I am trying to practice the guitar with a chord poster on my door and tabs from the intenet. I am unemployed at the moment and thought thhis would be a great stress reliever and an inexpensive way to pass the time constructivelyand inexpensively. I have always wanted to and have two guitars one acoustic and one electric.
I am practicing on the acoustic which is a travel guitar and smaller, so it is easier to handle. It also helps to make my fingers become stronger without a lot of strain.
Can anyone make some suggestions how I can make this easier and faster? I have no money for books or paid instruction. Is there a website you might reccomend? How long should I practice? An hour a day? Two? Five? How about some fairly simple songs that would sound really cool to learn on? Are there finger exercises I should do? Should I put bandaids on to help with the blisters I should be getting? Any tips at all would be appreciated.
Folk music is a good start. The chords and rhythms tend to be easy, for the most part. Often they can be played with only three chords.
Look around on the 'net for various songs. Many will have chords with them (usually “C”, “Em”, etc. instead of the actual tabulature). Try: Sloop John B
Northern Line
This Train Is Bound For Glory
Time Of Your Life
Jamaican Farewell
Do It Again
Take The Skinheads Bowling
House of the Rising Sun
Okay, so they’re not all folk songs; but they’re easy to play. Find a web page that has the lyrics and chords for songs you want to sing. If there’s a quick chord change, you can often omit it. By singing along as you play, you can train your fingers to do things “automatically”.
You don’t mention which sort of music you’re trying to learn, but (like most things), learning what you like is the surest way to get positive feedback (“Hey, I can play that recognizably!”) more quickly. If you like folk music, there are some extremely good (and accurate) tablatures and resources at Ron Gritz’s site, http://members.aol.com/rongrittz/links.htm . His links to other guitar resources on the 'net alone are worth mention.
I’d strongly suggest that you string electric strings on your acoustic guitar to start with, or at least use light gauge acoustic strings. Medium gauge or heavier will make your fingers sore rapidly, and you won’t be able to play for very long before your fingers start hurting. For longer-lasting callouses, start building them slowly, and you’ll notice them less. You’ll also be less likely to develop callouses in bad places from incorrect technique.
I learned to play from tablature in Guitar For The Practicing Musician (a heavy metal guitar magazine), so you really can learn from anything. Most importantly, find music that you enjoy and start playing. Learn the basics (open chords, rhythm, barre chords, etc), and play along with some simpler songs that you enjoy. It’s amazing how many songs have simple I-IV-V progressions. Practice as much as you like, and don’t make yourself practice. Play because you love it, and because you enjoy the music (or noise) that you make, and you’ll be happy!
As far as simple songs that sound cool, “Dust in the Wind” and “Blackbird” are both not too complicated, yet sound impressive to play and they’re easy to sing along with. Then again, you could always plug in that electric, crank up to 11, and start playing “Smoke On the Water”.
Good luck and let us know how it goes, and post your musical prefs here – I’m sure us Dopers will have plenty of suggestions once we know what you like!
We played Dust in the Wind in my Beginning Folk Guitar class at a community college in 1984. This is one of the ones we picked instead of strummed. It did sound pretty good, and it was easy to play.
satogata First off I would like to be the first to say WELCOME to the SDMB! I am sure someone will begin a thread welcoming you in no time. Its nice to have a Physicist to add to our collective. I hope you will join us soon and add to the intellectual (and not so) pandemonium.
WHERE ARE THOSE GOATS?
That cite is perfect. At first the little kid on the home page with the guitar started me wondering if it was a joke but he (as an elder) does have a significant amount of information. Thank you.
“Blackbird” and “Dust in the Wind” are two of my favourites. Now I know why every guy I ever met who played the guitar knew them. Figures, this was the way to get me swooning. I will probably begin with them.
JohnnyLA “Take the Skinheads Bowling”???
This I gotta Google!
Otherwise a great list, even if I don’t know all of them. Well rounded I am sure. Thank you.
I do want to learn to pick rather than strum but I would like to learn all of it. What would you suggest I learn first? Which would be easier on the fingers?
Any other suggestions?
Sensualips, thank you for the welcome! I’m actually married to quilter, a long-time SMDB’er, but she got so tired of me looking over her shoulder when she was laughing and holding her sides that I finally just signed up for my own danged handle. I also think there are other physicists around here (I do need to follow up on that matter/energy conservation thread, come to think of it), but there’s never enough of us around. I even have Cecil’s Schrodinger’s Cat classic ( http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_122.html ) up on my office door.
Goats? Other than the Yankees? ahem
Good thing – the alternate picking style that’s in these songs is called Travis picking, and there’s an excellent page and set of exercises at GuitarLand.com: Travis Picking Lesson . Once you pick up this technique (not too hard to learn even if your fingernails are short like mine), you can probably play along with a lot of Simon and Garfunkle songs too, like “The Boxer”. It’ll probably take you a while to get up to the speed and clarity of some of Paul Simon’s playing though! I’ve got the tab for “Dust in the Wind” floating around in PDF, if I can find it…
I coulda sworn this was a Big Lebowski reference (a fine movie that includes skinhead anarchists and bowling), but alas, Google corrected me. hanging head in shame
Despite the advice above (and hopefully not contradicting it), it’s easier to learn strumming first. If you try to fingerpick first, it’s very easy to get into “pianist’s confusion” of both hands doing different complicated things at the same time. Learn the chords first, and strum a lot – this will teach you chords and rhythm fairly quickly, and you’ll also develop an ear for what chords changes sound like, which will serve you well. I’d suggest moving on to finger picking when you’re bored of strumming, and when you’re reasonably comfortable with fingering through chord progressions.
Now I’ve gotta go learn “Jamaican Farewell” and “Take the Skinheads Bowling”, dammit.
Gotta chime in with a dissenting voice here. You (or any other beginning guitar player) have got to learn scales first. It’s the best way to develop your ear, and then you’ll know how everything works. You’ll know why there are certain notes in each chord, and you’ll know how to construct chords, rather than just repeating the shape you see on the chord chart, and you’ll know why lots of songs can be played with just three chords.
IMHO, one of the things that makes the guitar relatively easy to learn (up to a point) is that one can just strum along and provide accompaniment to a melody without learning much. But that’s a weakness in the long run.
I don’t agree. Although in theory, snort it may be the ideal way to go but to make a beginner sit down and play scales is not a good idea. They will be bored and apathetic in no time. From my (extremely limited) experience, the best way to get someone going is to teach them some songs they want to know, show them how to read tab/olga.net. After they have mastered open and barre chords, if they have the thirst for theory the will find it.
I’m laughing thinking of this conversation that might have happened:
Kevin: Can you teach me “Simple Man” on the guitar?
I don’t know. I’ve taught a few people to play, and I’ve found it pretty effective (depends on the motivation of the learner, of course). After they’ve learned the basic scales (nothing fancy, just major and minor), there’s always a “eureka” moment when they say “aha! that’s how it works,” and things flow pretty quickly after that.
Sure, it’s good to learn a few easy songs at first, just because it keeps the enthusiasm going, but knowing how things work lets them go on to figure out a lot of stuff on their own.
I think I’ve gotta chip in with a not just yet here. Wait until you can strum through a few songs first at least. LMM I think what you’re advocating here is theory, let lips get through The House of the Rising Sun before getting stuck into scales and arpeggios (no fun at all for a beginner) you’ll be suggesting he(?) learns to read music next*****. Basic theory is much easier to learn on a keyboard and then transfer the knowledge to the fretboard. Any fule can see how a C major scale/chord works on a keyboard, on a guitar it takes a bit more interpretation. To the OP: Do you have access to a keyboard at all? Know anyone who can explain a bit of theory? (in person that is, you can always ask here)
As someone has already said, get some light strings to start with. And don’t just leave them on until they break, change them before they start going thunk instead of twang.
The only way to build calluses is to play, if your fingers are too sore to play anymore you’ve probably done enough practice for the day. Finger exercises are a waste of time, just play some more. For practicing it is important to do a bit every day, even if it’s just 15 minutes. Don’t try to do all your learning in 5 hour sessions once or twice a week.
*****Which I am totally in favour of, so many guitars players never learn to read at all. But let’s leave that for week two
satogata and quilter I have to admit, my ex found Cecil first. I just lurked for years and envied him. He made me feel like I was not intelligent enough to participate (Even though I received my second Bachelor’s 2 years ago). He has since left. I am now beginning to regain my senses and realize his verbal denigration had repressed my ability to converse on even the simplest level. I thought joining the SDMB would help me regain what I had lost. Possibly to contribute some of the knowledge I possess as well.
Back to the guitar:
Maybe if I make it a plan to learn both the scales and chords I will be sufficiently stimulated to keep up with it. Say in one session I can practice the scales for 5 reps, three chords for 10 reps, scales for 5 and so on. Make it like a workout.
LMM Do you have a cite where I could learn the scales specifically?
*****Which I am totally in favour of, so many guitars players never learn to read at all. But let’s leave that for week two
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First off, I am a woman thank you.
When I was 7 I learned to play the violin, so I am familiar with reading music. Although I have forgotten a lot of what I learned, I know I will pick it up pretty fast once I see it in front of me.
As I said, I don’t necessarily have to stick with one particular method during a session. I can vary it each time so I can get the most out of my experience and my fingers as well. Like a gym workout. Which is also why I am requesting ideas. So I don’t learn what I or one person “thinks” is the right way. That could very well leave out something very important and stifle my ability to learn that when the time comes.
Thank you all for the advice. I welcome all advice anyone feels I could use. Who knows, maybe I might become a pretty good guitarist and make my future SO swoon.
(That is, IF I find one sitting here all day talking to you guys and practicing the guitar)
when the SDMB is less busy, do a search on various keywords like “guitar” or “guitar lessons” - there are a number of threads on this topic, with a lot of good advice. I am a longtime player and have contributed to a few that (I think) were within the Cafe Society board…
Hi, Sensualips! <waves>
Congrats on studying the guitar! I studied it a bit, but that was about twenty years ago, so I can’t offer any advice.
I’m so sorry. It just steams me to hear of people putting others down. Especially near the SDMB, the Turf of the Great One, where all are welcome to gambol, frolic, and exercise their minds.
I tried to answer you earlier but the board went down. For a recap:
Hon, you need to pick that guitar up again and start strumming. You have posted that you are looking for a girl. What are you going to do when you get one? Playing the guitar is an easy romantic night. Pizza or Chinese, a movie (chick flick) and seranade. ooooooooooo! I can’t think of a better way to spend the night with a guy I like.
an aside:
I need to stop mentioning my ex in my posts. But sometimes I have no other explaination for doing the things I do. But as always, I rebound nicely!
Um, no.