Learning Guitar
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Leamington, Ontario
Learning Guitar
So I figure theres gotta be a bunch of people on here who know how to play the guitar, and you all had to learn somehow. I'm wondering is it possible to teach myself to play using those books and the internet? Not that it really matters but it would be acoustic.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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I am still learning with out lessons. Look at guitar tabs and just start fooling aruond with cords and stuff like that. Buddy of mine has been playing for 5 years with out lessons taught himself. He is amazing. Plays creed, guns and roses, nickelback, ozzy, lynryd skynryd, plus stuff he makes up. He is aslo great on electric and acoustic.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
Mark Hanson's materials are excellent. Though his specialty is Travis style fingerpicking, he says a beginner can pick it up along with learning basic chords, and his books are all in tabulature.
www.accentonmusic.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3u3iC3oiMA
Disclaimer: He's my brother in law.
. Really nice guy, I'd even let him marry my sister again.
www.accentonmusic.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3u3iC3oiMA
Disclaimer: He's my brother in law.
. Really nice guy, I'd even let him marry my sister again.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
Likes: 5
From: The hills of No. Calif.
I took a few lessons when I was a kid, but for the most part I'm self-taught. What really helps me out is when I find someone who's style I really like and play with them as much as I can, emulating their style and adapting key elements of it into my own style. I found this works well with videos too, as I picked up a lot on finger picking from a Doc Watson video a few years back (good way to learn a few new songs as well!)
And the number one key...practice, practice, practice! Practice till your fingers bleed, but don't stop there. Build up those calluses so it doesnt hurt to play any more, and then you can really get some hours in!
And the number one key...practice, practice, practice! Practice till your fingers bleed, but don't stop there. Build up those calluses so it doesnt hurt to play any more, and then you can really get some hours in!
Last edited by TigerDan; Mar 25, 2008 at 07:03 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,680
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From: Montreal Canada
Learn how to read tabs. Reading tablature helps you learn because a good tab tells you how to play the song properly. If you develop the right technique you can learn to play anything.
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Posting Guru
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my step daughter wanted to learn guitar and she was told by two unrelated music teachers to start out with the books and learn the basics then they could help her out to save money if you can read its easy enough to pick up the basics by yourself
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Fallon, NV
I learned from books and friends that already knew how to play. I would be better if I put more effort into it. Took a class at CC once, didn't learn anything new. Haven't played much since I was a teenager, too old to be a rockstar now 
! If you have any musical ear at all you'll be able to learn from a book. It's easier if you start with songs that you've heard before, some of those in accoustic books are folk songs no one's ever heard before.
! If you have any musical ear at all you'll be able to learn from a book. It's easier if you start with songs that you've heard before, some of those in accoustic books are folk songs no one's ever heard before.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
Whatever you do, be sure the book/video/teacher teaches you correct finger positioning.not just which strings to press on, but correct hand placement and wrist position/finger curve etc. It may make it a bit harder at first, but it's better to learn and adapt to good habits in the beginning, than to unlearn bad habits later.
It may be a good idea to find a good instructor to check in with monthly, to see if you're on the right track.
Keep it fun!
It may be a good idea to find a good instructor to check in with monthly, to see if you're on the right track.
Keep it fun!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: the beaches of florida
Originally Posted by e1p1
Whatever you do, be sure the book/video/teacher teaches you correct finger positioning.not just which strings to press on, but correct hand placement and wrist position/finger curve etc. It may make it a bit harder at first, but it's better to learn and adapt to good habits in the beginning, than to unlearn bad habits later.
It may be a good idea to find a good instructor to check in with monthly, to see if you're on the right track.
Keep it fun!
It may be a good idea to find a good instructor to check in with monthly, to see if you're on the right track.
Keep it fun!
And again, dont get hung up on tabs. Tabs should be a reference, not a teacher. You should be able to listen to the song, then play most of it, and the part your confused on you can use tabs. A decent guitar player never needs tabs. Ever.
If your just gonna print up like 4 pages of tabs for a song like Stairway then its gonna take you forever to learn it. I see plenty of people fall into the trap. 4 years later they can play a bunch of song intros and thats it. They cant improvise or play with anyone else.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Fallon, NV
That's my problem, I was taught from a very young age on a different instrument to read music, which I can do very well, better if I've heard the piece before, but I suck at improvising. It was not encouraged. I can't agree more about proper hand positioning, I cringe every time I see someone using their thumb to complete a chord! BTW, I'm good at song intros 
! Most of all though, as e1p1 said : keep it fun!
! Most of all though, as e1p1 said : keep it fun!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 1997
Posts: 23,165
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From: Enjoying the real world.
I've been re-learning guitar. Picked one up for the first time since high school and realized I forgot.... everything. Just started getting the calluses back. 
I'm using a book and DVD, verly little tabs in either. Lots of cords... I forgot how much I hated the song Kumbaya!
I'm using a book and DVD, verly little tabs in either. Lots of cords... I forgot how much I hated the song Kumbaya!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: the beaches of florida
Originally Posted by racerchick21
That's my problem, I was taught from a very young age on a different instrument to read music, which I can do very well, better if I've heard the piece before, but I suck at improvising. It was not encouraged. I can't agree more about proper hand positioning, I cringe every time I see someone using their thumb to complete a chord! BTW, I'm good at song intros ! Most of all though, as e1p1 said : keep it fun!
! Most of all though, as e1p1 said : keep it fun!this dude play, he uses his thumb, and cant read music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-Mtd2A1DI
You can see him using his thumb.
On chord progression its not too much of a problem. In the end, as long as it sounds good thats all that matters.