Ok...finally beginning

I'm a newbie also and have felt all the same things that you are feeling. I am taking lessons, and while I am undecided on whether to stick with my teacher, it has helped me to figure some things out that I am not sure I would have gotten otherwise. There are plenty of experienced players here that will surely offer their sage advice. This is just my humble 2 cents worth.

Good luck on which ever way you decide to go and keep us posted.

KC

While I think a teacher would be a great way to start as I'm a visual person, I was unable to do so. I live in a very small town and I tried the local guitar teacher but he was fired by the music store about two weeks after I started with him and I can see why.

So my next step was EMedia Guitar Method 1. This was decent and got me going in the right direction but I wasn't excited about it.

My second purchase was the Berklee Press's Guitar Method One with DVD. Now I really like this one. It will have you reading music right away and playing along. If you don't care to read music right away then avoid this method although I highly recommend it.

My third purchase was the Guitar Acoustic Rock Method DVD by Peter Vogl. Now this is excellent if you want to get up and playing songs instantaneously. You basicly learn chord progressions and strum patterns and play along with a backing track alongside Peter. It starts at very easy and moves to medium difficulty (for a beginner). Of the 3 above this and the Berklee have been my favorite.

My other sources have been of course Guitarnoise and google to anwser any questions. About.com has some beginner lessons also that are fairly good.

Now onto the question... :D

"What/how should I start learning first - scales, chords, positions, books or should I really start with a teacher?"

Seeing as a teacher was not a viable option for me I'd say some DVD's, books and the internet or friends who play.

As for what to learn first? All the above. I started by learning how to finger a few chords. I got a beginner chord chart over at the Fender players club site.

Have fun!

Hi
First - I'm definitely not a teacher - and I don't know if I've have too much sucess teaching myself over the past 20 years either... :-D

So - obviously a (good) teacher is good. If you can afford one, find one, have the time etc, you should probably go for that.

Anyway - what I did and what I've been doing with my daughter recently is to draw up chord shapes, memorize them and practice switching between them. If you pick useful ones you can be playing a lot of songs in short time. D (x00232) A7 (x02020) and G (xx0003) are basic and useful - Learn them, start with just the thumb strumming the strings - and you can play a number of songs - for an ol' Dylan fan - blowing in the wind springs to mind ;-)

Then, continue extending your chord library - minor shapes, 7th chords etc. rembember to work on the right hand as well - do you consider a pick? try it. Try pick the bass notes with your thumb and the treble strings with index, middle and ring finger

I'm sure you will get a lot of more and probably better advices - but I want to say good luck anyway! Hang in there and remember to ask all the questions you can think of here! :-)

lars

I am with lars, if time and money permits, get a teacher!

You could definately go with a teacher and there would be nothing wrong with that BUT the first thing they are going to teach you are your basic chords probably. If I had it to do all over again I think I would have skipped a teacher until I have my basic chord shapes down.

There is a Guitarnoise lesson for that.

Good Luck and never give up, its the only way to success
Jim

Sweet! Thanks everyone. I will take a look at the lessons - I didn't even realize there would be some beginner stuff other than songs there! <3

I started with chords....I got a Beatles songbook which showed all the chord shapes, concentrated on a few of the easier songs first, then moved on to the harder ones. I started by just playing the top 3 or four strings....then as I got a little better, the full chords.

30 years on, I'm still rubbish at lead guitar...but hey, I'm getting there on rhythm....

Probably because I only decided to learn properly a few years ago....then I found Guitarnoise....

I also found the biggest help to me was trying to play along with my records....once you know what chords sound like, and you've got those sounds fixed in your head, you'll start to recognise them and play along with them...

Scales are important....and like most people will tell you, a teacher will point you down the best path...but there's nothing wrong with self-improvement....

I practise a lot...and most of that practise is either playing rhythm or bass along with records...that's what I've always enjoyed doing, and it seems to have worked for me....

:D :D :D

Vic

Ok now I have another question...can I practice without an amp? I will be getting one of course, money was a little tight so of course I get the guitar! I know I won't hear much but can I at least practice positions and shapes, etc? Thanks so much guys!

Ok now I have another question...can I practice without an amp? I will be getting one of course, money was a little tight so of course I get the guitar! I know I won't hear much but can I at least practice positions and shapes, etc? Thanks so much guys!

I used to practice without mine. Course, since then learned that you can get amps pretty cheap. Course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and usually when someone tells me something is cheap I'm like WHAT?? But maybe 50 bucks..

Jim

I do more practicing on an unplugged electric than anything else, as most of the time I get to practice is when the family has already gone to bed... it's no biggie :)

Thanks :D I figured I could...I can hear it, its just not loud but I didn't want to let not having an amp be a stumbling stone. Much <3

remember to tune your guitar everytime you start....electronic tuners are ok....otherwise your ears wont 'learn' properly as you wont know if its you or the guitar sounding 'wrong'

Thanks :D I figured I could...I can hear it, its just not loud but I didn't want to let not having an amp be a stumbling stone. Much <3

You'll (Probably) never have every thing you want to play just right. Main thing is to keep a "Just do it" attitude. Your on the right track.

Jim

Trust me get a instructor if you can afford it, if not start with the open chords and work your way up. When your fingers get sore from chords (and they will) practice scales, start with C major and G major and remember there are a lot us down here "in the trenches" learning this too!