Hello,
I just started playing guitar over the past 6 months. Prior to that, I've played the piano for 10+ years however that was in my youth. I'm now 30 and haven't re-visited music for about 10 years.
When I'm learning the guitar, should I stick with tabs? Should I learn to read music? (Please don't say both) My saving grace is that I can still count and understand time signatures.
As for technique such as scales, do I learn the 'pattern' or the notes?
Keep in mind that I'm a beginner =) Thanks for any advice.
Hi macguy!
As you have played piano for more than 10 years you will know lots of music theory so I think you should try to get the guitar technique. You already read music (or you did it) so keep practicing it. The tablatures are much easier to read, you only will get used to the "sixth" line.
Did you read the lessons in the web site? There are very good ones that explain guitar concepts for people that know about music. The songs for beginners are also a great source of knowledge because they mix a lot of different things like strumming, chords, theory, etc.
Welcome to GN! :D
Hi, thanks for the reply...
So I should learn to read music instead of tab with my background? I totally agree that tab is much easier.
I have a couple more questions on technique and theory...
So I've learned the maj, min pentatonic shapes and blues as well but is learning the "pattern" enough? Being new, I still don't know exactly what notes I'm playing, I just know where the root is and have yet to spend the time to figure out all the notes on the neck. Is this going to come back and bite me in the a$$?
Secondly, I'm interested moreso in blues / rock / jazz. Can anyone recommend any instruction book / dvd combos? I'm still going to my teacher on a weekly basis starting from the fall however I thought I'd supplement it with another point of view.
Thanks again,
As for technique such as scales, do I learn the 'pattern' or the notes?
I'm not sure I'm qualified to give advice, but all the good advice I've heard regarding scales says to learn the patterns. Commit the pattern to memory, then move it around the fretboard and you'll be playing in a new key.
hmmmm, Ande said it WAY better than me in another forum....see below.
http://forums.guitarnoise.com/posting.php?mode=quote&f=9&p=378044
Note from another newbie, so take it for what it's worth.
When I first learned my first scales (pentatonic minors, but that isn't necessarily what I'd recommend. Beside the point, anyway.) I didn't learn a particular key, but just the intervals. If you start with the intervals, you can get used to the SOUND of the scale, whether by playing it in a three fret pattern, a four fret pattern, or even (just to start) up and down a single string. (When you get to where you hear that the intervals are right, map out the whole fretboard by ear. It's FUN! Then you can choose your own patterns.)
This has stayed with me, in that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about "A major scale" but rather just about the intervals that procede and follow an "A" to make it major. SO it's tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, starting anywhere there's an "A".
I don't know if this is right or wrong, NB- it seems to work for me so far, for two reasons: It focuses me on the notes that make the scale, wherever they fall, rather than the shapes that make the scale (Which would always exclude some other options). And it makes moving between "positions" sorta natural- if you follow the same intervals, you can go anywhere.
Best,
Ande
So I've learned the maj, min pentatonic shapes and blues as well but is learning the "pattern" enough? Being new, I still don't know exactly what notes I'm playing, I just know where the root is and have yet to spend the time to figure out all the notes on the neck. Is this going to come back and bite me in the a$$?
The general recommendation here is to say the note while you are playing it. Thus, you will be practicing the pattern and also you will be learning the notes in the scales.
Secondly, I'm interested moreso in blues / rock / jazz. Can anyone recommend any instruction book / dvd combos? I'm still going to my teacher on a weekly basis starting from the fall however I thought I'd supplement it with another point of view.
For blues, blues/rock and jazzy-blues the best book series is Blues you can use by John Ganapes. A lot of members use it and there are several threads on it. There are five books. Start with the first one (BYCU). It will keep you busy a long time and meanwhile you will be enjoying! After the BYCU, you could go to "More BYCY" or "Jazzin' the blues". Usually the first one is recommended but if you want to go to jazz the second is a good, too. The other two books are on licks and chords. They are complementary to the others and you can use them simultaneously.
Anyway, if you are paying a teacher... I'd follow the advices from my teacher. Probably he knows what goals wants to achieve...
Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
I'm off to buy BYCU =)
I just want to confirm that this is the correct book:
Thanks again.
So I've learned the maj, min pentatonic shapes and blues as well but is learning the "pattern" enough? Being new, I still don't know exactly what notes I'm playing, I just know where the root is and have yet to spend the time to figure out all the notes on the neck. Is this going to come back and bite me in the a$$?
The general recommendation here is to say the note while you are playing it. Thus, you will be practicing the pattern and also you will be learning the notes in the scales.
Secondly, I'm interested moreso in blues / rock / jazz. Can anyone recommend any instruction book / dvd combos? I'm still going to my teacher on a weekly basis starting from the fall however I thought I'd supplement it with another point of view.
For blues, blues/rock and jazzy-blues the best book series is Blues you can use by John Ganapes. A lot of members use it and there are several threads on it. There are five books. Start with the first one (BYCU). It will keep you busy a long time and meanwhile you will be enjoying! After the BYCU, you could go to "More BYCY" or "Jazzin' the blues". Usually the first one is recommended but if you want to go to jazz the second is a good, too. The other two books are on licks and chords. They are complementary to the others and you can use them simultaneously.
Anyway, if you are paying a teacher... I'd follow the advices from my teacher. Probably he knows what goals wants to achieve...
I just want to confirm that this is the correct book:
Yes, that is the book! :D
amazon.com has the "search inside" feature. The index and first lesson are available. The author site has also some mp3, you can hear the music you will play.
The lessons are composed by three parts and it is important you do the three parts and not only the final study. There are a lot of info there that you will be able to use in the blues and also other music styles. Take your time with each lesson. John Ganapes recommends around two or three weeks.
It is one of my two favorite books. I hope you like it, too! :D
