Want to learn guitar...

[BlueYoshi]

[color=darkred]I'm thinkning of learning how to play the electric guitar, but here's the thing -- I have absolutely no idea where to start. So, I was thinking if maybe anyone here can help me out a bit in terms of buying the right guitar, which type to go for, and most importantly, how to self-teach myself, or if it would be better to get a tutor or something.[/color]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=DarkOliveGreen]Well I don't know what type to advise you to get since I don't play guitar. However since I have learned how to play piano, pipe organ, violin & to sing. I do know that for all of them I learned much better and quicker when I had a teacher than when I tried to learn how to play or sing on my own. Even if you can only afford a lesson say once a month, it really helps.

I do have a brother who plays classical guitar and even composes his own music and after trying to learn on his own at first he finally got a teacher and according to him it made all the difference in the world. Anyway, good luck. ^_^[/COLOR]

[Dooxy]

I currently take lessons :D Don't expect to get good fast either x) that's what I wanted to happen lmao, its been about 6 months and im OK... After I started learning I asked alotta ppl at my school how long it took them to get pretty good, most said aboit 1.5 - 2 years :animecry: But don't quit if you start! waste of money.

I suggest you buy Hal Leonard books and learn the Linear msuic scale first, makes reading guitar music (not tablature) alot easier. :D Good luck if you start.

[BlueYoshi]

[color=darkred]Thanks for the info guys. Dooxy, do you play electric or acoustic? Could you give me a vague guide as to how to go about buying a guitar, because I know that you can't just walk into the music store and ask for one... you need all sorts of research and stuff, right?[/color]

[Raiyuu]

[font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]Well, the staff in guitar shops are usually really into their guitars (sometimes to the point of being really dull people for it...) so my advice is to set yourself a budget, walk into a guitar shop, collar the first staff member you see and say "I want to buy a guitar, I know nothing about them, have never played before and have this much money to spend". That's pretty much what I did with my first guitar and I still play it today.[/size][/font]
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[font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]As for teaching, it's true you'll probably learn faster with professional tuition (or even with a friend who already plays showing you the ropes). But as Radiohead once said, "Anyone can play guitar". Find some tablature, either in a guitar songbook (find them in guitar shops or on Amazon) or online (try [/size][url="http://www.ultimateguitar.com"][size=2]www.ultimateguitar.com[/size][/url][size=2]) and start playing. It'll feel really awkward at first - you'll take a while to fit your fingers into chord shapes and it won't sound anything like the song you're trying to play, because it'll be so slow. But keep plugging and eventually it works.[/size][/font]
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[Boo]

[size=1]I play acoustic guitar, and will buy an electric one pretty soon (I think). I think I'm not too bad, especially since I have only played guitar for 5 months now and I can already read chords fine and play pretty good =P

The first thing I did was just playing easier songs, with basic chords. I myself used "Hotel California" for this. Though my version of chords was not the original one, I heard later, it was easy and the chorus was just:
Am (A minor), E, G, D, F, C, Dm (Dminor), E.

To learn the chords I had a chords book of my mom's, but you can find them on internet aswell (I will attach one). The lines you see are the guitar strings. The upper line is the high [i]e[/i] and the lower line is the low [i]E[/i]. The dots are where you place your fingers.

The man in the store said that if anyone would ever take lessons, the teacher would rather see you with a classic guitar in your hands, than with a western guitar. (The classic guitars strings are less close to eachother and are a bit different)

Right, if you didn't get anything, please say so ;o

[quote name='Dooxy']Edit: Thanks for the chord chart Boo :P[/quote]
No problem :P[/size]

[hitokiri battosai]

I suggest looking into the Fender Strat Pack. It comes with everything you will need to get started. It includes an electric guitar(red, black, or blue), an amplifier, a case, a cord, a tuner, a strap, picks, and an instructional DVD. You can usually find them for about 300 dollars, sometimes less. You can look on musiciansfriend.com and it will have listings.

[Dooxy]

Dude, I play electric, and I wouldn't rush into buying anything like a "fender strat pack" or something like that, I would look for a cheap starters guitar with an amp and some basic stuff, and make SURE to buy an electric tuner. Fender is a pretty big name in the industry so I wouldn't advise buying that first, could be a bit pricey. My first guitar was an ION guitar that came in a beginners kit was about $200 Canadian x) It worked just fine for me, had no problems with it so I wouldn't rush into anything too name brand.

Ya and once you start playing a guitar and learn some scales you can play piano like nothing :D

Edit: Thanks for the chord chart Boo :P

[BlueYoshi]

[color=darkred]Would you think it would be advisable to buy a second hand guitar right off the bat?[/color]

[Dooxy]

It wouldnt hurt... u just might need to tune it more because everything has been broken in already. But I would buy cheap first partly because I'm broke and if you decide to stop playing u wont b cryin the blues cuz u spent millions on a guitar lmao :D but if u buy a decent guitar and an electric tuner all should be well :cool:

[Boo]

[size=1]Just make sure the guitar is in nice shape. Old guitars are often even better. As long as they're not broken or the strings aren't worn out >>'[/size]

[Ellerby]

[color=#555555][FONT=Tahoma]Well, as a hardcore drummer, here is my two cents.

I think that there are guitarists that are naturally good at playing guitars, and some that aren't. For instance, I naturally am good at drumming (not that I'm great or anything) but there are still drummers out there who aren't naturals way better than me (of course).

So, if you aren't naturally good at playing guitar, all you need to do is take a lot of lessons and practice. But I would also suggest trying other instruments (such as a Drumkit or Base) because you could end up liking those aswell.

As for what guitars to buy, just do not start yourself off with something big like an X-Plorer or a Flying V (which are really awkward sitting down). Just get something simple.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f]I'd love to learn to play guitar. My brother took a guitar course in school once and he let me try his guitar, and I can play a few simple tunes.

It really hurts my fingers though. It feels like a I can't stretch them far enough. Maybe I should try a smaller guitar.

Another obstacle is that I play violin, so I end up holding the guitar handle the way I hold my violin handle. The same thing happened when I tried cello. I can't force my hand to be parallel to the handle, or my fingers to be perpendicular to it, you know what I mean? It keeps going back to my violin hand. Sigh...[/COLOR]

[The13thMan]

As for choosing your guitar i recommend going to zzounds.com and reading a bunch of reviews by different people. You can read reviews for guitars in your price range and get an idea of what a lot of other people think of the guitars.

I personally eventually settled on an epiphone sg special. I've heard different things from different people about epiphones, but most people were positive about them. I personally like 'em, and have had no problem with them. Then for an amp i got the roland micro cube....which is awesome. The thing's tiny, but it's got great sound and lots of effects. It's a good starter amp. Of course i didn't have much money so both the amp and guitar i mentioned are for those people with small budgets. And i don't recommend buying any starter packs, those are usually lame.

Just hear what other people think about guitars and so on. I also recommend going to the store and actually playing a guitar for a bit to see how they feel.

Good luck

[saru-miha]

Not saying I'm an amazing guitarist or anything >_>
I play electric and acoustic.
I'm really teaching myself at the moment..but a teacher really does make a difference.
I used to have a teacher..just a family friend that would help me out. And hurricane Katrina kinda screwed it all up. But let me tell ya..he was the most amazing guitarist I've ever seen. The phrase guitar god? Yea..this was literal.
But anyways..
I have an Alvarez thats almost my size for an acoustic. It's just hand me down..and it isn't great for beginners. (I'm serious..it's huge)
But if you're serious about an electric, I'd suggest a Stratocaster. I have a squier strat and I love it. It wasn't the best to begin with, but I took it to the earlier mentioned guitar god and he tightened a few things adjusted a few things..etc. And it's really a great guitar. Good for beginners also.
So if you do pick up the intsrument, it's great. Really is a lot of fun. And good luck to ya. ~_^

[BlueYoshi]

[color=darkred]Thanks a lot for the info guys, but I've got a few more questions...

What's the real difference between a normal electric guitar, and a bass guitar? Like, what kind of sounds can I get from an electric that I can't get from a bass, and vice versa?

Also, I heard that it hurts your fingers when you first start playing. I don't mind a bit of pain (no pain, no gain, eh), but how long does it hurt for? Silly question, I know, but I'm at a pretty crucial date school-wise, and I can't have my fingers busted just for the exam period, heh.[/color]

[Boo]

[size=1]A bass has four or five snares, a guitar has six. The sound varies from quite low to really low (while a guitar varies from high to pretty low), hence the name "Bass". You can't hold a tone for a long time like you can on a guitar. Basically it's used most for background rhytm support, but solos can be really nice (specifically funky stuff has plenty of bass in it). You play on a bass with your fingers snare per snare, while on a guitar, you mostly strike multiple snares at a time. I think a bass is more of a mixture between rhytm and melody, while an electric guitar is mainly about melody.

In short: they're way different, except for their looks. Meaning you can play a guitar, does not mean you can play a bass aswell :P

And about your fingers hurting: it's only for the few first times and the pain only lasts for a short while. It isn't real painful anyway, just don't overdo it. Grow some natural resistance on your fingers by practicing, that's all to it.[/size]

[Dooxy]

Ya I've been playing like half a year now, my fingers still hurt when I'm learning new chords ^^. because your fingers develope a callus where you play the most, so when you learn new chrods its a new place on your fingers.

Bass is lower notes because the strings are thicker, if you want a song where you can really hear the 2 diferent guitars listen to Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades by brand new, tis a good song :D

As for school you I wouldn't really be concerned, I'm assuming you are right handed so, it's your left fingers that will hurt. If you are a lefty it might be a bit more difficult to find a lefty guitar at a local store, with the strings reversed and a cutout on the opposite side. If you are buying an acoustic you don't have to worry about the cutout.

[Claire]

[FONT=Arial]Actually, it doesn't matter if you're a righty or a lefty. My English teacher is left-handed, but she plays a right-handed guitar, and she says it's easier because her writing hand is a bit stronger and more dilligent than her other hand. (And the site is [url]www.ultimate-guitar.com[/url], in case you went to the one posted and found an error message).

Personally, electric guitars are MUCH easier to play, because their body is much smaller than that of an acoustic guitar (and being a girl, that is a gigantic relief). The strings are also softer on the fingers and much easier to get the notes out on. I think the fretboard of electrics are also smaller, and therefore easier to play. However, if you start out on an electric, you might have a difficult time playing acoustic (if you ever needed to). Electrics can be very expensive, too; I was lucky when I got mine with all the fixings for only $100.

I taught myself how to play, and it's taken a long time. I don't remember when I got my first guitar, but I'm pretty sure I was nine years old. I don't know many chords, but I have a very very good book that has picture diagrams of almost every chord? that there is. Um, I don't think I could tell you the exact title, but I think it's something like "Picture Dictionary of Guitar Chords." The only reason, I'd say, that someone might need a teacher to help them is if they want to learn the chords. The only reason I know any at all is that I need some to play certain songs (like "Time Warp" from Rocky Horror Picture Show, which only needs A, one whose name slips my mind, G, F, C, E, and some others whose names I don't remember). Since I'm a songwriter, chords could be crucial, but I've got some other assistance: a piano, my chord dictionary, [url]www.chordfind.com[/url], and Finale Notepad.

Good luck with your guitarism.

EDIT - It seems either link works, but both go to different places. I didn't peruse the first one enough to know what exactly is there, but I adore my link when it comes to learning new songs.
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[Raiyuu]

[font=Trebuchet MS][quote name='Boo][/font][size=1]Meaning you can play a guitar, does not mean you can play a bass aswell :P[/size'][font=Trebuchet MS][/quote] I would disagree! Well, not entirely. But playing bass is [b]easy [/b](at least the basics are - if you want to start playing funk or slap, that's a different matter). I would suggest learning the guitar first, as moving from guitar to bass is simple, while moving from bass to guitar as I did involves learning a lot of new techniques (chords, for one :p).

Basses are bigger, heavier, have longer necks, and have (in general) four thick steel-wound strings, where guitars have shorter necks and have six strings, either three steel and three nylon, or all six steel. The bass gives you low sounds. Trying to play melody on a bass will often get you labelled as a pretentious prog-monkey!

If you play regularly (like an hour every day) on a guitar, your fretting (left, if you're playing an ordinary righty guitar) fingertips should stop hurting after about a week. But then if you have a break you'll lose the resistance and it'll hurt again next time. Bass strings only hurt when you slide your fingers up and down them - they're too thick to slice at your fingers like the top E string n a guitar, but the thickness of the wound steel means sliding grates your skin...
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[Boo]

[quote name='Raiyuu][font=Trebuchet MS] I would disagree! Well, not entirely. But playing bass is [b]easy [/b'](at least the basics are - if you want to start playing funk or slap, that's a different matter). I would suggest learning the guitar first, as moving from guitar to bass is simple, while moving from bass to guitar as I did involves learning a lot of new techniques (chords, for one :p). [/font][/quote]

[size=1]I mean playing bass good. Like being able to play funk or slap. The basics are quite easy for anyone. ;P[/size]

[BlueYoshi]

[color=darkred]So I got a second hand electric guitar last week for about 80 beans, plus an amp, which was around 50. Everything totalled to about 140 quid, including picks, a strap, and a carry case, so I'm pretty happy with the deal I got.

I'm finding playing to be somewhat smooth, but it's still hard, especially fretting. Right hand techniques are pretty simple though, and the dreaded fretting-hand pain has come and gone (:animesmil). I don't know why I was [strike]scared[/strike] worried about it so much, heh.

Anyway, I have a question about tuning. I can tune my guitar in the standard tuning by ear, but I'm thinking of getting an electric tuner (as recommended), since it'll be much easier, and more accurate. But the thing is, do electric tuners tune guitars in other tunings, such as drop-d and drop-c, etc. This is one thing I'd really like to know before I get one, so help would be appreciated.

Thanks.[/color]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=trebuchet ms]Most tuners, to my experience, can tune in Drop-D or anything you want, really. My pedal has a tuner in it which tells me what note I am playing and a dot whose positioning tells me how close to the perfect note I am. I'm pretty sure most tuners are like that, but I've only ever messed with two.[/font]

[Raiyuu]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS]Electric tuners can tune to any tuning you can [strike]tune[/strike] think of. As long as you know which note each string is supposed to be, there's no problem. All electric tuners do is tell you what note you're playing and whether it's sharp or flat - it's up to you to decide whether it's the 'right' note or not.[/FONT]