FabSwingers.com forum: Learning guitar

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I'm currently learning to play acoustic guitar, this came about as my young son decide he wanted to learn. I tried YouTube videos with him and he just gave up. I thought bugger it, I'll try and learn. So what I'm wondering is, what method did any current guitarists find the best way to learn?

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By *uke olovingmanMan
over a year ago

Gravesend

I'm following a learn guitar in thirty days youtube course ...I'm up to day 13 ...can play two chords ..and practice strumming..also now known elephants and donkeys grow big ears

and practice scales

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By *gent CoulsonMan
over a year ago

Secret hideaway in the pennines

There is an app calle simply guitar which is pretty good

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By *oodmessMan
over a year ago

yumsville

You take the guitar, putting your first, second, third and fourth fingers around the neck wrapping your thumb over, take the plectrum in the other, put it between your teeth so both hands are now on the instrument, then put it back in its case. You can then use the plectrum as a handy toothpick if necessary.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"There is an app calle simply guitar which is pretty good"

Also Download Tabs from the App Store.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I started out playing the ukulele with the traditional gCEA tuning, then tried a baritone version with DGBE tuning… the chord shapes are the same on the high strings as on a guitar tuned to EADGBE

This gave me a basic head start in terms of finger positioning and changing chords, it was a question then of getting used to a wider neck and 2 extra strings, I practised open chords to begin with (G, C E, D, Am, Em etc)

Getting the barre chords is the challenge but I’m working on it (cheating and using a capo at the moment)

I’m also managing my expectations in that I have no desire to play fancy lead guitar licks and solos, I’m concentrating on rhythm & chords, I leave the shredding to my mate

I’m lucky in that I’ve got a good ear and sense of timing, but co-ordinating playing and singing is also a work in progress

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 04/12/22 12:05:10]

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I'm following a learn guitar in thirty days youtube course ...I'm up to day 13 ...can play two chords ..and practice strumming..also now known elephants and donkeys grow big ears

and practice scales

I was taught the strings the wrong way around

And the mnemonic I used was

Extra

Big

Giant

Dildos

Are

Exciting "

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By *rsPricklePantsWoman
over a year ago

Room 237 at The Overlook Hotel, Suffolk

As good as YouTube and such are they can't tell you when things aren't going right what to do, I would recommend finding a teacher, local music shops tend to know local music teachers (obviously I mean the sort that sell instruments rather than recordings)

Either way good luck on your musical journey

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thank you all for your feedback

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By *hesblokeMan
over a year ago

Derbyshire village

Didn't have YouTube in my day haha - my local college did a beginner course for about twenty quid, I had a mate who played (which really helped) and I got a few music books from a charity shop.

Good luck with it

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By *lephantisMan
over a year ago

Oxford

I had guitar lessons every week for several years from a gifted guitarist, from 10-17: I'd have been no good trying to teach myself because I wouldn't have been motivated enough.

But one bit of possibly helpful advice: boring though it is, scales, scales, scales, with different fingerings, until it is muscle memory. At least 30 minutes a day. They are the basis of everything.

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By *dam_TinaCouple
over a year ago

Hampshire

Learn the 5 pentatonic shapes and stick to playing the blues. You'll sound like an expert in about 3 days

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By *inda May SimmonsTV/TS
over a year ago

hexham

"I'm currently learning to play acoustic guitar, this came about as my young son decide he wanted to learn. I tried YouTube videos with him and he just gave up. I thought bugger it, I'll try and learn. So what I'm wondering is, what method did any current guitarists find the best way to learn?"

Start jamming as soon as possible, preferably with musicians who are better than you. It is one thing to learn a tune all the way through and play it yourself, it is something else all together to fit your playing so it sits in with other musicians. Learn your scales and learn key changes.

I have played about with guitars for about thirty years, I have learnt and forgotten more guitar pieces than I can currently play and I am still pretty crap at guitar, certainly compared to friends who play in bands

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By *inda May SimmonsTV/TS
over a year ago

hexham

"I'm following a learn guitar in thirty days youtube course ...I'm up to day 13 ...can play two chords ..and practice strumming..also now known elephants and donkeys grow big ears

and practice scales

I was taught the strings the wrong way around

And the mnemonic I used was

Extra

Big

Giant

Dildos

Are

Exciting "

Wow! This will revolutionise my tuning

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Marty schwarz on youtube is quite useful.

Justin Sandercoe has loads of excellent beginner videos and are free.

Ive played for getting on for 30 years(and did a degree in contemporary performance, what a bloody waste of time and money that was) and unfortunately there is no easy way/shortcut to getting better quickly. Try not to get too frustrated or if you do, put it down for a bit as that never helps. Try and learn tunes you like as well, nothing worse than being given things to learn that you hate.

Try and make sure you dont get into bad habits with posture and left hand position early as its a bloody nightmare trying to fix them down the line.

Also try not to run before you can walk. Ive had students who have picked up the basics and come to me wanting to learn arpeggios from hell or altitudes...and then get annoyed when i say not to bother yet.

Apologies for the book

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By *hrista BellendWoman
over a year ago

surrounded by twinkly lights

I'd love to be able to play electric guitars, it's on the bucket list

Closest I've got is to being epic on guitar hero on the wii

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I used the Russ Shipton books, very well thought out and engaging, building up in easy to engage with exercises. I’m no Jimi Hendrix, but I finished the books

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Oh well hey there OP you've come to the right place. Here's my youtube tutorial.

Like a song? Good!

Learn it.

Fucking learn it.

Take it slow, one note at a time, and learn that little bastard piece by piece. Think of the guitar as a woman. Don't rush now, think foreplay, a little note here is a little flirty glance.

Practice more.

Soon you'll be making that guitar spasm and scream.

Your welcome x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I love this!

I'm trying to teach myself violin.

YouTube videos are good.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

A second vote for Justin Sandercoe, I also love Paul Davids youtube channel but he is a bit more advanced.

Played since my early teens and lucky enough to attend the Academy of Contemporary Music many years ago before it moved to its bigger premises so that was an amazing experience.

Take it slow, learn songs you like, set some achievable goals (example..this week I will learn the chords and play along to 'such and such song', don't get disheartened because you can't get something perfect (it just takes time), if you want to do lead stuff learn the Pentatonic scale (90% of classic players use that more than any other ...Gilmour, Knofler, Clapton, Page etc) and how to use it (bends, licks etc) and above all just have fun with it.

If you like acoustic music stick with that if you like other stuff I would recommend looking at getting an electric and a small amp..there are some excellent good priced electric guitars and amps these days and it is easier to learn on an electric than an acoustic as they are easier to play overall due to string gauge, set up etc.

Good luck and enjoy it x

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By *2000ManMan
over a year ago

Worthing

My mate spent hours and hours going over the same songs until he got it right. You have to devote a lot of time. Though it depends how complex the parts are. He was a lead guitarist so they took longer than most. Just learn basic chords first.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I love this!

I'm trying to teach myself violin.

YouTube videos are good."

Oh hey Coyote, trying to learn violin - you've come to the right place. Here's my youtube tutorial.

Like a song? Good!

Learn it.

Fucking learn it.

Take it slow, one note at a time, and learn that little bastard piece by piece. Think of the guitar as a woman. Don't rush now, think foreplay, a little note here is a little flirty glance.

Practice more.

Soon you'll be making that violin spasm and scream.

Your welcome x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I love this!

I'm trying to teach myself violin.

YouTube videos are good.

Oh hey Coyote, trying to learn violin - you've come to the right place. Here's my youtube tutorial.

Like a song? Good!

Learn it.

Fucking learn it.

Take it slow, one note at a time, and learn that little bastard piece by piece. Think of the guitar as a woman. Don't rush now, think foreplay, a little note here is a little flirty glance.

Practice more.

Soon you'll be making that violin spasm and scream.

Your welcome x"

But...I don't like women.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I love this!

I'm trying to teach myself violin.

YouTube videos are good.

Oh hey Coyote, trying to learn violin - you've come to the right place. Here's my youtube tutorial.

Like a song? Good!

Learn it.

Fucking learn it.

Take it slow, one note at a time, and learn that little bastard piece by piece. Think of the guitar as a woman. Don't rush now, think foreplay, a little note here is a little flirty glance.

Practice more.

Soon you'll be making that violin spasm and scream.

Your welcome x

But...I don't like women."

Oh for fucks sake...

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By *iscean_dreamMan
over a year ago

Llanelli

I just learnt chords and scales from books and practiced for about 5 hours minimum a day

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By *hePerkyPumpkinTV/TS
over a year ago

Bristol

The best thing to do is find a song you like and learn to play it... That's what I did for the first few years of playing guitar.

The reason why this is the best thing to do is because it gives your practice purpose beyond learning scales/chords with no context behind them.

Pick a song you know well, one that you'll be able to tell when you're playing it right or wrong, but also be realistic with your song choice, pick something simple and easy... Some Bob Dylan, Niel Young or Beatles would probably be a great place to start.

When you start making progress and can recognise that what you're playing is sounding like what it's supposed to sound like, you'll feel motivated to keep going.

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