As the topic says, I just started playing guitar. I know its not much, but I'm very proud to say that I can play the first few bars of one of my all-time favorite songs, Nothing Else Matters (Metallica). I was just wondering if any of the musicians on here had any tips they could offer me. Any help would be appreciated.
playing the first couple bars of nothing else matters isnt something to brag about...u dont even have to hold down any strings to play it...but then again that was my first song too...good luck and enjoy...u might want to get a basic chords book...
Like red said, learning chords is really important; when you're playing something like the beginning of Nothing Else Matters, try fingering the Em even though you're not playing those strings. It's good to get in the habit of fingering chords while picking so that you can keep your fingers mostly in one place and change strings using (what will eventually be) familiar motions.
Good topic. I've been thinking about learning how to play the guitar for awhile, but don't know if I should start on an acoustic or an electric. Any advice?
As a practical matter, electric would be easier for you to actually push down the strings and hold 'em there until you develop calluses. On an acoustic, it would hurt more, but you'd probably toughen up faster =)
or you could do what i did and go get an acoustic/electric guitar...my strings are pretty high off the board too so that helps...
I taught myself guitar. I used a book by Mel Bay called Teach Yourself Country Guitar. It was cheesy but it taught you the basic chords and flatpicking and such. I then got a book called The Complete Guitarist. That book expanded my chord vocabulary and got me doing scales so I can play some lead as well as rhythm guitar. Other than that most of my guitar knowledge has come from songbooks and tablature off of the internet. I play alot of Clapton and virtually every Dave Matthews song. I've learned some cool chords from playing DMB stuff. The thing is that you have to build a solid foundation. Buy a book. Learn basic chords. Learn bar chords. Learn the variations of chords. Learn flatpicking and fingerpicking. Learn scales. Learn songs you like and learn from them. Then just keep building on that.
First, learn to read music. You will have a greater wealth of music at your disposal and it will teach you to think musically (and not just like a guitarist). Tab is a nice shortcut, but if you ever want to learn anything outside of rock, you'll be left high and dry. Second, learn as much theory as you can. Because the subject might seem dry, I would suggest seeking out a good teacher who can pick songs that can help you see the various aspects of theory (scales, chord construction, harmony, etc.) in context. Third, listen to as much music as you can and try to play along. Begin with easy stuff (Nothing Else Matters is a great song to start off with) and keep challenging yourself. Don't just listen to guitarists - listen to other instruments and vocals too. Finally, have fun.
I'm glad subtomic suggested learning to read music. I know that lots of musicians might debate that point, but I'd have to agree that learning to read music opens a lot doors for you. Try to do it now while you are still learning-- I can tell you, from my own experience, that learning to read music later (when your technical abilities on the instrument are superior to the level of the music you are trying to read) can be really frustrating. As a goofy teenager who was way into Primus, I remember learning to play every bass part on the first three albums... but I couldn't read soul and Motown charts. That really blew. Other suggestions: Learn as many chords as possible (learn different ways of playing the same chord, improvise around them, etc.); find a song you like and try to transcribe it-- that helps tuning your ear to the music and improves your reading and familiarity with the instrument; find other people to play with (other learning-musicians, teachers, etc.); see as much live music as you can... practice, practice, practice... Some of this sounds really obvious, but it is also stuff that people take for granted and don't really commit themselves to...
Ugh. I always have problems reading music, especially in mid-performance. It always stalls me TAB all the way!
The blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues. You can play it over anything. The blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues, the blues. And don't look back.
I've been playing for a long time and I can tell you there is no right way to do it, however there are a few things you can do to help yourself along (in order): 1. Start on acoustic It may not be as fun as electric, but it will toughen your hands up immensely compared to electric. It will also give you the basic skills you need in the first few months. Plus, it is portable in terms of playing. You can hear yourself in any location without an amp. 2. Buy small. Start with something good but not pricey. When you have decided you want to pursue it further, don't upgrade to a cheap, slightly better instrument. Save your dough and buy a much nicer one. For example, buy a $150 acoustic to start and move up to a $500 electric. That jump is fairly significant in the music world and you'll notice the difference whereas a jump to a $200 electric won't be much difference and you'll end up having to upgrade sooner anyway. 3. Take a few lessons. Nothing like a good guitar teacher to get you going and learning the basics. It is a good way to jump start your learning. 4. Play along with records. This is the way every musician (outside of classical) has honed their craft. You learn to play along with the people you idolize. You may need some help with the music, so... 5. Learn tablature and chord charts. You CAN learn to sight read music, but if your goal is to be a rock guitar player, you may never use it. To start, learn tablature and basic chord charts. Those are the standard for learning pop/rock/country/r&b/jazz/blues, etc . If you want to learn music later, great. But, don't force it on yourself. As a musician for over 18 years and someone who did it professionally (for a living) for about 10 of those including a lot of work as a session musician, I can tell you that I RARELY encountered a time when sight reading was needed. Chord charts and tab were a part of many of my gigs, however. 6. Learn basic music theory. I personally recommend jazz theory because it is so reflective of modern pop music. If you can understand things like the circle of 5ths, the modes, turnarounds and relative keys, you'll have much of the stuff you'll need under your belt. 7. If you love it, practice like crazy. For my first 4 or 5 years, I played 8, 9, 10 hours a day. Of course, I was in college and could basically screw around or working at a music store where I had instruments all around me. But, practice, as the saying goes, makes perfect. It is the single most important element of your learning process. Enjoy yourself, too. Don't get to bogged down in perfection. It's supposed to be fun!
The first thing you must understand is that most guitar stores double their prices for beginning players . Just kidding (although they do tend to charge a little more simply because you don't know enough about guitars to haggle down the price). There is a wide range of quality and prices in guitars. I could give you quotes for various brands of guitars (I'm a gearhead so I keep up on these things), but its' better if you go and try out a bunch of guitars in your price range and buy the one that you like the most (as long as you aren't judging solely on appearance). And if you don't find anything you can afford, save money until you can get what you like. You'll be happier, you'll probably use the guitar longer before searching for a replacement, and in the event you decide to stop, the guitar will have a better resale value. This ties into another important point. Make sure that you start playing on a guitar that can help you get the sound you want right away. Some of the posters have mentioned that it's better for your hands and callouses to start on acoustic and I agree 100%. However, if you have no interest in playing acoustic music, you're going to lose interest fast. If the music that you want to play is electric, buy an electric and buy one that has the right capabilities. For example, if you're really into Korn or other metal type music, don't buy a Fender Strat. Although Strats are nice and generally well-built, they have single-coil pickups, which cannot adequately reproduce the bassy distortion of most metal. Likewise, if you want a really twangy, country sound, don't buy an Ibanez with humbuckers. I realize alot of the terms I'm using are probably alien to non-gearheads, so I would also suggest picking up guitar magazines (especially Guitar Player). They will help you understand the jargon. And ask questions at guitar stores. Some of the salesmen may be pricks, but many of them will provide you with knowledge that will help you seek out the sound you want.
Subtomic Speaks the Truth -- Play, play, play! DO NOT BUY A GUITAR UNTIL YOU HAVE FOUND 'THE ONE'!!!. This may mean trips across town to wear out the inventory of some small mom and pop guitar school miles off the beaten road. Thats ok -- you want to choose an instrument that not only suits you sonically, but feels great as well. Two indentical model strats can play like completely different instruments, so again, make sure you PLAY, PLAY, PLAY! Buy used. Guitar stores grossly overcharged for new instruments. You'll be better served jumping on ebay, or browsing the used intrument section at your local guitar store -- you can find some real gems -- thats how I found my Tele!
Buy a relatively cheap guitar at first. Something that feels good to you. Fender makes a couple of different lines of Strats from the Squire series, to the Strats that are made in Mexico and Japan all the way to the US versions. I believe the Squires start around 100 bucks plus or minus. Your EAR is the most important thing. Hear a song...figure it out piece by piece. I've been playing for 24 yrs, self taught, except for about 8 lessons (which I also recommend). My lessons always consisted of my teacher asking me what song i wanted to learn and he'd transcribe it and teach me as we both listened to it. After about 8 lessons I was able to figure out on my own. So many ways to go about it and mine is just one of em. Good luck and I hope you stick with it. It's one of the most stress relieving things i know of.
Everybody has good advice. Very cool. Allow me to add one more to the list: Jam! Find someone to play with (preferably your equal or better) and jam. JAM! When I'm practicing alone I focus on speed and conditioning. I'll find a song in a fake book with lots of interesting chord changes (Desperado comes to mind) and play every chord to the beat (one chord to a beat), not as a song, but to encourage quick changes. The more you jam, and the faster your chords changes get, you'll be suprised at how fast you'll find yourself on stage. All of a sudden you'll be playing with anybody. Not because you know the song they're playing, but you'll be able to follow them...instictively, and your chord changes smooth. Oh, the Blues is a great base! You can do wonders with just 3 chords. Ask any bluesman, rocker, and country picker. I have to admit, I learned by ear. If I was to do it all over again, I'd learn to read music and pick up another instrument, like the piano. Again, JAM. RR
