Author Topic: Learning to play guitar...  (Read 11951 times)

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Offline bl5150

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #70 on: April 10, 2020, 10:26:27 AM »
I decided to start uploading some practice stuff onto Youtube.  Here I am after six weeks, learning this one for the wife....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51XgHtRsSxc

The reaction at 0:04 lol the accidental note, we all been there.

one suggestion: try not to have your pinky resting on the guitar. It's best to eliminate bad habits early.

I didn't realize the pinky thing is actually a bad habit. I know I've seen some pros talk about "anchoring" their hand on the guitar when they're not strumming, always figured it was more of a personal preference kind of thing.

Yep - I view anchoring as a positive thing in most lead playing situations.  I also briefly touch down (without thinking about it) in between chord changes as it allows me to find the right string without looking down.

Anchoring is generally not required (or advised) for strumming
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Offline Lonk

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #71 on: April 10, 2020, 10:35:10 AM »
I guess it's more of a personal preference then. I feel that using my fingers, my hand tenses up a lot.
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Offline T-ski

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #72 on: April 29, 2020, 06:16:39 PM »
Starting learning my first real song,  this is after about two hours or so of practice. I know it’s awful but it made me feel good about myself.


https://youtu.be/VFvgYw6UiVg
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Offline Snow Dog

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #73 on: April 29, 2020, 11:35:02 PM »
Starting learning my first real song,  this is after about two hours or so of practice. I know it’s awful but it made me feel good about myself.


https://youtu.be/VFvgYw6UiVg

If one can tell that’s Silent Lucidity, it’s not that awful, especially if you’re first learning the song. And especially if you’re beginning to learn guitar. Sounding good! Once you start developing the muscle memory for your fretting hand to where your fingers are supposed to fall, you’ll notice you can piece the two phrases together more fluidly.

Something else that has helped me with those kind of string skipping arpeggios is placing the pinky side of my picking hand’s palm against the guitar below the bridge and just moving my wrist and fingers to pick the strings. For the longest time I had my arm floating in space, and I found it difficult to be accurate in which strings I picked. Then I saw a video suggesting planting your palm like that, and it’s made it easier for me, possibly since my picking hand would now have a frame of reference. Not sure if that a normal technique or a bad habit, but it’s helped me. Might just be a preference thing, who knows?

Offline wolfking

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #74 on: April 29, 2020, 11:53:34 PM »
I decided to start uploading some practice stuff onto Youtube.  Here I am after six weeks, learning this one for the wife....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51XgHtRsSxc

The reaction at 0:04 lol the accidental note, we all been there.

one suggestion: try not to have your pinky resting on the guitar. It's best to eliminate bad habits early.

I didn't realize the pinky thing is actually a bad habit. I know I've seen some pros talk about "anchoring" their hand on the guitar when they're not strumming, always figured it was more of a personal preference kind of thing.

Yep - I view anchoring as a positive thing in most lead playing situations.  I also briefly touch down (without thinking about it) in between chord changes as it allows me to find the right string without looking down.

Anchoring is generally not required (or advised) for strumming

All of this.
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Offline Train of Naught

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #75 on: April 29, 2020, 11:56:40 PM »
Hey, I also started guitar recently and have been practicing for a little over a month now, it’s surprisingly relaxing and almost meditative to just go at it for a couple hours. Snow Dog is totally right about the muscle memory thing. My only advice as a fellow newbie from what I feel works for me well is to start playing things super slow, don’t go faster until you can play it without any mistakes slowly and then speed it up a tad and go from there
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Offline wolfking

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #76 on: April 30, 2020, 12:01:23 AM »
Hey, I also started guitar recently and have been practicing for a little over a month now, it’s surprisingly relaxing and almost meditative to just go at it for a couple hours. Snow Dog is totally right about the muscle memory thing. My only advice as a fellow newbie from what I feel works for me well is to start playing things super slow, don’t go faster until you can play it without any mistakes slowly and then speed it up a tad and go from there

I'd say I'm pretty decent on the guitar, but this is a crucial piece of advice.  Back when I was learning, I was making good progress but would usually rush through things too quick to move onto the next song/exercise, whatever.  When learning the faster stuff, I actually had to go back years later and really fine tune some certain aspects of things like sweeps and runs a bit more.  They were okay, but realises years later I was sloppy in some areas.  If I were to go back and tell myself one thing it would be, tighten things up and don't move on until a technique is learned properly and can be played consistently with everything audible and clean.  I'm pretty sweet now and really didn't take too long to fine tune some things, but still have to tell myself when I do get time to play to slow down and not to rush.

Impatienece is hard to reel in.  You need that self discipline to take the time and trust the process and your practicing.
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Offline Elite

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #77 on: April 30, 2020, 12:58:29 AM »
Learning the guitar is not something you can do overnight. It takes hours and hours of hard work, practice and dedication.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline DoctorAction

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #78 on: April 30, 2020, 01:03:09 AM »
I've been at it for 35 years, and am sloppy and lazy.

Makes me so happy to hear people are playing and getting something out of it. I always said to my sons that noodling about on an instrument is terrific because it gives you somewhere to go, mentally. A fascinating place away from whatever else is going on. It's meditative.

I think of all creative pursuits (music, painting, writing, needlework, etc) like running. The important thing (to me - everyone's different) isn't how far, or how fast I went - all running is good running.  :smiley:
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Offline Elite

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #79 on: April 30, 2020, 04:12:37 AM »
It's definitely meditative, but it's also very addictive, at least to me. I'm playing for hours on end on certain days, practising random stuff, learning songs and messing around. This lockdown stuff has strangely given me a lot of new energy to play - a lot. The feeling of progressing and getting better is terrific, and that's my main drive. There's so much stuff out there that inspires me (and I know I'm not alone in this). Recently I also realised that some years ago I wasn't practising nearly as much as I am now, because I think I kind of lost the fun in it? I had no idea what to do, and thinking back on that 'lost time' makes me want to practise even more. There's guys out there who are a lot younger than me, but they're doing stuff that makes me jealous. I know music is not a competition, nor should it be, but seeing others do stuff I can't (yet) do is an insanely good motivation for me to keep going and keep challenging myself. Then when you can see yourself getting better, that's an awesome result.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Tomislav95

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #80 on: April 30, 2020, 04:32:54 AM »
Yeah, definitely. I've been playing on and off for about 6 years now (wow if I actually practiced all that time...). After I moved last year I bough guitar again and it's been really meditative for me, as well. I'm not really good but lately it's been one of only few things where I can forget about everything and it helps and I've been progressing with learning some new stuff and getting better at actually keeping time and play along to the backing tracks :lol
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Offline wolfking

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #81 on: April 30, 2020, 04:52:13 AM »
Learning the guitar is not something you can do overnight. It takes hours and hours of hard work, practice and dedication.

Hours turn into days which turns into weeks which turn into months which turn into years.
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Offline Elite

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #82 on: April 30, 2020, 06:18:57 AM »
Learning the guitar is not something you can do overnight. It takes hours and hours of hard work, practice and dedication.

Hours turn into days which turns into weeks which turn into months which turn into years.

Absolutely.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline bl5150

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #83 on: April 30, 2020, 06:47:54 AM »
I was always told 10,000 hours to reach entry level session player  ;D
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

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Offline Stadler

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #84 on: April 30, 2020, 07:58:55 AM »
Learning the guitar is not something you can do overnight. It takes hours and hours of hard work, practice and dedication.

Hours turn into days which turns into weeks which turn into months which turn into years.

"Days turn to minutes and minutes to memories.  Life sweeps away the dreams that we have planned." - John Mellencamp "Minutes to Memories"

Offline Lonk

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #85 on: April 30, 2020, 08:12:22 AM »
I was always told 10,000 hours to reach entry level session player  ;D

I thought 10,000 hours was to be a commercial pilot  :laugh:
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Offline T-ski

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #86 on: April 30, 2020, 08:12:55 AM »
All good advice guys!

There are days I’ll try to play something and within 10 minutes I’ll get so frustrated I just give up. But then there are times like the other night when I started noodling Silent Lucidity, and the next thing I knew an hour had gone by and all I wanted to do was master those 8 bars.




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Offline Lowdz

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #87 on: April 30, 2020, 08:51:51 AM »
I was always told 10,000 hours to reach entry level session player  ;D

I've put more than that in and I'm still shit!
I have no natural talent and no muscle memory for music at all. Once I learn a song if I don't practice it every day I'll soon lose the memory of what I learnt. Unfortunately my cousin got all the musical talent in our family. He went to the Royal Academy of Music in London and played in the RAF band.

Offline Stadler

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #88 on: April 30, 2020, 09:25:45 AM »
That's something I've never gotten my arms around; the ability of guys like Portnoy and Morse to remember what they're playing and what they're supposed to play, and in real time.  Even a split millisecond of indecision can derail a 20-minute opus, yet...  I'm sure there are mistakes and lapses, but even those, they've gotten to the point that they can make "good" mistakes.

I remember doing Mummer shows, and having to learn the five minute final routine, and while I always eventually got it, it was always a challenge, and I would sometimes have to write cues on my hands/shirt sleeves (it was more than just music though; it was a choreographed routine).  That was ONE SONG!   :)

Offline T-ski

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #89 on: December 22, 2020, 01:36:20 PM »
Bump!

I’m ashamed to say after a few months of everyday practicing I fell into a big lull and didn’t touch my guitar most of the fall.  But something stirred in me the last couple of weeks and I started noodling again and put together a little something for the holidays..... https://youtu.be/q9I7-lIzU10

Hopefully I’ll be able to keep the spark burning this time and keep plugging along.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #90 on: December 22, 2020, 02:44:03 PM »
I'm with T-Ski, just a few years younger. Glad he started this thread.

I'm personally looking for electric. I love acoustic, but I heard electric is better for folks who want to play casually, as it isn't as rough on the fingers. But I am open to whatever. I just want to learn. I played a little bit (just learning tab) back in law school to pass the time. But I never really got anywhere other than playing some intros of my favorite Queensryche songs. I'd actually like to learn chords and how to play.


I started giving private guitar lessons just before the pandemic hit and I always recommend that beginners start with an electric guitar because it's much, much easier on the hands.  Acoustic guitars are nice, but fretting chords on an acoustic requires quite a bit more finger / wrist strength than most beginners can muster.  This leads to frustration which leads, eventually, to quitting.


If you're just starting out, I'd check out a few pawn shops if there are any in your area.  I have found some absolutely ridiculously good deals on used instruments in pawn shops, my last one was a 5-year-old American "Fat Strat" that I snagged for $375.



Offline HOF

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #91 on: December 22, 2020, 03:26:25 PM »
I’ve played a lot of guitar this year, and learned a few things, but can’t say I’ve been terribly effective in terms of my practice (I did watch many YouTube videos, some helpful many not). I find myself mostly playing around and messing with the same chords that I’ve known forever. That said, I feel like I have accomplished the following this year:

- learned a pentatonic scale fairly well up the whole neck
- have finally managed to play a few bar chords decently
- learned what harmonics are and how to play the basic ones

Baby steps!

Offline Stadler

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #92 on: December 23, 2020, 07:56:04 AM »
I'm with T-Ski, just a few years younger. Glad he started this thread.

I'm personally looking for electric. I love acoustic, but I heard electric is better for folks who want to play casually, as it isn't as rough on the fingers. But I am open to whatever. I just want to learn. I played a little bit (just learning tab) back in law school to pass the time. But I never really got anywhere other than playing some intros of my favorite Queensryche songs. I'd actually like to learn chords and how to play.


I started giving private guitar lessons just before the pandemic hit and I always recommend that beginners start with an electric guitar because it's much, much easier on the hands.  Acoustic guitars are nice, but fretting chords on an acoustic requires quite a bit more finger / wrist strength than most beginners can muster.  This leads to frustration which leads, eventually, to quitting.


If you're just starting out, I'd check out a few pawn shops if there are any in your area.  I have found some absolutely ridiculously good deals on used instruments in pawn shops, my last one was a 5-year-old American "Fat Strat" that I snagged for $375.

This times three.  I'm a big fan of pawn shops; you do have to be careful - in my experience that doesn't mean they are sheisters as much as they just don't know what they're talking about - but you can get good deals.  Also, and it's not comfortable for many people, in most pawn shops, listed prices are a suggestion.   ALWAYS haggle, if you're comfortable doing so.   I got a Squire Strat with dual humbuckers - it's a crap guitar, but the neck was beautiful and it plays so nice - that listed for $100 for $50 along with some CDs.   It's not my main guitar or anything, but it's a good guitar to noodle on, it would be a FANTASTIC guitar for a beginner, and in fact, I sometimes play it with my grandson. 

Offline Elite

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #93 on: December 23, 2020, 09:36:01 AM »
One thing I always tell my students is that they should practice stuff they want to learn, rather than what they think they should know or learn. There's far more enjoyment in doing stuff you want to do, than in practicing things without knowing how or where to apply them. That said, you should always practice new stuff in the context of actually making music, whether that's existing music, or something you made yourself. Starting out, always copy existing music. What good is knowing hundreds of different chords if you can't even play a song with those chords? Why spend hours learning a difficult technique, if you
re never going to apply that in any given musical situation? If you enjoy learning a difficult technique, by all means do so, but see if you can apply it somewhere as well, for example in a guitar solo you enjoy, or in a piece of music you write yourself.

Making music and learning how to play an instrument is a cumulative process. Everything you learn will add up and - this is the most important part - everything you learn will give you your own voice on that instrument. That's why it's so important do play stuff you enjoy playing; if it's meaningful to you, then it'll probably reflect in your playing far more than something you've learned because you thought you had to.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Stadler

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #94 on: December 23, 2020, 10:11:32 AM »
Honest question, and not an argument.   I feel like I have to know at least rudimentary scales, and I don't.  I get the general idea, of course, but I don't know the details enough to really make it work.  I feel like I'm at a point that I have to know that to get to the next level.  I can play chords, rhythms, riffs, I've played in bands so while my time sucks standing alone (I can't count) I can play along with others reasonably well.   I'm at a wall though in terms of my playing satisfying myself. 

What would you suggest? 

Offline Elite

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #95 on: December 23, 2020, 12:38:33 PM »
I think understanding music theory and knowing how the guitar works has definitely helped me improve a lot. From a music education standpoint I feel like you need to know what you're doing in order to do it, but there's a lot of musicians (guitarists, mostly) who will prove me wrong by outperforming me while not having an idea what they're doing (hyperbole, the last part :) ). Likewise, if your only goal is to simply play a few chords and songs and throw in a riff here or there, because you just want to have fun, there's no need to engage in a lot of music theory.

\If you want to write your own stuff, improvise a solo or have a general understand of why what you're doing sounds good or cool, then basic music theory knowledge can definitely help you. SO you'll have to ask yourself; why do I need to know how to play scales? What scales do you mean? You can get very far with knowing 'just' the pentatonic scales and how they are shaped on the fretboard, without even needing to know what the actual notes are you're playing. Guitar is easier in that regard than for example a piano, since the same scale in a different key can be played with the exact same fingering somewhere else on the fretboard. Then again, if you only learn a certain scale in one specific position, instead of everywhere on the neck, you're limiting yourself a little, but you gotta start somewhere!

I give you this though; rhythm is extremely important. I think having a sense of timing is key to play anything. Always practice with a metronome or by playing along to music to improve that, but eventually you'll need to feel that internally.

Setting goals for yourself helps, even if it's something small. Learn a new chord, learn an entire song, transcribe a solo by ear, write an hour of original music, you name it.

And practice daily; even if it's just for 5 minutes :)
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline wolfking

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #96 on: December 23, 2020, 12:54:13 PM »
Honest question, and not an argument.   I feel like I have to know at least rudimentary scales, and I don't.  I get the general idea, of course, but I don't know the details enough to really make it work.  I feel like I'm at a point that I have to know that to get to the next level.  I can play chords, rhythms, riffs, I've played in bands so while my time sucks standing alone (I can't count) I can play along with others reasonably well.   I'm at a wall though in terms of my playing satisfying myself. 

What would you suggest?

Knowing and being able to figure put all the notes on the fretboard is a good start.  Then, I'd suggest learning the basic minor pentatonic.  Learn how to use it and move it around in different keys.  It's practical and you'll get a feel of key positions and start learning the notes.  Use it in different patterns and you can start playing around with the 5 positions of the same scale.  You'll see the various shapes that can be used with simply 5 notes.  That will start to help unlock the fretboard a little more.

From there you can start delving into minor and major scales.  These shapes extend the pentatonic ideas and expands the notes, obviously with two more notes per scale your diving into the more three note per string ideas.  Learning these basics scales will help improvising and be able to understand some technical solos.

You can delve into modes after that, but it's not essential.  Having a good understanding Bill I think of these scales, or at least to start with being able to start by learning these in their main box shape on the fret board depending on the key you're in (where the root note starts on the E and not necessarily the whole fretboard) then that's a big step forward to getting to that next level.

It's easier to study the shapes too as opposed to the notes.  But learning how to figure out any not is helpful.  Learn the notes on the A and E string from fret 1 to 12 and you can use octaves to work out notes higher up.  Learning the notes on the string automatically gets you familiar with two strings right away too.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #97 on: December 23, 2020, 01:19:48 PM »
REPITITION IS KEY


When you start learning scale patterns on the fretboard you need to play them over and over and over.  The more you play them, but better your muscle memory will become.  I liken it to typing because it's very similar.  When you first start out with typing it's all hunt and peck, one letter at a time.  Then you learn the home row and how to position your hands and once you train your hands to be in the proper position and after you've spent some time doing repetitive typing exercises, it happens slowly at first but pretty soon you start noticing that when you type out certain words you don't even have to think about it.  Your fingers just start doing the work.  Muscle memory. 

If you want to become a lead guitarist that's where it's at.  Repetition is your friend. 




Offline DoctorAction

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #98 on: December 24, 2020, 03:18:04 AM »
Honest question, and not an argument.   I feel like I have to know at least rudimentary scales, and I don't.  I get the general idea, of course, but I don't know the details enough to really make it work.  I feel like I'm at a point that I have to know that to get to the next level.  I can play chords, rhythms, riffs, I've played in bands so while my time sucks standing alone (I can't count) I can play along with others reasonably well.   I'm at a wall though in terms of my playing satisfying myself. 

What would you suggest?

Grab a backing track designed for the minor or minor pentatonic or blues scale and a fretboard diagram showing where the notes are and start playing notes over the becoming track.

You'll soon work out which notes you enjoy playing.

In time you can learn what notes they are and other theory things as you fancy it but those shapes and structures will remain as the bedrock where everything else is rooted.
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Offline HOF

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #99 on: December 24, 2020, 07:31:52 AM »
Honest question, and not an argument.   I feel like I have to know at least rudimentary scales, and I don't.  I get the general idea, of course, but I don't know the details enough to really make it work.  I feel like I'm at a point that I have to know that to get to the next level.  I can play chords, rhythms, riffs, I've played in bands so while my time sucks standing alone (I can't count) I can play along with others reasonably well.   I'm at a wall though in terms of my playing satisfying myself. 

What would you suggest?

Grab a backing track designed for the minor or minor pentatonic or blues scale and a fretboard diagram showing where the notes are and start playing notes over the becoming track.

You'll soon work out which notes you enjoy playing.

In time you can learn what notes they are and other theory things as you fancy it but those shapes and structures will remain as the bedrock where everything else is rooted.

I’ve started doing this a little. YouTube has a bunch of backing tracks in whatever key you might want that you can pull up.

Offline Stadler

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #100 on: December 24, 2020, 01:04:55 PM »
Barry, Kade, Doc, those are all excellent suggestions, so thanks.  I think I'm going to try that idea on the backing tracks and see if I can get to the point like Barry said where it's muscle memory.  I do too much thinking at this point, I think.

Offline hunnus2000

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #101 on: December 24, 2020, 01:19:23 PM »
Well as usual, I am late to the party but depending on the age of the person (especially if they're younger) I always recommend learning on a classical guitar. The neck is wider and you learn to finger pick the strings. Learn on classical for at least a year and you will easily transition to a steel string guitar. You do the opposite and you will struggle when picking up a classical guitar.

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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #102 on: December 24, 2020, 01:49:39 PM »
Well as usual, I am late to the party but depending on the age of the person (especially if they're younger) I always recommend learning on a classical guitar. The neck is wider and you learn to finger pick the strings. Learn on classical for at least a year and you will easily transition to a steel string guitar. You do the opposite and you will struggle when picking up a classical guitar.

But what if you never want to play classical guitar? There’s no real benefit to starting on a classical guitar other than to actually play on a classical guitar. If your goal is to play electric, play electric.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline DoctorAction

  • Posts: 1960
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Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #103 on: December 24, 2020, 03:43:43 PM »
Barry, Kade, Doc, those are all excellent suggestions, so thanks.  I think I'm going to try that idea on the backing tracks and see if I can get to the point like Barry said where it's muscle memory.  I do too much thinking at this point, I think.

Sounds great. Like any subject, there's a nearly infinite amount of data available that you could absorb, but I think the key is just to do what interests YOU and what YOU enjoy and nothing else. Rock on.  :)
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

Offline hunnus2000

  • Posts: 1920
Re: Learning to play guitar...
« Reply #104 on: December 25, 2020, 07:58:25 AM »
Well as usual, I am late to the party but depending on the age of the person (especially if they're younger) I always recommend learning on a classical guitar. The neck is wider and you learn to finger pick the strings. Learn on classical for at least a year and you will easily transition to a steel string guitar. You do the opposite and you will struggle when picking up a classical guitar.

But what if you never want to play classical guitar? There’s no real benefit to starting on a classical guitar other than to actually play on a classical guitar. If your goal is to play electric, play electric.

I can understand your sentiment if we're talking about an adult person but if you're a young kid then you are absolutely incorrect about there being no real benefit to learning on a classical. You learn finger-picking, you learn hand techniques, you learn where to place the guitar when sitting. You can learn to play Stairway to Heaven on a classical - it's not hard but what makes it hard is if you have been playing steel string and then pick up a classical. I can't tell you how many times I have cringed when someone has picked up my classical and asked for a pick.   :omg:

Also, I think JR positively benefitted from his classical background.