I think I want to learn to play the guitar

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Burninator

This is awesome advice guys, I really appreciate it!

With the tips and experience in this thread combined with what I've read online, I've decided to pick up an acoustic and start with that. And if I enjoy it and continue to go with it, I'll pick up an electric guitar later down the road. But for now I am going to get a 6 nylon string guitar in about the $300 price range. Something that is simple and has a solid top.

I am going to try and learn on my own, through internet tutorials and such. If I am really struggling I will get personal lessons.

So when I go to buy, what do I need to walk away from the store with? Guitar, bag, stand, pick, strap, tuner? Do I need all that or do I need more?

SaskBush I own Guitar Hero's II for the 360, I think that was part of my inspiration.

I dont know where you live, but if you live in Calgary, get a humidifier for inside your case, climate is very dry here and nothing is harder on the wood of a guitar or keeping it in tune than no humidity. And get a hard case, not soft.

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

That is quite funny, I checked the guitar left in my closet by my old roomate: Ovation Applause AA13. No plug in for an electric tuner though, I think it is a pretty old model.

all the electronic tuners have a mic and it works fine to just set it beside guitar while tuning. get a roland/boss tuner, very good.

[Burninator]

Guitar purchased!

Went to Axe after work and picked up a Seagull Entourage, it's a Canadian make with a solid wood top (link). I also picked up a hard case, stand, electronic tuner, and a humidifier. I spent a little more than I was hoping (not really a surprise though) but I am happy with the purchase.



But now I off to learn how to play this thing.

And thanks for your help everyone! It really helped a lot.

I am sure I'll be asking more questions down the road.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Nice 'Tar, Burninator.

Now all you need are a pair of shades.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

all the electronic tuners have a mic and it works fine to just set it beside guitar while tuning. get a roland/boss tuner, very good.

Yeah so I got my tuner, allows me to tune 7b, 6 E, 5A, 4D, 3G, 2B, 1E

All well and good, problem is I have no idea how to make those chords.

[Cerebral]

Awesome choice! I actually meant to make a post recommending a Seagull for your first guitar but I forgot for some reason. My first acoustic guitar (and the one I'm still playing) was a Seagull and I absolutely love it. A few friends of mine have Seagull's as well and I have yet to hear a complaint.

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Yeah so I got my tuner, allows me to tune 7b, 6 E, 5A, 4D, 3G, 2B, 1E

All well and good, problem is I have no idea how to make those chords.

Those aren't chords, they're likely your strings. 6E will be your fattest string at the bottom of the guitar (or top depending on how you're looking at it) while 1E will be your thinnest string. Just ensure all of your individual strings are in tune (keep plucking 6E and fiddling with the corresponding tuning peg until it's right in the middle and in tune) and you should be fine unless you plan on playing in a different key.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Cerebral

Those aren't chords, they're likely your strings. 6E will be your fattest string at the bottom of the guitar (or top depending on how you're looking at it) while 1E will be your thinnest string. Just ensure all of your individual strings are in tune (keep plucking 6E and fiddling with the corresponding tuning peg until it's right in the middle and in tune) and you should be fine unless you plan on playing in a different key.

Thank you, Guitar tuned .

I got confused with the whole 7 string thing.

[tussery]

Thats a nice guitar. Look much nicer than my low end Taylor.

[troutman]

Very nice. Enjoy.

Once you are really punk, you have to smash it up.

You can play a lot of songs with just 3 chords - C, F, G

[KevanGuy]

One pretty basic thing to learn is the 1-4-5. The way it works is that when you play certain chords together they will sound like they fit. So, use the pattern 1-4-5.

Chords are A though G. Pick a letter....lets say C. That is now 1 and that makes D 2, E 3, F 4, G 5.

So, following the pattern, C (1) wil go with F (4) and G (5).

A (1) D (4) E (5) is a popular pattern. Im sure if you just play those three chords you will recogize some song that uses them.

Oh, and if you get to G then go back to A. So, E (1) A (4) B (5).

Hope that makes sense. You can write a song pretty quick using that pattern.

[Sparks]

^^ Yeah that's a basic blues progression, I think. Used a lot in popular music.

Nice guitar! Well, since I'm bored and everyone else is giving advice, here's my take. The first thing I'd suggest learning are all the open chords (A C D E G Am Dm Em). You can actually play quite a few easy songs with those chords (eg. Free Falling, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Mr. Tamborine Man) and I'm sure more if you look up songs with only open chords on the internet. It's a lot more fun to practice if you're actually playing a song, obviously.

You might then want to learn how to play E and A as major, minor, and dominant 7. That'll help out when you learn barre chords.

Barre chords look like this:


See how he's using his index finger to press down all the strings? That's a barre chord. You can then play just about any chord up the fingerboard.

If you learn this stuff first, it'll make it a hell of a lot easier to read tabs, 'cause you'll recognize the chords, and your fingers will just "know where to go" when you're playing.

I'd either pick up a beginner guitar book with the chords and their fingerings. Then go at it. It'll take a while before you'll get a decent sound out of the guitar and your fingers will probably get sore, but they'll get a lot stronger as you play. I remember having a lot of trouble with barre chords in particular, cause my fingers weren't strong enough to get a good sound. That's totally normal.

Well, that's how I learned. Anyway, have fun man!

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by Sparks

I remember having a lot of trouble with barre chords in particular, cause my fingers weren't strong enough to get a good sound. That's totally normal.

Well, that's how I learned. Anyway, have fun man!

I've been playing for about 3 years off and on and my barre chords still don't sound great.

All you really need is to find a decent online lesson - once you learn the basic chords, you're pretty much ready to start checking out some tabs and going from there.

[Sparks]

From KevanGuy's suggestion, here is the I-IV-V progression, using only open chords, in major:

A D E
D G A
G C D

I think those are the only three you can play using only open chords.

The verse from Breakfast at Tiffany's is just D G A, for example. I-IV-V in D.

Originally Posted by Cerebral:
I've been playing for about 3 years off and on and my barre chords still don't sound great.

Tell me about it.

[Kipru]

You already bought that electronic tuner, but if you have a mic in your computer you also could use this program Ap Tuner

[Burninator]

Thanks for the tips guys. The online site for beginners that I am trying to learn with has me starting with Knockin' on Heavens door. Four notes, G D C Am. I can play the notes, but I can't transition from note to note fast enough or smooth enough to make it sound good yet. It'll come with time, I know. And I definitely need to build up my finger strength, you guys weren't lying about that.

I like playing it. Playing being the operative word, as it would be tough to classify it as that right now. But I am going to try and practise at least once everyday, or whatever my fingers will allow.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Thanks for the tips guys. The online site for beginners that I am trying to learn with has me starting with Knockin' on Heavens door. Four notes, G D C Am. I can play the notes, but I can't transition from note to note fast enough or smooth enough to make it sound good yet. It'll come with time, I know. And I definitely need to build up my finger strength, you guys weren't lying about that.

I like playing it. Playing being the operative word, as it would be tough to classify it as that right now. But I am going to try and practise at least once everyday, or whatever my fingers will allow.

It gets easier. I stopped playing for a while and recently got a new guitar (I think that thread was 3 months ago). I've still forgotten 90% of the songs I knew, but changing chords came back a LOT faster.

When I first started, I probably played Dust in the Wind for a month before I was able to get a couple of the changes sounding smooth. This time it only took a few hours. A lot of it is muscle memory, once you get yourself programmed it gets much easier. I still suck, but just playing the chords I do recall I hear bits and pieces of popular songs.

It is time to replace a bunch of the tabs I lost, so I can rebuild my repetoire.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

When I first started, I probably played Dust in the Wind for a month before I was able to get a couple of the changes sounding smooth. This time it only took a few hours. A lot of it is muscle memory, once you get yourself programmed it gets much easier. I still suck, but just playing the chords I do recall I hear bits and pieces of popular songs.

That is the song I most want to learn. One of my favourites for sure.

[CaramonLS]

What are some good beginner songs to try to learn?

Obviously I was thinking Stairway to Heaven and then move up from there?

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Thanks for the tips guys. The online site for beginners that I am trying to learn with has me starting with Knockin' on Heavens door. Four notes, G D C Am. I can play the notes, but I can't transition from note to note fast enough or smooth enough to make it sound good yet. It'll come with time, I know. And I definitely need to build up my finger strength, you guys weren't lying about that.

I like playing it. Playing being the operative word, as it would be tough to classify it as that right now. But I am going to try and practise at least once everyday, or whatever my fingers will allow.

Yup, practise is the operative word for learning anything. But rather than one very long session, where you will end up with sore fingers etc, try two shorter sessions, at least when you first start. And try maybe two pieces that use very basic chords and very few chords. Try one for one practise session, the other for the other practise session, keeps it more interesting that way.

Same thing really as playing with a puppy and training it. Keep the sessions short enough to keep the interest, but not long enough that it becomes tedious because then it is work, not fun.