#1935141 - 04/30/08 11:23 PM
Best tools for learning?
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RumpleCragstan
Senior Member
Registered: 04/30/08
Posts: 61
Loc: Penticton, BC, Canada
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Hey Guys,
I've been trying to learn the guitar for the past few months. I picked up one of those "how to learn guitar" books, and the progress has been rather slow.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how I could more effectively learn. I've been trying to learn musical theory rather than learning through tabs, but thats just making things slower.... I'm sure I'll be glad for it once I really get somewhere, but for the time being its frusterating as hell.
_________________________
Yep, I play the gee-tar
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#1935162 - 05/01/08 03:03 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: RumpleCragstan]
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Kramer Ferrington III.
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Registered: 05/12/05
Posts: 9412
Loc: Wellington, NZ
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I think the most useful tool for learning the guitar, besides a good quality, well set up instrument is... a clock. Yup, a clock so you can make sure you get your hour's daily practice time. 
Other than that... well, the standard of playing is so high and there's so many "courses" out there that promise you can "play like a seasoned pro" in only a few days, that one can forget that, like any other skill, learning to play guitar can take a while.
I think it's important to maintain a balance between exercises, reading and learning songs you enjoy. Some theory is good, as is playing with friends. Everything plays its part.
Try and get yourself a teacher and/or some playing buddies so you can put all the stuff you're learning to some practical use.
And welcome to the forum!
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#1935179 - 05/01/08 04:34 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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Hardtail
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Registered: 09/18/05
Posts: 5758
Loc: Long Island
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Forget about ALL THE CRAP you see on the net!
Here's what you do... get a decent teacher who will help you set goals and MASTER THE FUNDAMENTALS!!!!
If you start with that, over time, everything else will start to fall into place.
Playing guitar or any other musical instrument is a life long journey... not a sprint.
Welcome to the world of making music!
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#1935185 - 05/01/08 05:02 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Hardtail]
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Rampdog
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Here's what you do... get a decent teacher who will help you set goals and MASTER THE FUNDAMENTALS!!!!
Yea... what he said... Gort...Klatu, Barrata, Nikto....
_________________________
I play in the 'Key' of 'Fun'......
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#1935190 - 05/01/08 05:15 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Rampdog]
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mdrs
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Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9231
Loc: rural PA
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Ramp......I would have expected you to say "read the manual" LOL
Great comments here......I'd say find a guitar teacher and take lessons. But, you can get a simple book of guitar chords, and start learning right away. Also, Vince's suggestion about finding some guitar playing buddies is a great one.
Let us know how you do, and how you are progressing!!! Also, HAVE FUN!!
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#1935193 - 05/01/08 05:19 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: RumpleCragstan]
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mdrs
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Registered: 06/15/06
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Loc: rural PA
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By the way, RumpleCragstan;
WELCOME TO OUR FORUM!! 
Return often, and we welcome your contribution. Also, you'll find many experienced players here. So, hopefully, you'll find a lot of help here.
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#1935195 - 05/01/08 05:22 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: mdrs]
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Rampdog
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Ramp......I would have expected you to say "read the manual" LOL
Manuals to me are like ... like, ah... like Jimmy Vaughn to Doc Lee...  The best manuals I ever came across are the "For Dummy's" books... And I even have a slight distaste for them... Now, back to your regularly schedualed program....
_________________________
I play in the 'Key' of 'Fun'......
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#1935520 - 05/01/08 01:59 PM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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RumpleCragstan
Senior Member
Registered: 04/30/08
Posts: 61
Loc: Penticton, BC, Canada
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I think the most useful tool for learning the guitar, besides a good quality, well set up instrument is... a clock. Yup, a clock so you can make sure you get your hour's daily practice time.
I've been trying, but life is hectic (I'm living with my pregnant girlfriend who isn't very impressed with the fact that I've decided to pick up the guitar.) so it limits me... but I try to fool around with it at least 15 or 20 minutes a day.
Another issue is that my setup is horrible, and I'm too broke to get a better one. I'm playing on an old (like at least 15 years old, its got a sticker from '93) Jackson Charvette with a really crappy amp (after looking at it, its a First Act 10w, and it sounds like trash.). However, a buddy is helping me out and buying me a nice 30w Vox sometime in the near future, so it won't be so bad. Once I get the cash for it, I'm hoping to pick up that PRS Paul Allendar sig guitar.
Which brings me to a question - I've heard that some guitars are easier to play than others. True/False? How does a shape effect how easily played it is?
I think it's important to maintain a balance between exercises, reading and learning songs you enjoy. Some theory is good, as is playing with friends. Everything plays its part.
The main issue here is that there's nobody I know who plays guitar, and its a small-ish town (like 20k people, most of which are retired). I've shied away from learning songs because I'm intending to write my own stuff later, and I've heard that if you learn through someone else's tunes then you're bound to sound like them when you start to write your own stuff.
Try and get yourself a teacher and/or some playing buddies so you can put all the stuff you're learning to some practical use.
Once I get the cash, I'll definitely try to get a teacher. There's a really nice guitar shop here in town (amazingly good, seeing as how small this place is; they have a 1950's gibson there thats worth more than $50k sitting in the back room... the only way I know that is because they brought it out to get it price checked while I was there) and the owner does lessons. We'll see how that turns out.
Let us know how you do, and how you are progressing!!!
Right now I'm learning string-by-string, and I've managed to comfortably play the first 3 strings in open position. Working on the 4th string. Nothing really worth mentioning as far as anything else.... all I've really done is memorize which frets play which notes in open position; and to be honest, it'd take work for me to remember which note it it - I just know which notes on the staff correspond to which frets.
_________________________
Yep, I play the gee-tar
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#1935530 - 05/01/08 02:48 PM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: RumpleCragstan]
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Jerf
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Registered: 04/17/08
Posts: 41
Loc: northern California
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I think that your 15-20min a day regiment is absolutely acceptable to your improvement. The trick is to divide the time that you are able to alot to practice between the topic that you are working on. I like to break practice session up by 1)technique 2)harmony/theory 3)repertoire. It's easy to do 5mins a piece. If you do the same lesson for that long for a week, it will begin to sink in. 20mins a piece is definitely better but you need to work within your means. Practice smart.
Also use a metronome. Us guitarists always need to be working on our rhythm.
good luck!
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#1936670 - 05/04/08 02:09 AM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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RumpleCragstan
Senior Member
Registered: 04/30/08
Posts: 61
Loc: Penticton, BC, Canada
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Another issue is that my setup is horrible, and I'm too broke to get a better one. I'm playing on an old (like at least 15 years old, its got a sticker from '93) Jackson Charvette with a really crappy amp... Erm... I think we're talking at crosspurposes here! What is meant by "setup" in a guitar sense is how the guitar itself is set up. What you are describing is usually referred to as plain old "gear" or as when dealing with amps and FX pedals, a "rig". What I meant by "setup" is a range of small adjustments that a luthier (guitar repairman/tech) does to a guitar to improve its playability. Sometimes these adjustments are done inhouse by a music shop before the guitar goes into the showroom, but often they're left undone. They include raising or lowering the height of the strings, making sure the bridge saddles are in the correct position to ensure perfect tuning and generally making sure the guitar is shipshape. Think of it as adjusting the drivers' seat and rearview mirror on a new car, only for guitars. I don't know how much it costs in the US but here it ranges from about $20 to $40.
What are the chances of me being able to do anything to improve the playability on my lonesome? Are they really complicated/precise operations, or can the average guitarist learn to do it themselves?
_________________________
Yep, I play the gee-tar
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#1937556 - 05/05/08 04:59 PM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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fesquell
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Registered: 01/01/06
Posts: 90
Loc: Punta del Este
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For theory I believe memory is a very important tool.
If you are starting I'would recommend scales before chords...
Hi guys!!! nice to know about all of you again!!!
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"Play something unpredictable!" "I've been trying to do that my whole life" (Hedges' 1993 concert) www.facundoesquelles.uy.gs Native Legends
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#1937623 - 05/05/08 07:18 PM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: RumpleCragstan]
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Kramer Ferrington III.
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/12/05
Posts: 9412
Loc: Wellington, NZ
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What are the chances of me being able to do anything to improve the playability on my lonesome? Are they really complicated/precise operations, or can the average guitarist learn to do it themselves?
Well, the average guitarist does learn to do it themselves, sooner or later (to varying degrees) but it can be a bit of a trial and error thing and you'd need a really good tuner as well.
If the search function worked any better I'd tell you to go find yourself some threads on setting up a guitar, but you can probably find a bunch of stuff on google.
For a first time though, I'd suggest taking the guit to a luthier or a music shop. Not because you're going to wreck anything, but simply to see what difference a professional set up makes so that you know what to shoot for next time: it's a bit tough expecting yourself to get things right the first time if you don't know what you're trying to accomplish.
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#1938079 - 05/06/08 12:39 PM
Re: Best tools for learning?
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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cool9
Senior Member
Registered: 03/06/08
Posts: 37
Loc: Philadelphia
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1. Learn what chords are made of. What the color tones are, what makes a minor chord minor, a minor scale minor, etc.
2. Then learn some basic open chords and work towards bar chords.
3. Learn the Blues scale.
4. Practice legato (Hammer-on, Pull-off) in different positions/fingers/strings. Practice trills.
5. By this time your ear should be pretty good and you could learn some modal scales and pick up some easy songs with basic chords like some early Eagles, CSN, etc.
6. Learn a 12-bar blues progression.
_________________________
"I could play the guitar if I could figure out what the strings are for." - Steven Wright
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