epic Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Hello, I am new to the forums, but I have been lurking off and on for awhile. I have been playing for about a year, and I know all the basic stuff, but I'm kinda stuck on what to learn next. Learning to play other peoples songs isn't that interesting to me. I just want to be able to pick up the guitar, and make up something that sounds good. Are scales important to learn? Can anyone suggest a good book to help me learn, or maybe a website with free lessons? Where should I go next? Thanks for any help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zachg Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 learn some blues progressions(12 bar blues). also learn how to solo using pentatonic scales, as well as blues scales so you'll be able to jam with your friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalhair Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Welcome! It is a long journey, but well worth it. If you want to "make up something that sounds good", it helps to understand the way music is put together. But, what kind of music are you into, what kind of genre do you want to write in? Not to push you in a direction you don't want to go, but learning or at least understanding other songs is a great-- and perhaps the only-- way to really understand music. You could learn a thousand songs and not ever really "get it", but even if you submersed youself in Piston's Harmony, counterpoint books, music history books, you'd have to dig through example after example of other people music. And if you don't play through them you'd not really understand it. I'd suggest learning some standard tunes in the genre you want to play. At the very least you'd understand the structure and get a feel for it. If you were to get a chord progression book, you get an insight into one aspect of playing without having to learn other people stuff, but really even those things only start to make sense on the instinctual level when you play tunes. For example, I played all sorts of ii-V-I's but then seeing them on a chord chart made me see how they got used and made me come up with "my" best voice leading for them. Two songs that made me "rethink" my ii V I's are "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" (or was it "Orchids in the Moonlight") and "Pent-Up House". Of coarse, Giant Steps is a major rethinking of ii-V-I in a sense. You don't have to "learn" a tune like "note for note", listen to the way different people adapt songs-- like Richie Havens. He always puts his own spin on a tune and I bet it influeces his ability to write, helping him to write better tunes. check out some comedy I've done: http://louhasspoken.tumblr.com/ My Unitarian Jihad Name: Brother Broadsword of Enlightened Compassion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billster Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Originally posted by musicalhair: Welcome! It is a long journey, but well worth it. If you want to "make up something that sounds good", it helps to understand the way music is put together. But, what kind of music are you into, what kind of genre do you want to write in? I'd suggest learning some standard tunes in the genre you want to play. At the very least you'd understand the structure and get a feel for it. Yes, like he said. Welcome, and always seek to learn. I would begin by emphasizing structure, and not just standard song forms like AABA. Look to counterpoint, sonata form, and standards. Look at Indian raga forms. Listen to Thelonius Monk. I remember how Wynton Marsalis described Monk's music: He shows you something - he takes it away. He shows you again - he takes it away again. He shows you another side - he shows you the first side - he takes it away again. If you are writing the music, use a different colored pen or pencil to mark the sections of the form above the staff. This let's you sit back and see the big picture of what your musical statements are. I'm starting to babble, I'll stop now. Buy my CD on CD Baby! Bill Hartzell - the website MySpace?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Hi Epic. Welcome to the forum. I was exactly where you are a short while back. I had some music theory, I understood scales, I knew a number of chords, etc. But frankly there are so many directions the guitar can take you that I did not know what to try to learn next. I wasn't even sure what I wanted, because I wanted everything the guitar offers. I was even thinking of sleeping with my axe but my wife nixed that . Anyway, I decided to take some lessons at that point, just to get some other input. The instructor didn't quite know what to do with me either and it became obvious that I had to firmly decide what I wanted from music. That actually took a little time. Then I was able to set sail on another journey of learning, recognizing that I can change my path anytime I wish. Good luck. bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Musicalhair and Billster are right, at least from my perspective. I'll phrase it a different way...there probably isn't really anything totally original in guitar, or music for that matter. Everything comes from something, and that's not to say it's copied. It just means that, say, the guitarists of today learned by imitating their idols...and embellishing upon it. The degree of embellishment is what's original. So, I think there's value in learning how other folks do things. What is your ultimate goal? To be a "master" of the instrument? To play in a kickass band? To use it as a songwriting tool? An accompaniment for your voice? All those things may or may not be related, and your goal will determine how best to approach the instrument. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauldil Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Welcome Epic! What if instead of guitar, let's say you wanted to learn Spanish. You wouldnt just learn words and then put them together in ways that sounded good to you. Instead, you would probably learn everyday phrases in order to become familiar with their use. Then as you get comfortable with the grammar & vocabulary, youd be able to embellish and express yourself more clearly. Music is a language too. Get more familiar with guitar grammar and conversational guitar by learning songs, then you will be able to create your own. Why try and reinvent the wheel when others have already figured things out and put them in context for you? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epic Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 I knew I would get some great replies here. Thanks for the insight. I never thought of guitar in those ways.Maybe with some of these ideas, I can go to the next level of learning. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbach1 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Originally posted by pauldil: Welcome Epic! What if instead of guitar, let's say you wanted to learn Spanish. You wouldnt just learn words and then put them together in ways that sounded good to you. Instead, you would probably learn everyday phrases in order to become familiar with their use. Then as you get comfortable with the grammar & vocabulary, youd be able to embellish and express yourself more clearly. Music is a language too. Get more familiar with guitar grammar and conversational guitar by learning songs, then you will be able to create your own. Why try and reinvent the wheel when others have already figured things out and put them in context for you? Paul¿Habla usted inglés? bbach Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauldil Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Originally posted by cwfno: ¿Habla usted inglés?Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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