Guitarist question...

[Dijon Warlock]

Since guitarists are by nature a rather competitive rabble, and I by nature am neither competitive nor rabblous ; I have long sought a venue in which I could stand a chance of succeeding in a contest. So here's the question of the evening:

What's the very first song you ever learned on the guitar? Do you remember? Was it terribly lame, or braggingly cool?

Mine (I can tell everyone is on the edge of their seat)? Breakfast in the Field by Michael Hedges.

I found the music in a guitar magazine and learned it in ten minutes flat. Not bragging about the learning speed; it amazed me. The song is one of my favorites, though; so it's cool to have it in my hands. Anyone beat that one?

[Sam Stone]

You learned to play "Breakfast in the Field" by Michael Hedges in 10 minutes, the first time you picked up a guitar? What are you, a freaking mutant?

Me, I learned about a dozen Eagles songs, Stairway to Heaven, Dust in the Wind, and all that kind of stuff. MY first song I think was 'Lyin Eyes', which can be played by basically strumming G, C, Am, D. And THAT took me a few days.

[Dijon Warlock]

Originally posted by Sam Stone
You learned to play "Breakfast in the Field" by Michael Hedges in 10 minutes, the first time you picked up a guitar? What are you, a freaking mutant?

No, I'd been banging around on an old one for quite a while. Saw Michael open for Shadowfax in early 1984 (had never heard of him before), and went and got an old cheap guitar the next day. He opened with "Silent Anticipations." I was hooked. "Breakfast" was just the first song that I actually bothered to learn. By that time, I'd fathomed most of the mysteries of harmonics, and had gone through countless broken strings futzing around with experimental tunings. The guitar did not survive the ordeal; and within a year, had to be replaced. Too much percussion, I guess

[Snooooopy]

I learned "Driver 8" by R.E.M. and sometimes I can play it all the way through without screwing up.

[Gregor Samsa]

I though the first song everyone learned to play was Smoke on the Water.

Mind you, that was the seventies.

[Landsknecht]

I think the first song I ever learned in it's entirety was Silent Lucidity, by Queensryche. Other then that, it was just bits and pieces of songs.

[Trout Mask Replica]

The first song I learned all the way through was 'I Wanna Be Sedated' by the Ramones.

[mojopitch]

IIRC, my first tune was "Hell's Bell's" by AC/DC. It wasnt exact, but it was close enough. I learned a few more tunes from them before moving on to the Van Halen stage. My friends were soooo sick of VH because I played them constantly. But I can still jam out "Mean Streets" better than anyone I know. Lately, I've been working on Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover". I have it all down except for the "solo".

[mojopitch]

BTW, If anyone know's where I can the tab for Steve Morses "Joy to the World" from the compilation cd, "Merry Axe-mas", please let me know. That tune ROCKS!!!!

[rackensack]

Originally posted by Pipeliner
I though the first song everyone learned to play was Smoke on the Water.

Mind you, that was the seventies.

Well, the intro maybe. But for most of us late seventies/eighties types, the first things we learned all the way through (insofar is they can be said to have an "all the way through") were "Louie, Louie" and "Wild Thing", which of course are the same chords in slightly different rhythm.

After that I determined that I lacked the digital dexterity to play guitar and took up playing bass whenever I was in company with others. Though I was pleased at working out "Suspicious Minds" to an acceptable level of competence.

[Jack Batty]

Originally posted by Pipeliner
I though the first song everyone learned to play was Smoke on the Water.

I think that's everyone's first, but only on the E-string.

The first song I learned that actually sounded like a song was Jack and Diane by (then) John Cougar.

The guy in the dorm room next to mine was a bassist for a band and he invited me to come hang with some other guys across the hall who were musicians. I hadn't participated too much in the conversation or the jamming being so new. Then one of the guys says, "Who the Hell on this floor keeps playing Jack and Diane over and over. If I hear that song one more time, I'm gonna puke." Followed quickly by me slinking out of the room.

[Silo]

I think the first song I learned was "Back in Black" by AC/DC.

I've been working on Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover". I have it all down except for the "solo".

Fun song, I learned it years ago. Now when you can nail the entire song at full tempo with a band, you have something to show off BTW, Eric improvises the solo when playing live.

[struuter]

Get ready smile big, everybody. I have got your pick-me-up for the day.

So here I am, reading through the threads, see this one and think, "Oh hey! Guitar! How cool is that? Maybe I can learn something!"
I read the OP. I read the successive posts. And I think I can't possibly dare to embarrass myself by adding to it.

But I guess I never learn.

Here it is, folks. London Bridge. No chords. Sorry. All on the E and B strings.

HEY! I just started playing last Friday. Don't you think that's pretty impressive? Oh well. If it made you all smile, it was worth the humiliation.

[Dijon Warlock]

Originally posted by struuter

Here it is, folks. London Bridge. No chords. Sorry. All on the E and B strings.

HEY! I just started playing last Friday. Don't you think that's pretty impressive? Oh well. If it made you all smile, it was worth the humiliation.

STRUUTER: I knew I could beat SOMEBODY! Now you've got to learn "Breakfast". That'll freak out your fans. If you've got Adobe Acrobat, click on the link in my OP. It's really a simple song, but lots of "choreography" (two handed chords, fretting from top and bottom of the neck, etc.). Blows people away, 'swhy I likes it!

[aha]

Wildwood flower writer unknown

[neuroman]

Smoke On The Water!





Ok, not really. "Speeding Up To Slow Down", by Better Than Ezra. Pretty simple.

[Dijon Warlock]

Originally posted by aha
Wildwood flower writer unknown

Unless it's a different song (maybe, but I doubt it), you're thinking of "Wildwood Weed" by Jim Stafford. Funny, funny song. Couldn't find the lyrics anywhere online, though. All about that wonderful weed they used to smoke on the farm, that that Federal man comes and burns it all down. Last line when the agent is driving off is something like, "We just all smiled and waved, sittin' on our sack of seeds." Sound like it? Haven't thought about that song in years, but my brother used to have the 45rpm of it.

[Dijon Warlock]

Originally posted by Dijon Warlock
All about that wonderful weed they used to smoke on the farm, that that Federal man comes and burns it all down.

Try "then that". Superior parsisity.

[Eo Echo]

Mine was "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum. 12 bar jugband blues. BTW I'm a drummer by trade and usually leave the guitar playing to others. But I inherited a 12 string Applause acoustic/electric and love to play it.

[orion007]

The first song I learned was "Blind" by Korn... my across- the- street neighbor and guitarist sister and other neighbor taught it to me. I didn't even have my own bass by then. My family wanted to surprise me on my birthday but they got it early so it was hidden in a closet for about a month. Everyone knew but me...

[racinchikki]

I started out with an acoustic (in fact, that's the only type I own, but when I can get my hands on an electric I rip on that, too). The first song I ever learned was "Blowin' In The Wind" by John Denver. I learned that one from a chord sheet in five minutes and had it memorized the next day. That was just strumming, though.

I worked out my own method of finger-picking (kind of like a banjo roll), which is what I usually use because chord-strumming seems so, I don't know, plain. The first song I ever learned to play EXACTLY like it is on the recording, using a variation on my style of finger-picking (which is actually completely different, since I'm imitating exactly what's on the CD) was Garth Brooks' "The Thunder Rolls", which is still my favorite song to play.

[Sequent]

'wish you were here' by Pink Floyd

[Dinsdale]

Some Cat Stevens and Dan Fogelberg tunes. Forget which ones.

[Jonathan Chance]

Probably 'Desire' by U2. Simple, straightforward. And hell, it's got a Bo Diddly beat!