I want to teach myself how to play the guitar. Help me out. . .

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Well, this year, I decided on a “to me, from me” Christmas present. I’ve decided to head down to a local pawn joint [sub]B.B. King[/sub], and pick up a simple $100 guitar, a book to help teach me chords, a tuner, and. . . I think that’s it.

So, I’m 27 years old, and am going to try to teach myself the “six-string”[sub]Junior Brown[/sub]. One of my old professors from college said something about “working up the callouses on the pads of your fingers”. What did he mean by that? I’d imagine my fingers really would get toughened up, but is there specifically something I should be doing?

Also, would it help to take lessons at first, until I get the hang of things? Or, would it just be easier to start plucking away? Would I be okay with just a simple book of chords, or should I actually get a teacher?

Third question: I know there’s a difference between guitars. What’s the difference between a ‘standard’ guitar[sub]Eddie Van Halen[/sub], and a bass guitar[sub]Michael Anthony[/sub]? Fewer strings? Should I start with one or the other?

Fourth question: If I learn to play a run-of-the-mill guitar, would I also be able (theoretically) to pick up a banjo and strum away? What about other stringed instruments?

So, yeah, I’m serious about it this time. I’m going to be having a lot of free time on my hands in the near future, and I’ve always wanted to learn. Thoughts? Pitfalls to avoid?

Tripler
The obligatory “I love these guys!” guitar legends insert:[sub] Stevie Ray Vaughan Jimi Hendrix Mark Knopfler Brian Setzer Liz Phair[/sub]

2

Just hijacking to say that I plan on doing the same thing, and wanted to ask how much having a music background will help. (6 years of saxophone, and quite a bit of music theory/chord stuff picked up, but not quite as much as if I had taken a theory class.)

3

I should tell you first that I actively took guitar lessons from professionals for eight years, and I am completely useless with a guitar. (It turns out I’ve been buying gorgeous guitars that sound great, but my hands are abnormally small and I can’t bridge the neck - I’m gonna try ONE MORE TIME with a guitar MADE for people with abnormally small hands. Next year. But anyway…)

Practice your chords and progressions while sitting on the couch watching TV - don’t strum, just get your left-hand fingering down. Press those strings down hard. You can actually buy a small guitar-neck-like practice board, with ridges rather than strings, that will help build up callouses on your fingertips. Don’t overdo it - it’s fairly common for beginners with drive to practice until their fingertips bleed, something I don’t recommend. One, it hurts, and two, it’s discouraging.

You probably can learn the basics from a book - where the notes and chords are, for example. I recommend finding a guitarist, rather than a guitar teacher in a music store, for help. One thing you don’t learn in most books or from most teachers is how to strum or pick your guitar. I got very frustrated going “thrum, thrum, thrum”… no one told me about bass lines, which is what makes a strummed guitar sound like MUSIC rather than a tonal beat. I’m not at all good at it, but the very most basic way to do this is to pluck the lowest string or two strings in a chord with your fingers, then strum UP the remaining played strings - so you get more of a “pluck, thrum, pluck, thrum” than a steady (and boring) “thrum thrum thrum.” This is one of those things better shown than told, as I’m sure you can imagine.

Yes, a bass guitar is different from a six-string acoustic, a classical AND an electric guitar. I don’t know loads about bass guitars, but they’re a completely different instrument. Banjoes - well, all I can tell you there is that if you can play the flute or saxaphone, you’ll have better luck than you would with guitar lessons. The mandolin, I think, is a better comparison to a guitar than a banjo is.

Take all of the above as you would advice from any total stranger. As I said, I’m not much of a guitarist, but hopefully I have at least given you SOME idea of what not to do! Good luck!

4

When you first start playing, your fingertips will hurt. A lot. You will get nice calluses, though. Keep them.

Have fun. Music’s too wonderful to be left to only the professionals.

I am going to buy myself a new guitar, too, and probably at a pawnshop. Mine is crappy and old and cheap and doesn’t tune properly.

It’s too late for me to be a young singer/songwriter, but it’s never too late to play for oneself.

Enjoy it. That’s the most important thing. Also, it’s fun to figure out stuff by ear alone and play it.

5

When you first start playing, your fingertips will hurt. A lot. You will get nice calluses, though. Keep them.

Have fun. Music’s too wonderful to be left to only the professionals.

I am going to buy myself a new guitar, too, and probably at a pawnshop. Mine is crappy and old and cheap and doesn’t tune properly. I also have small hands, so I just used alternatives to bar chords.

It’s too late for me to be a famous and brilliant young singer/songwriter, but it’s never too late to play for oneself.

Enjoy it. That’s the most important thing. Also, it’s fun to figure out stuff by ear alone and play it.

6

LifeOnWry, you mentioned a “classical” and an electric guitar as both being different. What is the difference (besides the obvious electricity thing)? Would you recommend I start on one or the other?

Tripler
And if I decide to go electric, I know I’ll need an amp.

7

I’ll guess by “classical” he means acoustic. Start with that, as you can pick it up and play it anywhere anytime and no-one will complain. Electric means amplified which means limited opportunities to practise, and the extras of learning about tone, volume, amplifiers, etc etc.

8

Actually, a classical guitar is somewhat different from a plain ol’ garden variety acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, there ends my knowledge on the distinction, and the only reason I know it at all is because someone once made me look very stupid by pointing it out to me in a guitar shop. Electric guitars just sound different - obviously, a lot of that has to do with the amplification, but you’ll notice if you play an unamplified electric guitar that it sounds and feels a lot different. I’m told that an electric guitar is easier on the fingers, but I couldn’t swear to that, as I gave up about three chords in.

What you get really should depend on what YOU like. I’m a folk music fiend, so the obvious choice for me was acoustic. I would suggest though that you veer away from the amazing sounds of the 12-string guitar. They’re a mother to tune.

9

Classical guitars have soft nylon strings that make a rounder tone than steel strings. The necks are wider to give you more room between the strings so that you can select single notes more easily. Go for this type of guitar if you are into classical/Spanish/flamenco type music.

Acoustic steel string guitars have hard steel strings that make a harder tone than nylon strings. The necks are narrower to make playing a bunch of notes at the same time (chords) easier. Go for this type if you are into pop/rock//blues/western/country, or just strummin’ for fun.

Electric guitars are steel string guitars on steroids. Go for this type if you are into heavy metal or otherwise want to wage war with your neighbours.

10

Q: What’s the difference between a Electric Guitar and an Acoustic Guitar?
A: An Electric Guitar burns longer.
Q: What’s the difference between an Electric Guitar and an onion ?
A: No one cries when you cut up an Electric Guitar.
Q: What’s the difference between a Electric Guitar and a trampoline ?
A: You remove your shoes before jumping on a trampoline.
Q: What’s the difference between an Electric Guitar and a lawnmower?
A: You can tune a lawnmower.

(What can I say . . . the wee lassie I play is a classical.)

But more seriously, pawn shop guitars are cheap as beans, so why not pick up one of each and play about on them until you decide what you really prefer, and then pick up a good one.

11

Play along with music that you like - try and imitate that music - even if it’s as simple as “Mary Had A Little Lamb.”
Play along with commercials on TV - pick out melodies or bass lines.

Take lessons with a teacher that is fun to be with - avoid those that insist on constant exercises and mind-numbing repition.

Your fingers will be sore for a few weeks. but the soreness will go away eventually…
It’s a lot like working out - the more you play, the more you can play…

12

Learn to read tablature. www.harmonycentral.com is a great source. Tab is very easy to read, and once you learn a little bit of finger control, you will be able to lay down some cool (basic) songs without much instruction, which should make you alot more confident in your ultimate goal of becoming the super sweet kickass rock star that you deserve to be.

Also, after you poke around online a learn some basic stuff, take lessons.

And please pay attention to your right hand (assuming you are right handed)!
The rhythm is one of the most important things in guitar, even if you are playing lead, you need to know where the beats are.

(can you tell I’m a drummer?)

13

Shoot, one other thing- get a good chord chart and learn a few basic chords (E,A,D,C,G,F) and practice swtching from chord to chord. It’ll help you build calluses (sp?) and help to train your fingers and your ears.

14

Classical: Heavenly!

Acoustic steel string: Killer!

Electric: Hey, man, nobody died!

15

Q: How do you get an Electric Guitar player to turn the amplifier down?
A: Give him sheet music.

16

Help me learn the guitar
This is a link for a thread where I posted for the exact same reason in October. I have since attempted quite a bit of practicing but have yet to really play a riff well. There is some extremely good advice in here. I have also discovered that On Demand has actual guitar lessons for you to learn anytime you find the desire. Keep us updated on how you are doing.

17

This seems to be along the lines of what I’d prefer, musically and a smaller neck for my “carnie-folk” hands [sub]small hands, smells like cabbage[/sub].

TheOtherOne and Sensualips, I do thank you guys for the links. TheOtherOne, by ‘tablature’, do you mean those charts which show you which fingers on which string, and which string is plucked/strummed? Also, I do need to learn to read music, or will that come along naturally.

Tripler
Me reading music: [Pee Wee Herman]“La la la, connect the dots! La la la, connect the dots!”[/Pee Wee Herman]

18

A couple of strong suggestions.

  1. If you are serious about wanting to play guitar, do NOT buy a cheap one to start out with. Spend a few extra bucks and buy one that’s middle-of-the-road at minimum. You definitely don’t need a Martin or a Takamine to start out with. Work up to them. A cheap guitar will be an incredible pain in the ass to work with; it’s going to be difficult enough, why add to the burden?

  2. Play an hour a day for the first week. Two hours the second week, etc. Your fingers are going to hurt greatly when you start, so start small and build up your calluses and your finger strength. Little trick - soak the fingertips of your left hand in white vinegar for about 20 minutes after your playing session for the first couple of weeks. It will help.

  3. Get some basic lessons from a friend or a guitar store. There are tons of do-it-yourself music books and they are all good, but there is absolutely nothing like having a live person give you feedback on finger position, etc. Not to mention that they will probably show you some cool licks that you won’t find in a book.

  4. Learn a variety of music before you settle on one style. You may not like classical stuff, but learn to play a few pieces by Beethoven and especially Bach. It will give you a much, much better appreciation for your instrument.

  5. LEARN TO READ MUSIC! This is where I slipped and fell. I’d be a much better player today if I could sightread sheet music instead of just plunking away with the old Every Good Boy Does Fine and FACE stuff. Again, it will give you a much better appreciation for the instrument.

  6. The best advice I can give you is perseverance. It will be difficult at first and most people quit within 90 days. Don’t give up. I’ve been playing for 40 some-odd years and my guitar is my second best friend in the world. SWMBO is my best friend and one of the reasons she became my best friend is because of my guitar. Learn to play and sing John Denver’s “This Old Guitar”. There it is, in one song - the reasons why anyone learns to play a guitar.

Good luck and have fun!!

19

Hey, thanks Clothahump, I will keep those in mind. I think I’ll have plenty of time to practice too, since I have a 90-day business trip down to New Mexico and my nights ought to be pretty free.

One question though: What’s with the white vinegar? Does it soften up my fingertips or something?

Tripler
I don’t need soft hands. I’m a man. I need man hands! :smiley: