend to ensure that your technique is correct. You don't have to do it for long, just long enough to learn some basic technique which will make playing easier and also prevent strain or injuries in the future. One you have the basic technical skills learned, you can try learning on your own.

 

[Music Lover]

My second recommendation:

You don't need to know a lot of theory, but a little bit can go a very long way. You need to know where the notes are on strings, and how to play the basic chords in open position.

Then learn the barre chords. Once you know barre chords, after a 10 minute lesson you will be able to identify all the chords in any key by following a simple pattern on the neck of the guitar. So, if someone says a song is in D, then you can immediately figure out the 3 major and 3 minor chords because the position of each chord is exactly the same relative to the root note.