Advice please

[BOOJIBOY]

I've had a guitar for quite a while but never really got past playing a few basic chords and riffs. Now, I realise that practice is the key to this whole guitar playing thing, but, what is the best thing to spend my time on. Any advice from some of you more experienced players would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

[noeljob]

practice, practice. thats all you can do. sure you can take lessons to learn someone elses way, but you still have to practice. be yourself. acquire your own style, it will come in time. someday it will be second nature. you'll get there.

[GeezerPete]

This is spot I found myself in just a couple of years ago. I had been playing for many years - but never really progressed past my guitar lessons from when I was 14 years old... 30 years ago.

But two years ago, a group of neighbors came together and we formed a "just for fun, what can we learn, maybe play for the neighborhood" band. I readily joined in, got a cheap electric guitar/amp. I was ready to learn.

I have learned so much in the last two years it blows my mind.

So, here is my advice...

Find a friend/teacher/someone that plays - what you want to play (rock, ??) and work with them - it doesn't need to be "lessons" but just good ol' jam sessions with more show and tell.

Second, learn barre chords. That concept changed how I play everything. Stuff that I would pass by before now has been easy (or at least easier.)

If at all possible - find or start a band. The learning from a group is non-replaceable. Don't try to be the lead guitar, play rhythm or even 2nd rhythm, then learn even more.

This is what I am doing. It is fulfilling a live long dream and I am loving it. Every new song we learn expands my training and confidence. Our little garage band has played now 13 gigs, before crowds upwards to 500 people. What a blast!

[BOOJIBOY]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I don't know anyone else that plays. Would a teacher be the best option or should I keep trying the various books that I have? What about stuff on the net, anyone tried any online lessons? Keep your comments coming, it is appreciated.

Thanks again.

[RB]

Boojiboy, in your last post you said you don't know any one else that plays. Ok go to your local music store and talk to some of the teachers about it. some of there students may also be looking for others to play along with. perhaps the teacher my offer to help you out..... Sometimes you can find postings in the music shops for people looking for others. You could post one your self.... Also don't forget the forum right here you may find some one here, whos close by that you could jam with.....

[BOOJIBOY]

RB, I've got quite a few local guitar shops, I'll call in and see whats on the boards. Cheers.

[WickedWishes]

BOOJIBOY,....

1st of all I am a newbie beginner, but what I have found to help me is the following.

Pentatonic scale practice

Blues scale practice

Finger exercises through the entire fretboard

Chord positions, finger positions

General picking and playing about the fretboard, string pulls, palm muting, hammers, slides, bascially experimentation, with assorted techniques.

Harmony Central has a fine group of on-line lessons,...(which I read and practice daily)

Riff Interactive is another good site for on-line lessons.

www.learnguitar.net,...is another site.

The internet abounds with a variety of on-line lesson sites, look about and find the ones you like.

As I am unable to take lessons from a qualified guitar instructor,..(due to work hours),..I am teaching myself to play. I do see the importance of having professional instruction and one day I will take lessons, but for now I am happy with the progress I am making and the callouses I am building on my left hand,...*ouch*
(I carry an old credit card in my pocket and when I can I use the edge and grasp it with my finger tips, to toughen and build better playing callouses)

I don't know if any of the above mentioned will help, but this is what works for me,......*S*

Oh YEAH,...!!

One thing to do always,...

PRACTICE,.....PRACTICE,.....PRACTICE,....!!

(ok,....three things),.......LOL

Good luck with your playing and practice

^5

WickedWishes

[ZacAttack]

By all means jam with others and get in a band or hang out with one or something. If that is not an option or even if it is this may help. Learn to read tabliture, DL some songs you recognise or better yet have on cd or tape. Then work them out. Keep in mind tabliture is often different than the way the artist does it and sometimes just flat wrong. But if you are a newbie it won't hurt to learn 2 or 3 dif ways of playing a song. Don't get hung up on learning just the IYO cool songs. Work up what ever you can find and recognise. Scales and all that are great but they always boared me to tears. Most important thing of all is don't get discouraged or board of it. Keep on picking bro.

[JoEpiWong]

I started learning the guitar on my own when I was 17. For the best part of 22 years, I played basically acoustic although I did dabbled with an electric guitar for a few short years. But it was still self taught and I was going no where with my electric playing. Somehow you can't always play an electric like an acoustic, particularly with fingering and chord voicings.

About 6 years ago, I discovered a guitar site in the net (started by this guy called Dan Smith) and starting learning chord theory, reading tabs, new chords, scales etc. It opened up a whole new dimension to my playing and suddenly I could play those songs that I hear on radio or my favourite selections from the 70s, 80s and 90s. But it took many hours of practice time and nothing can replace that.

Recently, I decided to practice together with the CD of my favourite band/music to offer new avenues of learning, such as soloing or just jamming with the band. I do this by hooking up my CD player to my 15W Peavey amp through the CD In jack. And bang! here I am playing with Journey on 'Don't Stop Believing' (managed to get the tabs for that one on the net). It's a great feeling when you can 'play' with the pros!

Joe

[noeljob]

oh yeah," practice"!

[Khantheundead]

I have only been playing bass for almost a year, and both Noeljob and Zacattack are my buds, and have tought me a lot, but nothing beats sitting down and jamming with others. I have learned so much and I still have plenty to learn.

[gearhead41]

well, I started my Guitar journey again about 3 years ago.

It has taken me a very long time to get past being self-conscieous about playing. It has also taken me a while to get my fingers to do what they need to do.

I have practiced, practiced, practiced. I am finally seeing the results of the hard work. Some people get it faster than others. I've always had to work a little harder to get there than most people, but it's worth it.

I read anything I can about guitars and try to sponge up as much as possible.

Not easy for a 40 year old..

LOL

-james

[noeljob]

i started on easy stuff like ac/dc playing along to my "cassette tapes" . easy stuff to learn. old ac/dc. but as i progressed i learned it was a little more dificult than i thought. but i wasnt far off. technique was what i was lacking. the more you play the more your technique will develope. that will come in time.
but it helped. iprogressed into more complicated things like metallica, killem all. ride the lighting. but my first endeavors were blues which 12 bar seemed the thing.
i found meself back years later at the same thing that inspired me to pick it up in the first place. the cool simple chuggin rock that i music i love. now it is like second nature. i can still play metal , but only seldom do i. i write my own material for years now. thats what i always wanted to achieve. and i have. it gives me a "hard on" so to speak. keep on chuggin. you'll get there. practce!

[BOOJIBOY]

Guys, thanks for all your suggestions. That P word keeps coming up on a regular basis, I'll just keep on trying. Thanks for your time

[OzDog]

If I could make a few suggestions. First off all of the information posted so far is great.

To give just a little back ground of myself. I started playing the guitar when I was 13. I've never taken a formal lesson but I've become a fairly accomplished player.

I progresssed into a full time teaching job at a local guitar store by the age of 18 and joined a full time giging band and played professionally until I was 23. Then decided to go to college start a family etc.

Ok, enough back ground. When I was teaching I told all my students learning the guitar is like walking up a set of stairs you can't get to the next level without learning a good set of basics.

Here's what I recommend.

1. Learn the basic open chord shapes A, C, D, G, E. Both major and minor. (most of the other chords are easier to learn and play in barre chord forms).

2. Learn the two most used forms of barre chords. The 6th string E form and the 5th string A form. From these two forms you can play every chord in Major, Minor, Major 7th and Minor 7th very easily and with very little finger movement.

3. Learn the Major and Minor pentatonic scale. There are five different forms but learning the first box or pattern will allow you to play over any chord progression in any key. (I used to come up with different finger exercises for my students based on that scale. My students would learn the scale without even knowing they were because they thought it was just a warm-up.)

4. One thing that I never hear people mention is working one your pick hand. Don't forget to work on up and down picking. Everyone wants to pick down, down, down. etc.. To play rhythm or lead well this is a must learned technique.

5. There are many good guitar mags out there that give good tips and also have TABed songs in the back. Find some good basic songs and try and learn the chord progression. Once you've done this try and play along with the song on your CD player. This will help for timing and it will also help you train your ear.

The very first song I learned and I eventually used it as a teaching aid was Living after midnight by Judas Preist. It's a great simple song to work on the two barre chord forms I mentioned earlier and also has you moving up and down the fret board.

Well, I hope this helps. Time and quality of practice will help you make the greatest gains in the shortest amount of time. Remember, without learning the basics first it's just about impossible to progress up the staircase of fret board mastery.

Good Luck,

Oz Dog