Learning guitar?

breathingmetal

breathingmetal

April Ethereal
Dec 20, 2004
36
0
6
35
New Zealand
Hey all.

I'm about to pick up the electric guitar and just have a few questions about playing metal.
Firstly, I have absolutely no experience in playing the guitar, (unless you include guitar hero which I can play well). I was wondering whether I'm completely wasting my time investing in a new guitar and amp just to store it in the coupboard come 2 weeks time.. I am however very determined to learn!
I don't intend to have lessons but will attempt to self teach. Do any dvd style programmes or books help in this regard. I guess tab books are a good place to start?

Cheers in advance for your feedback any would be much appreciated.
Hopefully in no time a new metal guitarist is born!!!
 
As for buying a guitar, generally buying used will get you a better guitar for less, and you'll be able to resell it for what you payed for it if you decide not to stick with it. Do some research on guitars, there's a lot of good deals to be found if you know what your looking for. As for learning, I'd recommend taking at least one lesson from a good guitar teacher. He'll show you the basics of what to expect and what to avoid. Get a few basic lesson books and a few tabs for songs you like. Try to mix the stuff you want to learn with the stuff that will benefit you down the road, and expect to suck for a long time. YouTube is also a great resource. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advice I'll get to the library, I assume they have lesson books..? Otherwise I'll have to search online. Any quality lesson books you recommend for beginners, that you've heard actually teach what they claim to?
Always good to come to a forum with intelligent people who submit.
Cheers guys
 
I second the :rofl:etonatorx' opinion about buying used and cheap, your objective for the time being is to learn the instrument, not to have a good sound. If you decide to continue, then think about bying a better guitar. Now, you need a guitar with an 'easy' neck, and which one has such a neck is an ongoing debate. My first electric guitar was a Yamaha (forgot the model but it was black-and-white, the cheapes one they have I think), it had a very easy neck, almost effortless to play. Ibanez on the other hand, have a reputation for a 'hard' neck, or so I hear. Epiphone SG (my current guitar) has a very 'hard' neck, you really have to have an experienced fingers to play it.
Speaking of fingers, learning to play is a very masohistic process. Your fingers wil swell and bleed, change colour to purple-black, hurt like hell. But these are signs that you're on the right track, just don't give up and soon you'll start to like the pain (I swear, all guitarists actually like that pain), before it eventually goes away.
An important thing you need to remember is that there is no "right" or "wrong" kind of playing, everything goes as long as the music is good (take Opeth for example - they play death using chords!). Don't be afraid to experiment and bend the rules to your liking. Being a self-taught player brings the advantage of "thinking out of the box", cherish that.

Check this forum, it's packed with advice, links, tabs, lessons and what not. Mingle with guitar geeks but try not to get caught too much into all that theory, mathematics, rules of harmony etc. Play with heart.
 
All great advice so far. I'll add one more- tabs are a great way to learn, but learning music theory (if you don't know already) is better still, because it gives you understanding beyond the notes on the page.
 
Honestly If u are determined then why waste money on a used Pawn shop piece......instead get ureself a descent guitar.....check these guys out www.rondomusic.com ...i got mine Agile 2500 here.....and I use it live....and ppl cant believe the sound I get out of it...and its only $249...!!!!....anywayz....moving on to the lessons....well I never took any...and most guitarist I know haven't....so its not necessary to take guitar lessons ....but def. helps developing practice discipline....Id start with a Melbay book.....they have chords and some easy songs to begin with....and then from there on.....u can just goto ultimate-guitar.com and look up tabs of ure fav songs.....also whatever you do...don't give up after a week....if ure bored..learn something new...and don't skip steps and take shortcuts...learn ure finger picking, learn ure open chords, learn ure hybrid techniques, learn ure barre chords.....learn ure scales...!!!!!...well I hope that helps....best of luck.....Keep rockin....PEAC EOUT
 
I'd also like to buy a guitar, could someone direct us to some good ones? What models would be best for beginners? As I'm clueless as to what to look for, thanks! :)
 
daliup said:
I'd also like to buy a guitar, could someone direct us to some good ones? What models would be best for beginners? As I'm clueless as to what to look for, thanks! :)
Click to expand...

www.rondomusic.com

I don't know ure budget....but Id start with the AGILE 2000 ....I have teh 2500 model...but I don't see it anymore....2000 is just as fine.....and yeah as the poster above u just said....AGILES are kick ass guitars......PEAC EOUT

http://www.rondomusic.com/al-2000csbp90.html
http://www.rondomusic.com/ps970bk.html
http://www.rondomusic.com/product768.html
http://www.rondomusic.com/septor6blueflm.html
 
Agiles are a good guitar for the price. If you want to step it up a bit, check out Edwards guitars. They are a subsidiary of ESP, made in Japan, and make some of the best guitars in the $500-1000 range. Ibanez Prestige series are also a very good option.
 
PRS Se series rock! They are well worth the money, as they are around $500 new I guess.. Might be able to get them even cheaper secondhand :)
 
The guy is buying his first guitar...and hes not even sure If hes gonna keep it.....i don't think a $500 guitar is a good idea....stick with the Agiles for now bro...they are just as good.....PEAC EOUT
 
Misko said:
Mingle with guitar geeks but try not to get caught too much into all that theory, mathematics, rules of harmony etc. Play with heart.
Click to expand...

Gotta disagree with this. It would do nothing but help you to get a good understanding of music theory. You don't HAVE too. But it would easily set you apart from the majority of guitarist who don't know crap and just get by by fiddling.
 
While everyone here has some good advice to give, I'm of the opinion you should not start with an electric guitar but with a classical guitar. A) It's cheaper B) it's preferable for beginners. That way you can see what kind of music you play the most and what direction you want to go, and THEN get an electrical guitar and amp. And if you see that you don't enjoy playing it, you haven't lost that much money, since classicals are cheap.

Also, I think you should definately get as many guitar lessons as possible, at least for the first year. I took lessons for a couple of years, and in that time my playing and understanding improved light years. Also, you get someone who can introduce you to cool things to play on the guitar that wouldn't have thought you'd enjoy.
 
Frosties said:
While everyone here has some good advice to give, I'm of the opinion you should not start with an electric guitar but with a classical guitar. A) It's cheaper B) it's preferable for beginners. That way you can see what kind of music you play the most and what direction you want to go, and THEN get an electrical guitar and amp. And if you see that you don't enjoy playing it, you haven't lost that much money, since classicals are cheap.

Also, I think you should definately get as many guitar lessons as possible, at least for the first year. I took lessons for a couple of years, and in that time my playing and understanding improved light years. Also, you get someone who can introduce you to cool things to play on the guitar that wouldn't have thought you'd enjoy.
Click to expand...

O GOD.....off course where are my manners....yeah to the thread started...don't start on a electric guitar...dang how could I miss that one...yeah always start on an acoustic be it nylon or steel strings.....but yeah start on a acoustic...gives u a better understanding of melody.....thanx for bringing that up frosties..!!!....PEAC EOUT
 
There you go, a plethora of different opinions. Look, it's not rocket science, just go get an axe and start playing. And get yourself a band, you'll progress faster + it's way more fun :headbang:
 
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