Best way to learn guitar

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I remember Dan Crary was once told us in a class that music wasn't so much a destination as a journey. He said that regardless of if you went pretty far in life, or if your musical destiny was just making a clearer sounding C chord, that the enjoyment and satisfaction was from the experience.

At the time, I played guitar a considerable amount and I thought of how "pathetic" making a C chord sound better would be in the great scheme of things. Now that I am older and with (kid) and don't play so much, I get just as much satisfaction from making that C chord as playing the complex stuff.

At a party tonight, I met a musician and we were talking about playing lindsey buckingham and Leo Kottke type music. It would take me about 30 minutes to really re- learn "never going back again" (correctly-as opposed to just winging it), and maybe a little more time for Kottke songs- but, honestly, I have just as much fun making playing with my daughter.

As I told him- Being a black blues singer is probably NOT a realistic career expectation for me (being a white upper middle class geek), so I might as well enjoy the ride!

Have fun!

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

You want to learn guitar? Hire a babysitter for your 5 year old. That is the first thing you need to understand.

I am watching you, Sugarbritches.

You know, my kids are grown up, I have skinnied down costs. Single, and I have a Buddy Guy Strat. It's a Mexico Strat and not the same as the US Clapton signature Strat, but it ain't bad at all.

Would be cool to layer in an attempt at artistic expression across the back half of my life............

[sugarwood]

Bob, a MIM Strat is good enough to headline Madison Square Garden.
If they are good enough for Kurt Cobain and Buddy Guy, they are good enough for you.

Do you have an amp? What are some of your favorite bands?

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Bob, a MIM Strat is good enough to headline Madison Square Garden.
If they are good enough for Kurt Cobain and Buddy Guy, they are good enough for you.

Do you have an amp? What are some of your favorite bands?

Have a small Fender amp.

Favorite? Tom Petty as well as The Pretenders as far a listening to an entire album. That said, depends on the life passage. Bowie was big for a while. Rush. Across all time, Zeppelin has been listened to most but I really like the guitar work by the Pretenders and Petty. Best I can do in short.

Plenty of country but traditional country. Not Hank Sr. traditional, but Jones, Strait, Alan Jackson. Surely there a good new songs but the chick in a pickup truck lyrics make me yak.

Kids turned me onto newer stuff that is not heavy metal but getting close. Prodigy, etc. Here's is probably my favorite:



And one for fun:

[Superman]

There is only way I have ever seen someone become proficient on guitar. If practicing feel like work, you will never spend the time necessary to get good. All the proficient musicians I know got good in their bedrooms as teenagers, playing for hours because it was fun. There are no shortcuts. They say it takes 10,000 hours to get good, and that appears to be accurate.

Play play play. That's how it works.

[sugarwood]

Bob, I'm assuming you played to some degree in the past, and are now revisiting the guitar.
What level did you get to in the past? Did you learn to play any riffs by those bands?
Did you ever learn a compete song playing along to a CD? Did you ever play with people?
Rush, Bowie, Zep all have very accessible riffage for the beginner player.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Did you ever learn a compete song playing along to a CD? Did you ever play with people?

Nuttin'.

There is the opportunity in my life situation where there may be a window of time daily that I could devote to learning how to play.

I just bought a MIG welder and after tackling a ground clamp issue, laid a decent bead on thin sheet metal. That gave me a stiffie. If I can tackle a simple chord and the thrill is close to the MIG welding adventure, then who knows?

As one member mentioned, if it seems like work, it ain't gonna happen. I don't know yet as I have not tried.

[Nostril Cheese]

I spend at least an hour each day practicing. Half of that time is just turning on the radio and playing along or working out a complex piece. If you play along to things you enjoy, it makes the learning process fun.

Rock n roll and country music, for the most part, is simple music to learn and play. Make a list of the songs you like and just make noise along to them. Sooner or later, it will click and that leads to even more discovery.

An MIM strat will work just fine. Just get it setup right. Also check out ESP's LTD line and Schecter. Fantastic guitars for the money.

[ledhedsymbols]

I'm a full on wanabe, and have absolutely no business telling anyone how to learn. I've been playing for a few months, and bought an inexpensive used acoustic to start. I injured my left index finger, so I set it down for a couple months while that healed. I also realized in that time that most of what I wanted to play required an electric. I bought a Gretsch Electromatic and a little practice amp, and its rejuvenated my practice. I decided to learn a couple of songs I like that I knew would be easy. I've got Social D's Prison Bound down ok, a basic version, and sorta learned Bush's Glycerine (power chords baby!) this week. I've enjoyed playing more than ever. I've got a friend who plays, and we are getting together on Thursday nights to play and help me learn a bit... I guess I would say, learn to play what you like. I play because I like to make music for me, and it makes me happy.

[VaSteve]

Learn timing. You need to be able to play in time with a recording, a metronome, or whatever. Otherwise, it's near impossible to play with another person. I'll play with a guy that knows 4 chords and can keep time, but a guy with poor timing? It's frustrating for everyone.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Learn timing. You need to be able to play in time with a recording, a metronome, or whatever. Otherwise, it's near impossible to play with another person. I'll play with a guy that knows 4 chords and can keep time, but a guy with poor timing? It's frustrating for everyone.

+1 get a metronome.

[ledhedsymbols]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

+1 get a metronome.

Not as a "guitarist" but as a long-time brass player...

+1 Get a metronome Rhythm is everything!

[ledhedsymbols]

My next song to learn. I know the chords, so it should be fun. I just learned 3 songs just by learning this I-VI-IV-V progression. BTW is a metronome a meteosexual gnome?

[sugarwood]

Bob,

1) Name a Petty, Bowie, Rush, and Zep song you'd love to learn.

2) Take your guitar to a local shop for a "setup". It will be $50.
If you are inspired to do the DIY, I can direct you there, as well

3) Is there an "overdrive" channel on your Fender amp?

[AFC-911]

Originally Posted by Superman

There is only way I have ever seen someone become proficient on guitar. If practicing feel like work, you will never spend the time necessary to get good. All the proficient musicians I know got good in their bedrooms as teenagers, playing for hours because it was fun. There are no shortcuts. They say it takes 10,000 hours to get good, and that appears to be accurate.

Play play play. That's how it works.

This is partially accurate.

I took group lessons, self teaching and now 15 years later, I'm re-learning from Rocksmith video game. I'm just never going to be great at playing guitar since I can't and will probably never be able to get those big 4 finger stretch chords.

That said, in regards to your 10k hours. Here's a Ted Talks 20 hours rebuttal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY

And I feel like this is true because I took up swing dancing this year. And I found it so much fun that it really didn't take me very long to learn.

Then again, I don't think I had a solid 20 hours of good guitar instruction...Maybe there's hope even though I have a LOT of bad habits by now.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by ledhedsymbols

My next song to learn. I know the chords, so it should be fun. I just learned 3 songs just by learning this I-VI-IV-V progression. BTW is a metronome a meteosexual gnome?

Another to try after that one is Angel mine by The Cowboy Junkies. Kind of the same fretboard rotation, just throw in an F and an Am.
Angel Mine by Cowboy Junkies - guitar chords, guitar tabs and lyrics - chordie

[Rick Lee]

Learn this stuff early and often. If you get it right from the start, you won't have to correct it later. This lesson really is good.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Bob,

1) Name a Petty, Bowie, Rush, and Zep song you'd love to learn.

2) Take your guitar to a local shop for a "setup". It will be $50.
If you are inspired to do the DIY, I can direct you there, as well

3) Is there an "overdrive" channel on your Fender amp?

I'll check the amp. I'll take the guitar to a shop for a setup.

You recommend a song to start with.

[stuartj]

IMO- Have lessons from a live teacher, on an acoustic guitar. Learn good technique on the wooden box, then electrics are easy. The opposite is not so. Get a really good book, like the Mickey Baker Book. ve been working through that for 40 years. And ofcourse, there is no 'quick', and there is no end.