My first three months of guitar playing resulted in no progress whatsoever. I had no direction. I spent my time trying to leanr tabs off the internet, which created more frustration than anything else. Reason mostly being they were wrong, and even after hours of learning the fingering note by note, I hadn't actually leanred anything because they didn't sound right, and I had no way of knowing if it was the tab that was wrong, or my playing.
I finally decided to enroll in some lessons. Now the only guitar teacher nearby was accpeting new students turned out to be an extremely nice guy. But not much oif a teacher. He basically used a book, and walked me through the lessons in the book. The book was the Hal leonard guitar method. After a few lessons I started to wonder why I was paying a someone to walk me through a book. I could do that myself, and that's what I have been doing ever since.
So tip #1: Get the Hal Lenard guitar method books. I have made ten times the progress in a couple of weeks from using this book. It's great because it takes baby steps, and you learn chords, and lead, and how to read music all at once. You also, without even trying, learn the notes on the fretboard, which is obviously going to make life easier down the road. I never imagined learning to read music could be so easy. Frankly I find it easier to follow than Tab, and I doubt I will ever use tab again.
Tip #2: Practice daily, but if you get stuck, leave it alone for a few days. Either don't play at all, or just fool around making noise for a while. I have found over and over again that when I get stuck, if I stop trying for a while, more often than not when I do come back to it I breaze past that sticking point without much trouble. I don't know why that happens, but it does.
Tip #3: Always end on a high note. If you're doing really well and have mastered something in particular, stop practicing at that point. If your stuck on something and it frustrating you, go back to something you already know and end your practice after that. If you end on a high note, you'll be more motivated to practice again sooner.
Tip#4: If you have an electric, always practice with an amp. I couldnt afford an amp eary on because I had blown my whole budget on a nicer guitar. Unfortunately as a complete beginner, practicing wihtout an amp resulted in me getting used to striking the strings way to hard, and I had to unlearn that habit after I got an amp.
Tip #5: If you think you are only interested in electic guitar, you're gonna be really surprised. The Hal Leoanrd book has a lot of different styles of music, and some of the more traditional melodies would sound so much sweeter on an aoucstic. I find myself wanting an acoustic now, particularly a nylon string classical.
Cool dude. Glad to hear your getting somewhere. I have been playing about 7 months now. I had requested "Guitar for Dummies" with my acoustic. I didn't know much but it definately helped me. Not saying it was the best book out there but I think there are a lot of books out there that help the self taught people like ourselves. And this site will help too.
Rock on!
Treat others how you would like to be treated.
sorry if I am being naive but is there a book called "guitar for dummies"?
if there is I want one because I would have to be the biggest dummy out there
hilch
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
sorry if I am being naive but is there a book called "guitar for dummies"?
if there is I want one because I would have to be the biggest dummy out there
hilch
Yes, there is a "Guitar for Dummies"
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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I have this book...its not bad but it does kind of drift around alot. Usually I really like the "Dummies" series books but this one could have been witten better
EDIT: Sorry, I forgot to say "Thanks. Good Tips" too! :D
Books:
There's also one in the "idiots" series as well.
I saw them both in a local bookshop last week.
One was the Guitar for Dummies they mention above.
The one was called:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing the Guitar
I haven't got either, but I've heard they they both have some OK stuff in. There's a heap of books around but some of them are not that good at explaining things to beginners. The stuff is correct, but the author has long ago forgotten what it was like to be a beginner, and how hard it all is when you start out! :?
I have The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory and that's pretty good. However, its doesn't talk much about guitar (more piano based). Its more of a general theory book. Very well organized though and simple to read.
I have "Guitar for Dummies" and it is OK. The big problem I have with this book is that it doesn't prop up on my music stand well and I fumble around with it anytime I'm using it. So I now also have a Hal Leonard and Mel Bay book, which are "ringed." My advice: whatever book you get make sure it is "ringed."
Being new to learning guitar I didn't really know what to ask for with regards to self-instruction. I had heard a few good reviews for "Guitar for Dummies" and knew I wanted to try to teach myself the basics. Since I haven't used any other books I can't really compare it. I like the cd that accompanies it. It is very helpful when I am not sure how something is suppose to sound. I'm sure a lot of the afore mentioned books have the cd's as well. I too had the problem with the book not staying open until I stole my daughters music stand. It has the little wire clips on the sides to help keep music in place. It works good for holding the pages open on books also.
Treat others how you would like to be treated.
thats definitely one of the best things about the hal leanard book, spiral bound, and it comes with cds
hearing how the music should sounds is extremely valuable.
