need encouragement

Hello there. You can certainly learn by yourself at home....and you still have resources at your disposal, like all the nice people here at GN.

What level are you currently? Do you know all the major open chords? Barre chords?

I have found that a great way to learn w/o spending as much as on private lessons is to buy lessons on tape/DVD. Make sure they are level approiate and that they include tablature so you can follow along (you know how to read tablature, right?). This way you can go over the lessons numerous times (or slowly, bit by bit) w/o paying an hourly rate.

Check out http://www.homespuntapes.com for some great lessons on tape and DVD.

Hi Ladyrider,

Well, you're in the right place, first of all. The lessons here on Guitar Noise are outstanding, and are a great way to get started, or to get better.

I'm still a beginner, and I've never taken a lesson (I'm not sure why), but in the last month or two, I've made quite a bit of progress, mostly as a result of the things I've learned from this site.

And, for the record, I have very, very little natural talent.......so if I can learn, so can you.

Stick with it.

Hello Ladyrider,
Welcome to Guitar Noise.
Absolutely yes, you can teach yourself.
There are so many avenues available both online and in books and videos.
If you have the time stop by your local library and see what they have to offer on instructional books and videos.
And of course if you get stuck on anything just post your question here and you are sure to get all kinds of help.

You certainly can teach yourself and you have certainly come to the right place.

I have been visiting this site for more than a year and I can vouch that a overwhelming number of us started our journey by reading Dave Hodge's beginner lessons.

Also check out the section on freebies, they have online metronome, tuners, drum simulators, freboard warrior etc.

Get playing as soon as you can. Post anytime you get stuck or have a question. You will be surprised at the number of answers/advises you will get from some top notch musicians.

Cheers

It's very easy to teach yourself with the internet - I did, and i'm coming along very nicely. Some websites, like GN, have a ton of stuff to help beginners get started and information about music theory. There also many (illegal?) tab sites out there, and learning some of your favorite songs can be a great way to start.

ps- It's good to finally see another member form the fine state of Kentucky!

Hi and welcome.

Here you'll find folks that will help you believe in yourself and find solutions to make that dream come true.

When you modivate yourself, you build the power to accomplish your goals. Power comes from knowing how to do something. Your knowledge and motivation is power. As a general rule the most successful people in life are the one's with the best information. Knowledge will come to you by having your eyes and mind always open. Motivation comes from within, it's the internal flame that sets you afire.

Your success will start when you begin to pursue it.To reach your goal or to attain success, you don't need to know all the answers in advance. You just need to have a clear idea of what your goal is. Develop tendencies toward taking action. Break your big plan into small steps and take that first step. Everyone who ever got where they are had to begin where they were. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Picture yourself vividly as winning, and that alone will contribute immeasurably to your success. tell yourself your a winner, Think in your mind and say it out loud "I'm a winner", "I'm a winner". The power to succeed will always be yours. You don't need more strength, more ability or greater opportunity. What you need is to use what you have.

Success doesn't come to you, you have to go to it. It's up to you to open the door to opportunity. Every situation, properly perceived, becomes an opportunity.If you concentrate your efforts on a few major goals, your efficiency will soar, your projects will be completed, and you'll be going somewhere. Focus the power of all you are on what you have a desire to achieve, you'll attain success.

The fact that you can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return are common miracles. Recognize that there are such things as miracles, events for which there are no explanations. Vision is the art of seeing invisible things.

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. Courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined. It gives you the ability to rise above reality.

Here's another thread with some great motivational Tidbits

Joe

WOW! No I'm psyched! After reading all of this, who wouldn't be. Hang out on this forum/site and you can't help but learn stuff. Its osmosis I think. Really, I think you are at the right place. there are other sites like acousticguitar.com tha thave beginner lessons as well, but nothing beats David's easy songs for beginners. I catch myself laughing out loud when I realize how cool it sounds when I pull off my first successful hammer-on. Read everything you can on this site, lessons, articles, posts, then re-read them. Ask questions, good ones, dumb ones, all of them. I've only been at this a month, and I have nothing to compare against, but I think I'm doing darn good. Determination is key. Do you want to do this? If you do, you'll find a way. It doesn't take much time each day, and I've spent nothing on lessons so far. Have fun with it. Even if I spend 15 minutes tonight doing nothing but switching between G and C, I'm having a blast. I'll find a way to turn that 15 mins into 30 next week. Stick with it. You've heard it 1000 times, and its probably already in a response to your original post, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy....and like Mom always says, "you don't go, you don't get".

HI LADYRIDER

there should be more people in the world like you well done for the caring most people only think of themselves when it comes to others .
As for learning the axe (guitar ) check out the lessons by David and co they are really good , and if you have questions you kow where to come .

and one more thing THAT I ALMOST forgot to say is Welcome to the wonderful world of guitar , a guitar will eventually become your soul mate , best friend so take your time learn as much as you can ask as much as you want we are all here for each other .

cheers
L.K

hello Ladyrider, and welcome to this site. You can definitely learn alot from GN. Start with the beginning songs from David Hodge, and you'll do fine.

Ladyrider,

Welcome - Yes, learning to play a guitar using on line resourses is great if you are disciplined and stay focused on the topic - learn the topic and then move to the next.

Guitar Noise is great as well as other sites 8) Besides Guitar Noise I found this site particularly useful when I began playing:

http://guitar.about.com/od/freebeginnerlessons/

Good luck in reaching your goals and let us know how it goes.

BS

besides the info here, I liked these books:

"Zen Guitar" by Phillip Sudo
"FastTrack Guitar Method Book 1" Hal Leonard
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_inside.html?cart=33225410323421275&item=2968368&page=cover

What really helped me was getting the beginner's books with a CD so I could hear what the exercise was suppose to sound like.

Best of luck with the guitar and especially your mom.

"She wrote faithfully home to mama
'Now mama don't you worry none'
From small things, mama, big things one day come"
- Springsteen

Hey Ladyrider,

I'm gonna add that having just spent a long time caring for my father before he died, it's very very very important that you do make time for youself to get out of the house. Look into every available resource you can to find a way to get out, if not once a week, at least once a month. You have to make time for your own sanity, and you have to get out of the house on your own.

That said, yes you can do quite a bit on your own. You have to be carefull that you're really paying attention to technique, and try to watch as many on-line videos of people doing things right as possible to avoid developing bad habits. Otherwise, you can do quite a bit by yourself.

Don't neglect teaching yourself to read music and to play in positions. You won't find that in "on-line" lessons much, but it's important. If you already know how to read music, just pick up the two books "Berkelee Reading Studies For Guitar" and "Berkelee Advanced Reading Studies For Guitar" and make them part of your practice routine. If you don't know how to read music, get one of the many "method" books out there that teaches it.

ladyrider welcome -hey before i started i couldn't carry a tune in a basket. just hang in there and keep pluggin away this is a great forum you will find lot's of help here...

Welcome, ladyrider, and best wishes in caring for your mother.

As so many have said, you most certainly can learn guitar on your own. And doing so can be very therapeutic. I do have an instructor, but to give you an idea of how valuable this site can be, I frequently irritate him with the things I learn from Guitar Noise. I'll work on something with him and do alright. Then I'll come in with something I worked on here, and he'll ask what I need him for.

A couple of key points: Don't get frustrated. Appreciate every step forward, no matter how tiny. And allow yourself to enjoy the sound that you coax out of your guitar. It's a beautiful thing.