Learning to play guitar?

[Grizzly Adams]

Lately I have been thinking about learning to play the guitar so I called up my step dad and borrowed his electric Strat. I want to give it a try before I go out and buy my own guitar. He hasn't played it in years and was kind of experimenting when he did.

To get down to it, I'm looking to learn on my own and was wondering if you guys know any places online that I get some instruction or learn the bare basics. I have no musical background and don't have the slightest clue how to read sheet music but this is something that I have wanted to learn for a while. My uncle teaches guitar lessons at a local shop but don't really want to call and ask him for free lessons. I'm not cheap, i'm just broke - and trying to pay for college:idea:

 

[DanTheMan18]

I'd start checking up on tabs. They're the easiest way to start catching on, it's basically a roadmap for a song, with the numbers of the frets and the strings laid out. That's the way I taught myself, and I think that's the only way that I would've learned. My dad tried to teach me all the chords when I first started, and it just didn't make sense. I had to tackle it my way, and then everything started to make sense from there on out.

Like I said, just pick a song that you like, and that sounds relatively easy to play, and do a search for the tab.

If all else fails, it doesn't get much easier than "Smoke On The Water."

 

[Mayo5]

www.ultimate-guitar.com and www.cyberfret.com are the best two free places on the net IMO.

I took lessons for almost 2 years for acoustic; they helped out alot but it wasn't what I was looking for, so I broke away and taught myself the rest and am enjoying myself immensely.

Don't worry about sheet music unless you really wanting to get into theory; but for just casual fun on the side, stick to tabs.

Tabs are used with numbers of the frets.

e 0
b 1
g 2
d 3
a 0
E 0

That makes out a C chord. When you ever see something like that shape; they are a type of chord. So you play the 6th(E) string, 5th(a) open. and Place you finger on the 3rd fret of the 4th string(d); and so on.

In Summary for tabs: Just place your fingers on the number of the fret they tell you to for that specific string.

^ = upstroke V = down stroke

\ and / = slide. ( They will also sometimes use the letter s. Ex. 0000 3s5. Place your finger on the third fret and slide to the 5th fret)

b = bend. Bend the string either up or down.( 10b8. So you will pluck the 10th fret; and then press on the 8th fret and bend the string.)

h = hammer (Hammering on means you play a string; then press onto another string without picking it. EX. On the 6th String(E) 000000 3h2 00000 5h4

p = pull-off. ( Pull-off's are pretty similar to Hammers, but instead of pressing onto another string you; you pull off the string. 00000 3p1 00000 5p3)


There is a very bland and generic summary of tabs.

Both of the sites mentioned above; are great and have tons of lessons and videos to help you.

Enjoy.

 

[JERK!]

If all else fails, it doesn't get much easier than "Smoke On The Water."

Or America's "Horse with no name".

Good info Mayo...

Also, just staring out look at this guy on youtube.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWX5qwIbVbg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWX5qwIbVbg[/ame]

He is pretty easy to follow along with, just make sure you practice at least a few days what he shows you before you move onto the next lesson. It's all about training your fingers to move how your mind wants them to. Your fingers will hurt when you start learning chords as well....Good luck, and Strats are great! I have an Ice Blue Metallic Strat that I play.

 

[66speed]

Some good info here. Like Mayo stated, I wouldnt worry about reading sheet music. Tabs is probably the easiest way to learn. I took lessons for about 9 months and then ran outa money lol. I have been playing for about 2 years or so. When I first started learning, DKSV281 helped me out a lot(I think thats his username). Try pm'img him.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Or America's "Horse with no name".

Good info Mayo...

Also, just staring out look at this guy on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWX5qwIbVbg

He is pretty easy to follow along with, just make sure you practice at least a few days what he shows you before you move onto the next lesson. It's all about training your fingers to move how your mind wants them to. Your fingers will hurt when you start learning chords as well....Good luck, and Strats are great! I have an Ice Blue Metallic Strat that I play.

This guy was actually extremely helpful. Just what I was looking for.

 

[viper82489]

like everyone else said tabs are the way to go. metallica has some pretty easy riffs to start learning how to read and play tabs with i.e one, fade to black, enter sandman just to name a few, start with those and work your way up to dragonforce lol. i play drums myself but can play a few riffs on guitar (mostly metallica) oh and if you are looking for a good place to get tabs fretplay.com is where i get most of mine good luck

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Playing for over 20 years completely self taught. Playing by ear and then tabs.

Wish I would have done it differently now. Wish I learned theory and learned the neck like I should have.

You will enjoy it for now but later in life you will wish you took lessons.
Doing things such as writing solos to songs we've written would be so much easier.

 

[ponyboyisaac]

this thread rocks, i've always wanted to learn.

 

[Mayo5]

like everyone else said tabs are the way to go. metallica has some pretty easy riffs to start learning how to read and play tabs with i.e one, fade to black, enter sandman just to name a few, start with those and work your way up to dragonforce lol. i play drums myself but can play a few riffs on guitar (mostly metallica) oh and if you are looking for a good place to get tabs fretplay.com is where i get most of mine good luck

dragonforce sucks ****.

 

[viper82489]

dragonforce sucks ****.

i know i dont like them but the mother f***ers can play guitar

 

[James Snover]

I did it the other way around. I learned theory and reading music first, and my ear suffered for it. I could (and still can) read music like I read a book. By the time my ear caught up, around my mid twenties, I started getting arthritis in my hands and I couldn't really play anymore. The arthritis wasn't from playing, it is something that runs in my family.

To the original poster: Like everyone has said, learn tabs. Reading music is literally learning a whole new language, and just about as hard. And for very little benefit in terms of being able to play.

Jim Snover

Playing for over 20 years completely self taught. Playing by ear and then tabs.

Wish I would have done it differently now. Wish I learned theory and learned the neck like I should have.

You will enjoy it for now but later in life you will wish you took lessons.
Doing things such as writing solos to songs we've written would be so much easier.

 

[HandoZiZle]

I started with reading notes and theory from a pretty good guy around here. It helped me alot compared to just reading tabs. Just make sure you get the basics and the form down (alternate picking and etc) and not just try to play as fast as you can if that make sense...

 

[iCEMANSGCCC]

dragonforce sucks ****.

lol you're crazy, they parody everything serious about goth metal and it's funny as ****. Plus Herman is amazing at guitar.

 

[Mayo5]

lol you're crazy, they parody everything serious about goth metal and it's funny as ****. Plus Herman is amazing at guitar.

lolol I know; but I still don't like them. Everyone gives them so much credit now because of Guitar Hero.

 

[iCEMANSGCCC]

lolol I know; but I still don't like them. Everyone gives them so much credit now because of Guitar Hero.

Agreed there