Learning guitar: Advice/Tips.

[J pold]

So, one of my goals this summer was to learn how to play an old acoustic guitar that I have. I've been to one lesson and it helped, I been trying to practice the basic chords as much as I can but my fingers are in a ton of pain only after a short period of time.

Right now I'm pretty comfortable playing all the basic chords (E, A, G, etc) but transitioning between them is damn near impossible. I know that if I want to get good I need to practice a lot, but any advice or tips are more them welcome.

Thanks.

[Bownesian]

I find that trying to play along to music I like is the easiest way to advance your skills. One album that is pretty simple on the guitar, is recognisable to the ear and is fun to play is Nirvana's Unplugged in NY. I would get it and download a guitar tabulature and try to play along. I used that album to self teach a bit on acoustic guitar (my real instrument is bass guitar) and it was fun and easy because much of it is played in power chords and other more basic finger positions. The tab is on the site below:

http://www.guitaretab.com/n/nirvana/13478.html

As far as getting your fingers in shape, I'd suggest that the best thing is to play a little bit (20-30 mins) every night for a week so you can slowly build up callouses. If you overdo it in infrequent but long practise sessions, you can give yourself blisters.

[schteve_d]

I am in the same boat, I am trying to learn right now too. I originally started as a distraction when I quit smoking, then I kind of let is slide for awhile and I'm getting back into it now.

This is a pretty good free (donation) site with lots of good information:

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-00...nersCourse.php

If you've got a hundred and fifty bucks burning a hole in your pocket, I picked up the Steve Krenz Learn and Master Guitar course and it is EXCELLENT!!

http://www.learnandmaster.com/guitar/


It's a little excessive if all you want to do is play around a campfire, but if you want to take it seriously I don't think after researching it pretty heavily that you can beat that course.

Now, truth is all I want to do is play around a campfire, so the course is certainly excessive but I bought it for myself with some of the money I had saved myself by quitting smoking as a little reward, and I really didn't think $150 was that bad for it.

Good luck!

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Bownesian

I find that trying to play along to music I like is the easiest way to advance your skills. One album that is pretty simple on the guitar, is recognisable to the ear and is fun to play is Nirvana's Unplugged in NY. I would get it and download a guitar tabulature and try to play along. I used that album to self teach a bit on acoustic guitar (my real instrument is bass guitar) and it was fun and easy because much of it is played in power chords and other more basic finger positions. The tab is on the site below:

http://www.guitaretab.com/n/nirvana/13478.html

As far as getting your fingers in shape, I'd suggest that the best thing is to play a little bit (20-30 mins) every night for a week so you can slowly build up callouses. If you overdo it in infrequent but long practise sessions, you can give yourself blisters.

These threads always bring the musicians out of the woodwork!

I agree with Bownesian, and I'll add this: don't try to learn chord transitions in the abstract. Instead, try to learn a song that you like and know well--you can play along with it at first, and then after a while try it on your own. After a while, it should start to come more easily, and you'll find that you're transitioning seamlessly between chords.

For a simple song that's super-easy to learn, "All I want is You'' is a great choice--if you happen to like U2, that is.

[Hack&Lube]

I built my chops playing videogames. Really.

With all the loading and waiting you need to do (when you die and need to wait for a new round to respawn), I'd always have a guitar beside me for those moments. Eventually, the round would restart and I'd come back to life but instead of playing anymore CS, I found I kept playing guitar.

[Bill Bumface]

Guitar tips from Family Guy

[Bownesian]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

These threads always bring the musicians out of the woodwork!

I agree with Bownesian, and I'll add this: don't try to learn chord transitions in the abstract. Instead, try to learn a song that you like and know well--you can play along with it at first, and then after a while try it on your own. After a while, it should start to come more easily, and you'll find that you're transitioning seamlessly between chords.

For a simple song that's super-easy to learn, "All I want is You'' is a great choice--if you happen to like U2, that is.

Iowa, do you still play some? I seem to remember you being a guitarist back in Jr High.

[troutman]

There are many excellent guitar lessons on youtube - nearly any song you can think of, and for all levels of players.

[sclitheroe]

Play more....that is the only tip needed. There is an old saying about having to play 10,000 hours to start to be good, I don't honestly remember who said it, but its more or less true.

I spent many years not putting a ton of time into the instrument, and got nowhere. The last year I've played a ton, and there is this certain threshold you hit where suddenly, you're still not an expert, but the doors just OPEN...songs that were out of reach aren't. You start picking things up by ear. You've got a good 5 fret reach when you previously had 3. Your fingers don't hurt. People who hear you practicing will actually occasionally remark that it sounds good. You start to really notice tone and inflection and the difference certain picking and strumming styles make, when previously it all sounded the same. The intonation of your instrument starts to drive you crazy...my personal favorite, that beginner guitar that you thought was junk, actually sounds OK...maybe it wasn't the guitar after all...

So the advice is, you are going to sound like crap for a good little while. KEEP GOING. Don't become like a friend of mine who won't even get started because he's not willing to sound like crap for a year or two. 10,000 hours of practice is completely doable in 3 years. I wouldn't sit there with a stopwatch, but just keep going, you will get there.

Create three playlists on your iPod - songs I can play, songs I'm working on, and songs I want to be able to play...Keep all three playlists growing and songs shuffling between them as you develop (and as your tastes change - and they will, its really weird how that happens), listen to all three all the time, and just keep playing.

[StoneCole]

Originally Posted by troutman

There are many excellent guitar lessons on youtube - nearly any song you can think of, and for all levels of players.

yeah youtube is your best friend: not only are there (quality) lessons for a ton of songs...I also find it's good inspiration...even just to sit down and watch videos of both famous artists and amateurs covering songs etc. ...gives you something to aspire to when you get frustrated.

[3 Justin 3]

I have been playing for 4+ years and I still suck at transitioning between chords. Mostly because I don't play those that much, but I still suck. Practice songs you like which use chord transitioning.

Practice, practice, practice is the motto.

[Sparks]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

10,000 hours of practice is completely doable in 3 years.

Not to nitpick (nevermind, I will!), that's about 9 hours a day. More realistically, for your average joe we're talking around 15-25 years - 1 or 2 hours per day. But that 10,000 hours thing was in reference to becoming a "master" at something, if it's the same thing I read.

Good post though, just a minor point. Besides, 10,000 hours sounds a bit daunting. A beginner will be a million times better after even 50.

[stang]

Originally Posted by StoneCole

yeah youtube is your best friend: not only are there (quality) lessons for a ton of songs...I also find it's good inspiration...even just to sit down and watch videos of both famous artists and amateurs covering songs etc. ...gives you something to aspire to when you get frustrated.

True... I was watching some dude cover Whevere I may roam in his bedroom, so I decided to learn it. That was my first Metallica song I learnt!

[EDBTZ12]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

I have been playing for 4+ years and I still suck at transitioning between chords. Mostly because I don't play those that much, but I still suck. Practice songs you like which use chord transitioning.

Practice, practice, practice is the motto.

Practice? we sitting here talking about practice? practice?

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Sparks

Not to nitpick (nevermind, I will!), that's about 9 hours a day. More realistically, for your average joe we're talking around 15-25 years - 1 or 2 hours per day. But that 10,000 hours thing was in reference to becoming a "master" at something, if it's the same thing I read.

Good post though, just a minor point. Besides, 10,000 hours sounds a bit daunting. A beginner will be a million times better after even 50.

Yeah I suck at math...point is, you gotta put in honest hours to get to where you want to go, there are no shortcuts for time

[drewboy12]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Yeah I suck at math...point is, you gotta put in honest hours to get to where you want to go, there are no shortcuts for time

ahhhhh ... Yes there is. They call it a time machine...

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Bownesian

Iowa, do you still play some? I seem to remember you being a guitarist back in Jr High.

I still fool around a little. I played in a band back at the U of C a million years ago. Now it's mostly kids songs as I'm sure you can imagine!

[J pold]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

[Methanolic]

Not sure if this is the best thread to ask but here goes.

Anyone know where I can buy "Wedgie" guitar picks in Calgary?

Very cool rubbery pick carved out portion feels awesome. had 1, lost it.

[D to the iddy]

This sort of goes with the "practice" mentality but always keep your guitar on hand, out of the case. It's a lot easier to pick up your guitar that's on a stand in your living room than get it out of the case that's under your bed. This helped me a lot when I was learning.