Hi everyone,
Just wanted to do a meet and greet on the forum. Brand new guitarist over here with his first guitar. I am truly excited to start down this path and see where I might end up. The guitar is a Johnson JB-610-B acoustic with no electric hook ups. I'm not sure of the build quality or reputation of the company but it's pretty solid for what I'm doing.
So for my first question, and looking for lots of responses. What methods worked best for you when starting with your guitar? I've come to realize that there is a whole vast amount of training tools on the web that can be slightly hard to wrap your head around when you are brand spankin' new at playing. I'm looking for something that I can do every night for 1-3 hours. I'd like to be able to learn how to read music, learn scales, etc. Any takers?
Thanks for all the help!
Will post photos soon.
Welcome to the party.
I could already read music before I picked up a guitar, so that part of learning to play wasn't a problem. Looking at what's available now as teaching material it's a wonder anybody makes it through the maze on their own.
Music reading and Music Theory - I send my students out to get a book called "The Right Way To Read Music" by Harry and Michael Baxter - ISBN: 9-780716-020080. It's really good and will last you up to GCSE (age 16) level. Or - Music Theory for Guitarists, by our very own Tom Serb (I don't have the ISBN for this one).
Learning where the notes are on the neck and having music to play is the first big step - your local guitar shop will have a pet book they recommend for new students. It'll get you up and running. Something like "Guitar Academy" by Richard Corr (3 books) is aimed towards younger students but will get you going in the right direction. ISBN: 9-780955-274916
Chords - get a set of chord cards from your local shop and something like the Trinity College Rock and Pop Initial Grade book and start working with songs - ISBN: 9-780857-362186
And check out the lessons here on this site. They're free and written by musicians, not people who just want to make money selling you a book. Anything else, just ask here.
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Alan,
Thanks for getting back to me! Great advice! I'm going to take your recommendations and run with it. Got some play time in last night actually.
Best Wishes
P.S. - I'm having trouble uploading pictures in my response. I assume the "Img" button would allow me to insert and image but it just displays a text rather than a pop-up window with an insert feature. Any recommendations?
