# Guitar learning resources?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 3, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810 "2008-11-03T03:00:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810/21 "2008-11-03T23:28:44Z")

</div>

> [@BigShooter](#):
>
> Somtimes they are wrong, yes. Specifically, ones you can download from the internet, however most of the time they’re close. Most of the tabs you buy in your standard music books at Guitar Center are, for the most part, very close if not spot on.

I think this may be true for books of tablature for chording, but I’ve found that any books that contain notation of a guitar _solo_ using a traditional staff is usually very wrong, just some stuff that was made up that sounded good to the transcriber. My guess is that the transcriber plunked it out on a piano and felt that was fine, so the result has little to do with guitar. Perhaps this has improved; I haven’t looked at a music book for guitar in a very long time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810/22 "2008-11-04T00:47:43Z")

</div>

> [@BigShooter](#):
>
> Those damn string-thru holes are a bitch, ain’t they? I’ve got a drill press and I still couldn’t get them straight. I don’t know how pro luthiers do it…

At least it was just the Squier! The Fender body already had string holes and ferrules.

> [@squeegee](#):
>
> Perhaps this has improved; I haven’t looked at a music book for guitar in a very long time.

The books I bought back in the '80s seemed to have the proper guitar tabs. Maybe I just got lucky?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810/23 "2008-11-04T03:19:51Z")

</div>

I like [this](http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/toc.htm) guy’s site for song chords. I like his notation and his transcriptions are accurate and consistent. He has a lot of three and four chord songs that are good for beginners.

> [@squeegee](#):
>
> I think this may be true for books of tablature for chording, but I’ve found that any books that contain notation of a guitar _solo_ using a traditional staff is usually very wrong, just some stuff that was made up that sounded good to the transcriber. My guess is that the transcriber plunked it out on a piano and felt that was fine, so the result has little to do with guitar. Perhaps this has improved; I haven’t looked at a music book for guitar in a very long time.

I agree. Books that are staff-only are transcribed on a piano and really only useful for the chords and occasional slow riffs. They are also missing the fingering info, which can be important.

Books that include tab are transcribed on guitar. The professional ones are pretty accurate. Stuff online is hit-or-miss. For online tabs, if it sounds wrong it probably is.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mbedell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mbedell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbedell)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810/24 "2008-11-04T03:55:39Z")

</div>

Well I have been playing for 22 years. I think before anything else, you need to choose what you want to devote your time too. You stated, “everything from classical to heavy metal.” You may want to pick one style of music and stick with that. true, music theory applies to all styles, but each style has its own learning curve.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810/25 "2008-11-05T03:32:09Z")

</div>

Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-learning-resources/470810.md?page=1)