How Many Guitarists Do We Have Here At GK?

Just curious how many people here at GK play the guitar, at least to some degree?


I know Scotty plays and I seem to recall that there were a couple others but can't remember who.


I have had my guitar for over 12 years now and I still don't play! :wtf?: Right? I bought it years ago and started to learn and then work took over for a good while. I forgot everything I learned back then.


Now that I am working from home as a grower, I have the time to dedicate to learning the instrument. I went on YouTube to get some beginner instruction. I've been practicing some dexterity and picking drills just to get my fingers used to the positions necessary to even think about learning some chords. I'm getting better, slowly. It's only been a week or so since I dug it out and started to learn but I think I will stick with it and learn to play this thing.


I have always loved guitar music. My dad plays and I grew up listening to it. I've tried to learn at 2 separate points in my life. Once when I was a teenager in High School, my dad started to teach me but I moved out shortly thereafter and since I was learning on my Dad's guitar that ended that. Then after I bought my guitar in my early 20's I was learning from a book and DVD set for beginners (Pre YouTube). Then I got a job that took all my time and I put it away and there it stayed in storage for years and years. Now I'm determined to learn to play. At least a little bit. Just for fun. I find it meditative when I'm practicing. I concentrate and everything else falls away. Good stress relief and even more fun when I'm medicated! :thumbsup:


So who else plays? Any tips for a complete beginner? Resources on the internet I should check out? asssit:

 

For almost twenty years. Basically practice and learn music theory. That is how you get good. If you're not a natural, the music theory is a must if you want to understand why you are making a chord and how to solo.

 

Right on. As far as reading and writing music goes, I dunno if I will actually get that far into it or not. My dad plays really well and never learned to read music but he's a natural. He plays a bunch of instruments all self taught. I on the other hand will need to work at it. I don't think I'm a natural but I do know if I invest enough time in practice I will at least be able to play some songs I like. I doubt I will ever get to the point of writing any songs or music, but to be able to pick it up and play some of my favorite songs would be nice. Who knows though in a few years if I get good enough I may be thinking differently. For now though I am a complete beginner and am just practicing the drills and trying to get my pinky finger to comply with the rest of my fingers and trying to get comfortable with using my finger tips to press the strings properly.

 

I am about 10 months into acoustic guitar. I do have a music background,


Having played trumpet and piano. Always loved guitar but life got in the way


of having the time for it till now. My wife plays and sings so we have a good time together. She has been teaching me and I got a DVD course as well.


With you there, Ras as I find it very relaxing and a stress breaker. I am not very good yet, but I am trying. I have a starter guitar-- a Fender Squire and


we also have a vintage Ovation celebrity that has a good sound. My wife plays


a 54 martin D18 ? or D28.


I have no interest in picking up an electric but I might splurge on a good


Acoustic one of these days when I am a better player.


BBT

 

Tab is great for learning songs, but there is no tab on stage.

 

ofo- I have a couple books of songs in tab for when I'm ready to actually play songs. I'm not quite there yet. I will definitely be using tab in the future though.


BBT- That's cool man. nice to see another person who's still in the earlier stages of learning. I'm sure it helps to have played other instruments before. I've never learned an instrument before so it's all new to me. I have a Fender DG8. Basically a starter guitar, but it gets good reviews still as being a quality instrument even though it's price is affordable. It was a kit that came with a gig bag, extra strings, a tuner. I bought a hard case for it though and it still looks brand new 12 years later.


Lion- I have no plans to get on stage or be an actual musician. I just want to learn to play a little so I can learn a few songs and read tab to amuse myself and friends around the campfire. That kind of thing. I'm too old to dream of being in a band or any of that kind of thing.

 

You are not too old to be in a band. The bands that played at our country club were mostly men in their 50's getting payed a solid couple grand to preform for 3 hours. The most famous I saw at a normal event was The Band of Oz.


I teach guitar. I was mostly telling you what I think is the easiest way to learn guitar. Yes, you can pick up a guitar, a book, and read some tab, and you will be able to play some songs. But if you want to learn how to play the guitar, use some of that time to learn WHY you are putting your fingers where they should be, and from there it just becomes second nature. The hardest part is in the beginning when your fingers hurt like a bitch after two minutes and you are making "Kaplunk" sounds on an Em.


I am not trying to start a fight on the best way to learn an instrument, as it seems that is the pattern here lately, me starting fights, but like I said, you want to learn the guitar, learn it. If you want to learn guitar, do it right. It is no more work than reading up on any other foreign subject.

 

True enough. Sounds like good advice. I'll definitely do some studying and hopefully I can do this right. I want to learn and understand how to play, not just mimic songs from memory. I honestly hate being in front of large crowds though. I have severe social anxiety and couldn't imagine playing in front of a lot of people. Who knows though, like I said in a few years I may love playing so much that I will play for others. Ya never can tell exactly what the future holds. I do feel like learning to play will be a good thing for me in general though. Meditation as well as confidence booster.


Now when you say study and understand music theory. Can you elaborate a little bit. Are you just talking about understanding how music is written? Do you have a good source for me to study on my own. I don't plan on paying for any lessons or anything. I would appreciate your input as someone who teaches the instrument. Where do you start your students who know basically nothing about playing. I mean I know the parts of the guitar and I can tune it. I know what strumming and picking are, but I have forgotten all the chords I learned previously but at one time I knew all the major chords and was starting to learn some minor chords and transitions. I even knew a couple of songs.


So far this is where I'm at. Don't laugh. I'm trying to start at the very beginning and learn to walk before I run.


[YOUTUBE]5dSp79TDWoc[/YOUTUBE]

 

I pulled a Dave Grohl and started playing guitar, I put whiteout on my fretboard, and that helped out herds learning. Rhythm no problem but, a lead? On hash? and a Samuel Smith Ale? It could be great! Or, it could have one bad note and you'd want to do it all over again.

 

Hi all, yeah ive also been playing accoustic and electric guitar for twenty years now, nothing serious, just like jammin'

 

guitar for dummies was my best friend for a while. I suggest it to anyone learning guitar. I've been learning and playing acoustic for about 12 years. started with the first act from Walmart now I've got a Fender CD 220. if you learn G,D, E&A you can play hundreds of songs and different genres. Hell, even in sixth grade band, my band teacher gave up trying to teach me how to read percussion music. it was easier for him just to show me twice, then I could play it. countrytabs.com and guitartabs.com is where I get all my music now maybe we can all meet up and play together at one of these GK gatherings

 

Ras, Lion is spot on. It helps to know why your fingers are in the place they are and how to switch your fingers to hit other notes and which to keep in place. When your fingers learn where they are suppossed to be so the movement is more natural, it makes it a lot easier to progress. Being stagnant and not seeing any progress will make you want to put it back down. I liked doing a little tab (not acid) when I was learning just to keep it interesting and actually hear something come out of the guitar than just single notes or chords. After a while you'll start to learn how many guitarists "cheat" when they play by not actually making full chords or just being lazy guitarists and not moving smoothly. (a pet peeve of mine)

 

Been playing for 25 years, 20 in a band. I started by learning a bunch of Ramones songs. Then my metal head friends in high school started giving me books like Metallica, Ozzy etc. After a while, I got into some blues and classical trying to be a better musician. Its good to play different genres of music in order to be a well rounded musician. Lately I've been playing old surf tunes, like Dick Dale and The Ventures etc. Good fun.


Lion is right, theory will be your best friend once it becomes natural to you.


Beethoven is a lot of fun to play, Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata are not too hard to learn, Mozarts Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik is fun. Hardest thing I ever learned was Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker play. Holy fuck that one will test your abilities no matter how long you've played.


I only have 4 guitars now, an Ovation accustic/electric, a Gibson 12 string accoustic, a 1969 Dean strat body style with an original Floyd Rose floating tremolo and a 1981 Ibanez Les Paul lawsuit model. Both of my electrics are totally custom. I have a 30 watt Marshall valvestate practice amp, but my baby is my 1972 Marshall 100 watt superlead that was "hot rodded" by the guy who makes amps for the Foo Fighters and other big bands. Nothing sounds as good as an all tube 70's Marshall!

 

I've been playing 25+ years, probably 5 years playing in bar bands. I've had lots of guitars, but the coolest was an ES-335 from the 70's that had had the head broke off and re-glued so I could afford it. Now I have half dozen acoustics, a Martin being the best. I play often but for myself and family. I tend to get stuck on one genre or artist for a while and learn stuff to my satisfaction, then move on. I like Jack Johnson a lot. I play blues, classic rock, Grateful Dead and folky Americana stuff. Lately Blackberry Blossom flat picking.


Love to play with others. Not a lot of time. I totally agree with the 70's marshall tube amps.

 

:coool:I knew we had more in common than growing!! Ive been playing off and on for 30 years. The off part was due to utter frustration with pre madonna musicians. Im a worker bee!! I play almost exclusively by ear these days ,but Lion is correct, unless you have some gift ,theory is the way to go. Books with songs youve heard are a good way to learn as you can see the chord structure as well as hear the sound it makes.My firdt book was The Eagles Greatest Hits and some Waylon Jennings book I cant remember but I still play the songs to this day lol. Another good tip is to get with good players(just like growing)that do what you wanna do and hang out ,watch and listen. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and its good practice.Im still jammin...gotta gig tonite to help a band promote a new CD.Too bad the chick sings a bit flat, shes cute and the musicians are great......oh well, its always something:guitar3::guitar7:


Rock On Brutha!

 

I was going to write out a long reply because Ras seemed interested as to why I recommended theory. But I think that part has been covered.


Scales and triads are the two easiest and most useful things to learn in my book for someone who is starting and isn't trying to be a star of sorts and learning for fun. :bong2:

 

Lots of good replies. I'll be doing some more studying on theory and understanding musical structure. I had a friend once who told me in his opinion he thought I should learn to play classical music on guitar first, then start to expand into other genres. That's how he said he learned. He was an excellent musician though. Could play anything from classical to rock and everything in between.


I want to become proficient. I don't see myself ever getting good enough to be confident enough to play in a band but ya never know I guess. I just know that I enjoy the guitar and stringed instruments in general. I thought about selling my guitar and getting a banjo but I think I will stick with my guitar. It has some sentimental value to me now that is worth much more than the actual dollar value of it.


Well, off to practice my drills some more and maybe pick away at the intro to "Smoke on the Water" LOL

 

:band: LMAO !!!You could learn Smoke on the Water and Stairway to Heaven on the Banjo opcorn-2:opcorn-2:opcorn-2:

 

Played electric and classical on and off for 34 years. Seen a lot of great ones: Iommi, Blackmore, Trower, Page, Satriani, Billy Gibbons, Randy Hansen. Saw Iommi/Dio 2x in 2009. Stood right in front of Iommi on the wah - he was loud as hell. And Geezer Butler tore it up.


Satriani's a monster. There's nothing he can't do. Students would come to him and say, "I want to learn these scales" and Joe would say, "You can't learn 1 or 2, you have to learn them all!"


NEW BLACK SABBATH May 7! Time to party!


Satriani - "Wind in the trees" (great wah)



Trower - "Whisper up a storm"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GENusUhtG78

 

Really cool thread. There's some good solid info here. I will say, there's an infinite number of ways to play guitar. The reason is everybody's technique and comfort in playing is different. You'll learn how to play your way as you go along. You'll learn the way you feel most comfortable holding the guitar. You'll learn how you prefer to strum and pick the strings. You will learn which fingers you prefer to use when playing notes and making chord shapes.


I dunno man, if you're interested in electric, then get an electric guitar and an amp, plug it in and start making noise. Put your hands all over up and down the fucking thing, break some strings, experiment with the knobs and pick-up switch on the guitar. Find out what kinds of sounds come from the different strings and places on this guitar neck.


Practice with a metronome. Always.


Always play/practice using alternate picking. Go ahead and start now. Also, learn to use your pinky to fret notes and make chords.


Practice playing what you want to hear. Ras, you prolly have a lot of inspiring music on hand. Listen to something that inspires you, then take that feeling and apply it to the guitar as soon as possible. It doesn't have to be any particular thing other than sounds and tones that sound good to you.


There are many good reasons to learn music theory. But it's not something that's absolutely necessary. To me it's like a way of studying, or a discipline of sorts. I've been trying to understand it since 1996 and I still don't understand one bit of it. Music theory can definitely tell me what will sound good when played a certain way, and then I could play it on my guitar and it will sound like the theory says it should sound. For me, that leaves no mystery and runs a horrible chance of getting in the way of what I hear and feel. I play as much by feel as I do by ear. I'll might come up with something that I love to play, but might be very "wrong" according to theory. I don't even like knowing the notes on the fretboard all that much. To me that's a little to safe. There's a certain thrill in knowing the next note I play could be horribly out of place. But I've also had to go about it this way b/c I have never been able to understand theory. Nor did have I ever met up with somebody who could explain it to me in a way that I would understand it. Believe me, if I could have understood it/learned it, I'd have started app it to my playing a LONG LONG time ago.


Anyway bro, start off by getting the tab to some of your favorite songs. Practice those and you'll be playing same kinds of music you like hearing.