PDA

View Full Version : How do you play guitar?


Callumpy
10-11-2007, 16:22
Does anyone know were i can find out how to play the guitar, ive searched google and it didnt help!

Sirius
10-11-2007, 16:28
Does anyone know were i can find out how to play the guitar, ive searched google and it didnt help!

Did you get results like this

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+to+play+the+guitar&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS248GB248

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcmb4RplClQ

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 16:34
yes

Sirius
10-11-2007, 16:36
yes

And you did not find any useful information in all of that.

papa smurf
10-11-2007, 16:44
when i was an up and comming future rock god you could buy self help books from music shops,[didnt help me much] guitar lessons is the best way imo, and a warm coat cos your dads gona make you practice in the garage:)

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 16:50
havnt got a garage, oh, also ive found a good one on google but its for right handed and im left, the pictures are confusing me!

papa smurf
10-11-2007, 16:55
havnt got a garage, oh, also ive found a good one on google but its for right handed and im left, the pictures are confusing me!

turn monitor upside down and read from right to left;) no garage means practicing at a mates house

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 16:58
turn monitor upside down and rotate? yeh that will work?

Hugh
10-11-2007, 17:17
turn monitor upside down and rotate? yeh that will work?
Please, in your own best interest, learn to identify irony. :dozey:

There is no easy way to learn guitar - I know, my son has been learning for two years; it takes time, patience, and a lot of hard work (otherwise you end up like Bill & Ted :D )

Couple of questions
a) can you read music?
b) what sort of guitar do you want to play - acoustic or electric?

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 17:21
a) trying to find out how!
b)Electric

http://www.legacymusicalinstruments.com/mediaLibrary/images/english/1106.jpg

nffc
10-11-2007, 17:22
Play it right handed. It's quite simple. You put your fingers of your left hand on the strings to make the note and pluck them with your right.

13 is probably a bit old to start reading music, though.

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 17:25
My friend can, he wanted to teach me. Him teaching me sounds like the best idea!

Thank you anyway!

nffc
10-11-2007, 17:43
Yes, I can, but it's almost like another language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_musical_symbols
There are a few inaccuracies but that's a decent starting point.

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 17:55
i thought tab was a load of lines and numbers?

---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:53 ----------

Guitar 1
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------8-----|
B|-13\10-10-10-10/12-12-12\8-8-8/10-10\5-5-3~-----------------------------8---|
G|-----------------------------------------------4~-4h5h7-7-9-9~-----7h9------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 1
E|--12-10~----------15-13-12----12--------------------------------------------|
B|------------13-------------15----15-12----------------121315----------------|
G|---------------12----------------------12~-----141214-----------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Solo 2

Guitar 1
E|--12p8----8h12p8h12p8----8h12p8h12p8----8---------10p7---7h10p7h10p7---7h10p-|
B|-------10-------------10-------------10----------------8-------------8-------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 2 (harmony)
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--9p5---5h9p5h9p5---5h9p5h9p5---5--------7p4---4h7p4h7p4--4h7p4h7p4---4------|
D|------7-----------7-----------7--------------5-----------5----------5--------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 1
E|--7h10p7---7----------5h8p5---5h8p5h8p5---5h8p5h8p5---5--------|
B|---------8------------------6-----------6-----------6----------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 2 (harmony)
E|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--2h5p2---2h5p2h5p2---2h5p2h5p2--2----|
D|--------3-----------3-----------3-----|
A|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|


Guitar 1
E|-13-12-10---12-10-------10-----------------=----------|
B|----------13------13-12----13-12-10-13-12-10----------|
G|---------------------------------------------12-------|
D|------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------|


Guitar 2 (harmony)
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|---10-9-7----9-7------7-------------------------------|
D|----------10-----10-9---10-9-7-10-9-7-----------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------|

The harmony part should sound about right.

\=slide
~=vibrato
h=hammer on
p=pull off

Part one of Solo X1
Part two of Solo X2

---------- Post added at 16:55 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------

like that :)

Delta Whiskey
10-11-2007, 17:59
TAB has it's limitations, it can't show you the note length for instance. As far as the left-handed part goes, I'm left-handed and I learned to play right-handed as it was easier to find tutorial books and there were a lot more right-handed guitars around to pick up and play.

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 18:02
damn, basically i shouldnt have bought a left handed guitar! poo!

Delta Whiskey
10-11-2007, 18:07
Can you not return it and get a right-handed model?.

Callumpy
10-11-2007, 18:32
dont know

nffc
10-11-2007, 18:34
dont know

Not lost anything by trying.

Tab is ****. Best learning to read proper score, then you can learn other instruments without having to learn a new form of notation.

Graham M
10-11-2007, 19:48
Can your mate play the opening riff to "Smoke on the Water" ?

Hugh
10-11-2007, 23:17
Can your mate play the opening riff to "Smoke on the Water" ?
Dum dum dum, dum dum de dum, dum dum dum, DUM DUM!

nffc
10-11-2007, 23:21
eww Smoke on the Water...

/me turns up Bach organ CD

homealone
10-11-2007, 23:33
damn, basically i shouldnt have bought a left handed guitar! poo!

once upon a time, someone called Jimi had a similar problem - his solution became legend, but was, unfortunately, short lived :)

danielf
10-11-2007, 23:45
damn, basically i shouldnt have bought a left handed guitar! poo!

It depends. Some left handers can play a right-handed guitar, others (me) can't. Then again, I bought my fist guitar in my early 30s, and it now lives in the loft.

Seeing you are young and just started learning I would suggest you try and learn playing right handedly.

Delta Whiskey
11-11-2007, 00:27
It depends. Some left handers can play a right-handed guitar, others (me) can't. Then again, I bought my fist guitar in my early 30s, and it now lives in the loft.

Seeing you are young and just started learning I would suggest you try and learn playing right handedly.

I didn't start playing until I was 34. The best lesson I learned was to find a song that you'd really like to play and use that as an incentive when you hit the inevitable technical brick wall.

Get the guitar down from the loft, go to Chordie http://www.chordie.com/ and find a suitable song. :D

danielf
11-11-2007, 00:49
I didn't start playing until I was 34. The best lesson I learned was to find a song that you'd really like to play and use that as an incentive when you hit the inevitable technical brick wall.

Get the guitar down from the loft, go to Chordie http://www.chordie.com/ and find a suitable song. :D

Been there, done that etc. I'd really like to, but I'm afraid it's just not for me. Progress is too slow, and too painful. Also, trying to learn to play a left-handed guitar ads this layer of complexity I could do without (and I really can't see myself playing northpaw). I can fingerpick some easy songs, but never managed even the simplest chords.

On a positive note: www.guitarnoise.com is a good site for learning to play the guitar.

wilkie2
11-11-2007, 04:05
chordie is a good site but also google 'justin sandercoe' he posts free lessons and if you like them he also has dvds you can buy

Delta Whiskey
11-11-2007, 10:56
chordie is a good site but also google 'justin sandercoe' he posts free lessons and if you like them he also has dvds you can buy

http://www.justinguitar.com/

I've bought a couple of the DVD's and they're very good.

Strzelecki
11-11-2007, 11:44
You're never to old too learn to read music. The best way to learn is to be taught, by a proper music teacher and not a mate (then you won't pick up bad habits). Have a look at http://www.lefthandedguitars.co.uk/accessories-/-gift-ideas/music-books/cat_65.html for a chord book to learn the basics (and a guitar if you can't get on with learning right handed).
If you do decided to get lessons (through school perhaps?) then your teacher will recommend books to get. I started learning when I was 9 using the 'Tune a Day' books, which gave me a very good grounding. Been playing ever since and have just got a new PRS.

ShadowTD
14-11-2007, 11:34
Badly.

Oh, sorry, how do *you* learn to play the guitar... ;)

To echo another's advice, try learning to play music that you like. It's no good forcing yourself to play music you've got no connection with. I learned bar chords because I *really* wanted to play Hotel California.

I'd also say an Electric is not the best place to start. Start with an acoustic - a cheap one. And practice. Like, every day. Dip your fingertips in white spirit and let it dry on them. This will help them harden up.

Rockabilly Spike
14-11-2007, 12:26
Been playing since I was 12 and am 30 now. Never ever had a lesson.
my best advice, find other (pref patient) folk to jam with and steal their licks!
I have all my guitars on my new site at www.scottirat.awesomewebspace.com

jtwn
14-11-2007, 13:30
That is a nice collection spike :)

I beg to differ about the comment on tablature, for a song where you have grasped the rhythmn from listening to it, tab is far easier to follow than standard notation. Many exceptional guitarists can't even read music! Thats not to discredit or suggest that it is unnecessary though, however I do think as said if you swamp yourself doing things entirely you don't like whilst it may pay off in the future I'd bet your passion to play would more likely wean away.

Uncle Peter
14-11-2007, 16:55
Whether or not you wish to learn to read music is a matter of personal preference - if you are writing your own songs on the guitar it's a valuable skill to have.

Definitely seek a teacher though as you will need to learn at least some theory: inparticular your scales/modes. If you try to teach yourself or your mate teaches you then you'll probably end up not maximising the use of your left hand amongst other shortcomings - a good teacher will encourage you to strengthen and use all of the fingers.

Good luck with it anyway and I hope you stick at it.

(btw yes nice guitars there Spike, particularly like the tortoiseshell strat)

Callumpy
21-11-2007, 20:05
wow, nice collection of guitars!

Maggy
21-11-2007, 21:03
Callumpy have you asked in your school's music department if there is anyone there who can show you how to play a guitar?:)

Callumpy
21-11-2007, 21:16
no spaces!

Maggy
21-11-2007, 21:51
no spaces!

Not even if you pay for a peripatetic music teacher?

Vlad_Dracul
21-11-2007, 22:57
can tell you it aint easy so you had better be in it for the long haul.

If you see any books in the music shops which tell you you can learn to play in a few easy lessons,dont beleive it.

Best thing to do is buy one or two simple guide books,then book to get some lessons,then practice,practice,practice.

After a few years you should be fairly ok.

Callumpy
22-11-2007, 17:47
i have bought a book, i dont understand it!

Delta Whiskey
22-11-2007, 17:50
i have bought a book, i dont understand it!

Have you had a look at all the tutorial video's on YouTube? One I recommend is Justin Sandercoe (guitarist with Katie Melua) http://www.justinguitar.com/

Callumpy
22-11-2007, 17:53
ill have a look, is it left handed?

Delta Whiskey
22-11-2007, 18:00
ill have a look, is it left handed?

I think I saw a couple of left handed on YouTube, Justin's is right handed.
What didn't you understand in the book you bought?

If you want left-handed chord boxes, go to www.chordie.com and find a song you want to learn.
On the right hand side of the page you will see a Tuning box, here you can change the display of the chords to left handed.

Callumpy
22-11-2007, 18:03
my problem is i can read tab, but i can read the actual music! ill have to have a good read through the book!

i havnt looked properly cause the first few pages were about how to hold the guitar

Delta Whiskey
22-11-2007, 18:18
my problem is i can read tab, but i can read the actual music! ill have to have a good read through the book!

i havnt looked properly cause the first few pages were about how to hold the guitar

I always suggest finding a song you know and trying to learn that, again Chordie is a good place to look. You should start off learning some simple chords, say C, D and G then D, E and A. These sets of three are the I II and V chords in the keys of C and D and are instantly recognizable in most songs.


An example of C, D, G in the .zip

maddyp
26-11-2007, 23:40
nice guitars :) thought my otherhalf had enough but where on earth do you keep them all!!

Rockabilly Spike
27-11-2007, 10:17
nice guitars :) thought my otherhalf had enough but where on earth do you keep them all!!

the guitars are kept in the spare room, hung on the wall and the rest on stands.
the amps etc are all kept in my dads garage where we rehearse as the garage is too small for his car. we sound proofedit out, sealed the up/over garage door from the inside and put 3 tons of security on the back door.

Graham M
27-11-2007, 10:35
ill have a look, is it left handed?

Bear in mind, you can string up a Right-Handed guitar to suit a left-handed player! (You'll just have to play it upside-down! - well the strings will be the correct way up!)

---------- Post added at 09:35 ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 ----------

the guitars are kept in the spare room, hung on the wall and the rest on stands.
the amps etc are all kept in my dads garage where we rehearse as the garage is too small for his car. we sound proofedit out, sealed the up/over garage door from the inside and put 3 tons of security on the back door.

God help you if there's ever a fire in the doorway to the house!

Rockabilly Spike
27-11-2007, 10:42
i think we'd be ok since the house and garage arent connected to each other at all. the garage back door leads directly out into the garden.

Uncle Peter
27-11-2007, 19:08
Bear in mind, you can string up a Right-Handed guitar to suit a left-handed player! (You'll just have to play it upside-down! - well the strings will be the correct way up!)


I've seen left handed bass players who actually play a regular right handed guitar and consequently have the strings inverted which is pretty mind boggling.

If you're stringing a Strat for left handed use you'll probably want to turn the pickups around too particularly if it's fitted with staggers. I think Hendrix kept his pickups unchanged though which was part of his unique sound (not to mention the strings)

Callumpy
28-11-2007, 17:43
i think id rather play left handed anyway!

instead of ****ing about swappin my stings around!

Hugh
28-11-2007, 17:49
i think id rather play left handed anyway!

instead of ****ing about swappin my stings around!

You're playing with the Police! Wow........ :D

Uncle Peter
28-11-2007, 17:52
You'll have to change your stings (strings) every few weeks anyway so what's the prob?

Callumpy
28-11-2007, 18:03
hmmm, true!

nffc
28-11-2007, 18:28
i think id rather play left handed anyway!

instead of ****ing about swappin my stings around!
I can't see what difference it makes. And left handed bowed strings players still have to play "right handed".

Gareth
30-11-2007, 23:52
I'd disagree that learning acoustic over electric is better for beginners... the action on an average acoustic guitar makes it more difficult to get to grips with for someone who is just starting out. Plus nothing beats being able to turn your amp up loudly, add some distortion and jam with 3 power chords :D

Also, although standard notation is a useful skill to have, I'd say it's not essential. You can get by very easily by learning fundamental chord fingerings and learning to read tab. It's great if you do learn standard notation but not essential.

Talking of tabs, you should download Power Tab Editor and then search for some songs at www.allpowertabs.com

Most importantly, though, you've got to really want to play guitar because you'll be playing for hours and hours and hours, and your fingers are gonna hurt (and even bleed) until you get calluses on them. But stick with it'll and it'll be worth it.

ps - I've got an American Strat and very nice it is too :)

SamH182
01-12-2007, 01:37
well callum you just need to steal your glory ;)

Just practice and practice hard and it will come to you some day.

Uncle Peter
01-12-2007, 01:46
ps - I've got an American Strat and very nice it is too :)

I've got 2 ;)

The red one is a std American Strat, greeny one is a lonestar strat with a SD pearly gates pickup on the bridge, the black one is an old Jap Squier from the 80s and the other one is the superb Schecter Blackjack

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8707/axes1pr4.th.jpg (http://img444.imageshack.us/my.php?image=axes1pr4.jpg)

Theres's a Telecaster as well which is currently at the tech getting some adjustments done on the neck

Delta Whiskey
01-12-2007, 14:22
If you want some guitar porn for Xmas, I can recommend:

Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia - http://tinyurl.com/24k6lx
or The Ultimate Guitar Book - http://tinyurl.com/288zhx

Uncle Peter
01-12-2007, 14:35
If you want some guitar porn for Xmas, I can recommend:

Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia - http://tinyurl.com/24k6lx
or The Ultimate Guitar Book - http://tinyurl.com/288zhx

:tu: I've got Tony Bacon's book (The Ultimate Guitar Book). Excellent combination of history and pics.

Callumpy
01-12-2007, 16:15
Guitar Porn, what a way to reffer to it!
As long as it isnt gay :S

Delta Whiskey
01-12-2007, 21:02
Guitar Porn, what a way to reffer to it!
As long as it isnt gay :S

Well you are lusting over photographs in a book and wondering what it would be like to play with them...

All guitars are female, it's the shape. :D

Callumpy
01-12-2007, 23:40
lol, fair enough