Learning guitar?

I agree with starting out with an acoustic....even if all you want to do is play metal. And definately get a few lessons when you start out. I didn't get lessons when i started, and later on i suffered from wrong techniques and stuff, which a teacher will help u to avoid.
 
I don't agree about getting an acoustic first. Electrics and acoustics are two vastly different instruments, and not all techniques translate to both. Playing with distortion requires a whole different set of skills than playing clean or acoustic. If you want to play metal, buy the humbucker equipped electric that speaks to you. The only upside to starting with an acoustic is that you'll quickly build finger strength. However, you can accomplish the same thing by putting a set of 11 gage strings on an electric.
 
There are plenty of good books and online videos for guitar. Just get your gear(but do some research first) and get to it.

It's incredibly fun.
 
Good thread. I have to say that I would agree with getting lessons when you are first starting out. Teaches you what and what not to do to give a discipline on practicing that will greatly improve your playing.
Detonator is right though, especially if you want to play metal. Acoustic might not be the best thing to start with because for most metal you play 1-2 strings with heavy distortion as opposed to 6 string open chords that you learn on acoustic...
 
Learning to play guitar is something you must want to do from inside the heart and soul, you must desire it and hunger for it, you can not give up and must not let frustration beat you down to quitting. I suggest getting a book of chords, learn all the major and minor chords, master basic power chords, master them also learn bar chords after the basic structures. Get a subscription to Guitar World magazine and learn how to read tablature, the magazine will teach you how to read Tablature, and you can get lessons by many great artist inside the mag currently Dave Mustaine is teaching and Slash (to name a couple) Reading tablature can teach you many chord structres, and can help in learning how to break chords down.... you will be able to learn songs by some of the legends. Once you understand tablature, Practice and memorize some different pentatonic scales, major, minor, and Melodic minor scales.. they come in handy with hand stretching, finger speed, and coordination with hands.
 
xDetonatorx said:
I don't agree about getting an acoustic first. Electrics and acoustics are two vastly different instruments, and not all techniques translate to both. Playing with distortion requires a whole different set of skills than playing clean or acoustic. If you want to play metal, buy the humbucker equipped electric that speaks to you. The only upside to starting with an acoustic is that you'll quickly build finger strength. However, you can accomplish the same thing by putting a set of 11 gage strings on an electric.
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I disagree somewhat. I started on an electric but made most of my development when I saved up and purchased an acoustic. Why?

I put it down to the fact that with the electric, theres always the hassle of plugging it in and setting it up. Plus, its naturally a heavier object and less desirable to always pick up and muck around with. I find myself taking the acoustic to whereever I am in the house, my room, the kitchen, watching TV, friends houses, etc. Its just inherently much more convenient to practice on an acoustic.

Also, as this guy is a beginner, its much cheaper, and hes not even sure if he wants to stick at it yet. If he finds himself enjoying the guitar, he will be sure to pick up an electric down the track.
 
Acoustic tends to be boring if you don't know what you're doing. At least you can noodle around with distortion.

From what I read on forums, most people who go with acoustic first tend to stop at that.
 
fizz6207 said:
I disagree somewhat. I started on an electric but made most of my development when I saved up and purchased an acoustic. Why?

I put it down to the fact that with the electric, theres always the hassle of plugging it in and setting it up. Plus, its naturally a heavier object and less desirable to always pick up and muck around with. I find myself taking the acoustic to whereever I am in the house, my room, the kitchen, watching TV, friends houses, etc. Its just inherently much more convenient to practice on an acoustic.

Also, as this guy is a beginner, its much cheaper, and hes not even sure if he wants to stick at it yet. If he finds himself enjoying the guitar, he will be sure to pick up an electric down the track.
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True about the convenience factor, and I as well practice on my Acoustic more than my electrics these days. The thing is, when you first get started with guitar, the most important thing is to not luse interest right off the bat. That's why I think its important to buy the instrument most suited to making the type of music that you like. For a Rock/Metal player, nothing beats the first time you plug in, turn up and let rip with that very first E power chord. :headbang:
 
I don't really agree with all this emphasis on theory (and this is from a guy who spent four years in music school). Sure it can assist you with harmonies and chords and all that, but it will likely lock you up in a box of thought and narrow your views to an established and conformist doctrine. A tragic state, really. Very often, theory students tend to confuse the meaning of "useful information" with "rules to live by", and it takes an experienced mind to differentiate between the two. I remember even my Harmony proffesor went into great lenghts to explain to us the relativity of music theory and the traps it brings along to the mind of the musician. His often repeated quote was: music is a natural thing, if you're listening to your instinct, you'll never go wrong. It took me years to fully understand this.

Take a look around: Akerfeld has stated numerous times that he knows shit about theory, but his music, well we all know about his music. Hetfield the semi-literate-truck-driver type, blue-belt John Lennon and countless others...

It's a double-headed sword, and theory books should have a Warning printed on front.
 
Misko said:
I don't really agree with all this emphasis on theory (and this is from a guy who spent four years in music school).
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There wasn't an emphasis on theory - just the basics until the dude gets a handle of things, like major and minor chords and a few scales.

And while it's always cool to buy an electric guitar, it's way more fun if you've been playing a classical guitar for a year and then finally get your hands on your on electric with your own amp, and you actually know what you're doing a bit. It makes you feel you "deserve" the electric so much more, and then you put a lot more time into your playing.
At least, that's how it was for me.
 
Alright I will tell yo gus a story.....

So I was auditioning guitarists for my band...well lead guitarist.......we both plug in...he starts with some super fast slayer-esque riffs.....solid rhythm skills..and then starts doing some tapping and what not....totally blew me away....I was like WOAHhhh......and then after doing some metal stuff...i asked'em to switch to clean tone..and start playing some open chords for a song...and get this....he was like....How do u play an A.....and I was just shell shocked...this kid had blown me away earlier with his killer lead and rhythm skills...yet he didnt know about open chords or any name of the notes on the guitar.....I felt bad for him.....we parted ways...but it just made me think that U HAVE to start on acoustic otherwise u will end up like him......PEAC EOUT
 
I started with a shitty acoustic guitar and I must admit that the quality of the guitar kind of lessened my desire to play it for awhile...I guess the most important thing is perseverance, regardless of whether you start with an electric guitar or an acoustic one. However, I remember the first time I plugged in my first electric guitar after a couple years of practicing on an acoustic; kinda revitalized my interest in guitar. Anyways, from personal experience, I would suggest you start with an acoustic guitar just because it's generally cheaper than having to buy an electric guitar and decent amp. Ibanez makes ideal beginners guitars imo.
 
Being a guitarist for a good 8 years now, I remember when I started out.... on an acoustic, reading text tabs I found online and getting tips from fellow guitar players. Never did a lesson, but chances are the ould have helped me out quite a bit. Nothing wrong with checking them out I say.

As far as learning goes, one program I found rather handy for learning is a nifty thing called Guitar Pro, I havn't seen it mentioned yet, and this program is so much better than using just normal text tabs. If noone has heard of this, look it up and give it a go.
 
gumtree said:
As far as learning goes, one program I found rather handy for learning is a nifty thing called Guitar Pro, I havn't seen it mentioned yet, and this program is so much better than using just normal text tabs. If noone has heard of this, look it up and give it a go.
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Yeah GP is pretty nice. Even though i´m a drummer, i´ve managed to learn a bunch of songs on guitar using GP. I use GP3 which i think is the simplest and best version.
 
I only got into guitar pro from number 4. thats the best one to use IMO, GP5 pisses me off, and I know how to use GP4 quite well.
I've learnt heaps of stuff from guitar pro, even used it to write and record backing tracks for some of my own songs. pretty handy.

One thing I don't get is why some GP3 files won't work with 4, I have to use 5 so I can run some, and it annoys me.
 
I'd love to learn too but I'm a seventeen year old chick (yes it's a poor excuse but i'll use it anyway) with no clue and musically hopeless. :S

I think i'd be better off with lessons than self teaching.

Any idea of lesson prices in the UK??
 
gumtree said:
As far as learning goes, one program I found rather handy for learning is a nifty thing called Guitar Pro, I havn't seen it mentioned yet, and this program is so much better than using just normal text tabs. If noone has heard of this, look it up and give it a go.
Click to expand...


Yeah, guitar pro is a great program. It's a shame that GP tabs aren't as good as Powertabs (usually), since it's better because it's user friendly, has drums and has a bunch of other options that PT doesn't have.


Also, if you have friends who play, play and practice with them as much as possible.
 
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