# So I picked up a guitar the other day **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576 "2017-11-14T01:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/1 "2017-11-14T01:30:45Z")
Any tips for a beginner? I was surfing YouTube and saw this dude playing Angel of Harlem on the acoustic guitar: [- YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vsysBxTSTUI) It didn’t seem that hard, and I think I could sing it better so went to the guitar store and bought a brand new Yamaha. I’ve looked online for tips, but am still learning the strings and frets numbering system. I still haven’t tuned it yet. The guitar has an auto-tuner. Are these precise? I saw a guide on how to use the 5th fret system for tuning. Any magic to why it switches to the 4th fret for the 3rd string? Is that song really simple, or should I start with something easier? Also, the guitar didn’t come with the clip that is on the 4th fret in the video. Do I need that? ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/2 "2017-11-14T01:58:27Z")
Happy new guitar day! That song you linked to seems pretty simple to me (I didn’t watch the whole thing). Three chords in basic G, C and D chord shapes. It should be within reach for a beginner pretty quickly. The clip on the fretboard is a capo. It makes it easier to change the songs key to fit your voice without having to change the fingering of the chords. This also allows you to use open chords more. I’d say a capo is one of the essential tools. There shouldn’t be any problems with the built in tuner on a Yamaha guitar, but you are right to learn how to do it by ear as well. As well as dipping into youtube for lessons, I’d suggest that you get a chord book as well. Learn chords, and learn how to switch between chords. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/3 "2017-11-14T02:29:05Z")
Check out Justin’s free beginners course. It takes you all the way from novice to intermediate. He has songs lessons that go with the lessons. His course is on YouTube and it’s on his web site. The web site has the videos better organized. He also has a full intermediate course. All free, but I’d suggest buying a songbook or something in his store. Give something back for the amazing content you get. > **[Learn how to play guitar with JustinGuitar.com](https://www.justinguitar.com)** > > The best online guitar lessons are free! Learn to play guitar with fast, fun, and effective courses and song lessons for beginners and up! Community support! ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/4 "2017-11-14T03:42:27Z")
Just curious… do you have any desire to play guitar besides having seen a video and thinking it didn’t look too hard? Because making the chord shapes and changing quickly from one to another is not natural and takes quite a bit of practice to build muscle memory. If you don’t enjoy the actual practice of it, you won’t stick with it. I play ukulele, quite well, and I practice probably an average of an hour a day. I might play 3 hours on my day off. I skip playing only a few days a month. Why? Because I love to play, and challenge myself, and get better and better. It’s what I do with myself rather than watch TV or movies. If you just want to learn some easy covers to strum along with your singing, you’ll need to practice a couple hours a week. The “magic” of the 4th fret for the B string tuning is that the guitar is traditionally set up in those intervals. There are many alternative tunings, but start with the standard tuning. Turn on your tuner (I love electronic tuners – I use a Snark) and starting with the lowest (pitch) string, tune it to E, A, D, G, B, and E. The low and high E strings will be a musical octave apart. Can you hear how they are the same note? Then learn some basic chords. If you just want to chord along with your songs, I wouldn’t bother to learn reading music. Start with A, C, D, E, and G chords until you can make those reliably without dead or sour notes or string buzz and change easily and quickly between them. Try that for a few days and see if the guitar is a good fit for you. I’ll check back. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/5 "2017-11-14T04:05:56Z")
I think I finally tuned it right. That took a while. Will start practicing tomorrow. Thanks for the tips to get me started, and keep ‘me coming. I’ll report back here with questions. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/6 "2017-11-14T04:54:52Z")
It’s not always as easy as it looks. It usually hurts at the beginning. Unless you work with your hands, you’re very likely to use muscles you didn’t know your hands had for awhile. That fatigue is pretty normal, and goes away if you keep playing every day. Same thing with the pain in your fingertips. But on the other hand, it’s pretty easy if you’re willing to put in a little work. I can do it, so it can’t be that hard\*. The fact your guitar has a tuner will go a long way to taking the frustration out of being a new player. Thank you, Yamaha. I think you’ve picked a pretty do-able three chord song. The capo in the video is on the fifth fret, btw. 🙂 I hate using capos, except when you’re trying to reproduce a solo that was played using one, then I find it essential. The magic of the highest-pitched strings tuned to a major third rather than a fourth is that the tuning allows you to play more full-voiced minor and major chords easily. It really is. I use a lot of different tunings, but that one is a good utilitarian tuning that allows you to do a lot of things with the guitar. \*Drums are hard. I can’t reliably play drums. Two of the wrong limbs get wired together at some point and it all just falls apart before I can save it. Brass instruments are right out. I don’t have the lips for it. Nuttin but fart noises. If it’s got strings, I can usually kind of play it in an hour or so. So I think stringed instruments are something any well-trained monkey like me can play. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/7 "2017-11-14T05:23:15Z")
Angel of Harlem is easy enough, although switching between chords once you’ve learned the chord shapes is a bit of a challenge when you’re just starting. Be patient—it gets easier with practice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/8 "2017-11-14T11:05:01Z")
From this thread: [So, my 13YO niece wants me to give her guitar lessons - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744114) > [@](#): > > First - the basic mindset - talk with her and make it clear she understands a few basic points: > > 1. Anything (reasonably affordable) that keeps you playing guitar is better. So if you like lessons, a deadline to learn a song (because deadlines help you), a red guitar, a guitar like X plays, or whatever - make the decision based on what will keep you playing. So - if a person does NOT want lessons, or WANTS to hold the pick with two fingers+ thumb instead of the proper 1 finger+thumb, or doesn’t want to do scales - let them for now. Let her come to that need. > > 2. The Groove comes first: Scales, chords, navigating the fingerboard, songs - DO NOT MATTER at first. Playing the Smoke on the Water groove on one string, or playing Muddy’s Hoochie Coochie Man riff, or the Peter Gunn theme, or Good Love. Get her playing one-string (or one note each on a few strings - oooo, progress!) and FEELING the groove. Make sure she makes her own crowd noises while she is doing this - it helps . Until she gets a feel for a groove, she won’t know why she is trying to learn chords or scales - the feel she will be looking to have when she uses them, too. > > 3. Be okay with Practice - know that there is muscle memory involved. People get discouraged and think they have no musical talent when they really just don’t have enough practice in yet. > > 4. Know that you spend 50% working on making the right sounds happen and 50% of your time keeping the other noises you DON’T want from happening - random strings, squeaks - argh! Own it and make sure she knows it’s okay that the other noises happen at first - they are as hard to control as the ones she wants to happen. IT’S OKAY - we all face this! > > 5. USE A TUNER! Every goddam time - a poorly tuned guitar is discouraging. And her fingers are going to mess up chords, stretching strings out of tune, etc. - Don’t make it worse with an out of tune guitar. The basics, people. > > Within those rules, here are three basic exercises: > > 1. Single Note grooves - see above. Show her the Peter Gunn theme on the Low E string (if the open e string = the 0 fret, then the riff is played by 0, 0, 2-0, 3-0, 5-4 - easy to find on YouTube). Also show her That’s What I Like About You by playing the open strings E, A, D D, A A. Play along with with the song. NOTE: She is playing each open string, AND THEN MUTING them by quickly laying her fret fingers on the open string to damp it. In effect, she is playing a simple bass line groove, and practicing some of my Rules - bopping the single note and controlling how long it sustains so that it fits in the groove and she is stopping the noise when she needs to. > > 2. Dry strumming - lay her fret fingers across all the strings so they make no notes, only a cool, dry percussive strummy sound. Practice strumming - UP and DOWN - to set up a percussive, strum groove with NO music. I give my folks a stoopid word to remember like Booka-taka, Booka-taka - can they dry strum a rhythm like that? When they are by themselves, a stupid word helps them re-find the strum groove. > > 3. Circular Chord Riffs - teach her chord forms for E, A, D and G. Show her That’s What I Like as a simple circular riff E, A, D, A. Or do it for La Bamba D, G, A, G. They always come back to the last chord ready to pick up the first chord and loop around again. This is the hardest of the three - and should come a bit AFTER she gets the single-note groove down and has done some dry strumming without her pick getting hung up. > > Final two notes: > > - For the three practice routines I describe above: get in front of a TV with something on that she can watch with half-attention: a sports event, an old show or movie. Work on these exercises - only paying half attention. The goal is to build up muscle memory, NOT to sound perfect. Slop is more than fine - especially for the groove; missing the note is a LOT less important than sticking with the groove. Sitting in front of a TV, watching an old episode of South Park, dry strumming out a Booka-Taka groove - that’s what got my son started. > > - Have fun! If they want to play for 5 minutes - cool! Don’t overly structure their time. The only rule is that for anything fun that they do - e.g., finding the groove for Peter Gunn (they will enjoy it), they also need to do 1 practice thing - e.g., work on D to G transitions. > > That’s all for now - she has to want this, so give her space. But these basics set up good habits and a good mindset that make it easier to keep going. > > Hope this helps! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/9 "2017-11-14T15:05:15Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > \*Drums are hard. I can’t reliably play drums. Two of the wrong limbs get wired together at some point and it all just falls apart before I can save it. Brass instruments are right out. I don’t have the lips for it. Nuttin but fart noises. If it’s got strings, I can usually kind of play it in an hour or so. So I think stringed instruments are something any well-trained monkey like me can play. The problem with the violin is that you have to practice for eight years before you can even stand to listen to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/10 "2017-11-14T15:16:05Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Check out Justin’s free beginners course. It takes you all the way from novice to intermediate. He has songs lessons that go with the lessons. > > His course is on YouTube and it’s on his web site. The web site has the videos better organized. > > He also has a full intermediate course. > > All free, but I’d suggest buying a songbook or something in his store. Give something back for the amazing content you get. > > [https://www.justinguitar.com](https://www.justinguitar.com) Seconded [Justinguitar.com](http://Justinguitar.com). I really like the guy. I am also new to guitar (done a little banjo). My wife bought me a nice Martin acoustic for Christmas. Justin’s lessons may be a little boring at first. It’s learning chords. But I start practicing, and end up going for at least an hour. I’d go longer if life didn’t get in the way. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/11 "2017-11-14T15:24:32Z")
A note for the future: strings wear out. When you start to notice that a plucked string no longer sounds bright and you notice a lot of wear on the wound strings, it’s time to change them all out. New strings stretch and get out of tune. You can alleviate this a bit when you first put the new strings on. After tuning them to the proper pitch, slide four fingers under the strings, palm up, and gently lift them away from the body, stretching them a bit. Re-tune and repeat. Do it a third time. By then you should notice much less problem. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/12 "2017-11-14T15:29:39Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I think I finally tuned it right. That took a while. Will start practicing tomorrow. Thanks for the tips to get me started, and keep ‘me coming. I’ll report back here with questions. Tuning is simple with a free app. I use this one: [https://cleartune-chromatic-tuner.soft112.com](https://cleartune-chromatic-tuner.soft112.com) For a beginner it’s more than adequate. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/13 "2017-11-14T15:55:30Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Tuning is simple with a free app. I use this one: [https://cleartune-chromatic-tuner.soft112.com](https://cleartune-chromatic-tuner.soft112.com) > > For a beginner it’s more than adequate. Yep - plenty of free tuner apps (I like Fender’s). I also recommend Justin for learning guitar. When I picked up guitar after a 15 year hiatus, I used his lessons to get back into the swing of things. It was nice to have “structured” learning rather than my normal “noodling” or watching of random videos and learning one song and then move on. I need structure or I never really improve. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/14 "2017-11-14T16:25:17Z")
Other thoughts from another newbie… My guitar had quite a high action. That is the strings far from the frets, making it a bit hard on my fingers. I took it into a ‘Guitar Center’ and they where able to adjust it (not sure how many guitars are adjustable). Anyway, the lower action has made it significantly easier for me. Also, I use an emery board to get my finger nails down on my fretting hand. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/15 "2017-11-14T18:43:05Z")
It’s very important to set very modest goals. Focus on each of Justin’s lessons and don’t get discouraged. Your fingers will feel clumsy at first. The strings will buzz. Spend 15 mins twice a day making the chords. Adjust your fingers until the chord works. Do it again the next day. Maybe a week or so later those chords will play cleanly. It just take patience and time. It takes most people 8 to 12 months to get through Justin’s beginner course. Depends on how frequently you practice. Literally tens of thousands have successfully taken his course and learned guitar. You’ll know well over 20 songs and will have a solid foundation. You can build from there getting better and better. Short practice sessions are better for beginners. 15 to 20 mins in the morning and each evening is enough. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/16 "2017-11-14T19:05:28Z")
Find a teacher you like. One who likes the same kind of songs as you. IMHO, the best teachers are those who will help you play the songs you like, and simultaneously teaching you some music theory along the way. I.e., helping you to understand why certain cord changes sound good, while others don’t. Practicing scales and modes are okay, and your practice time should have some of that. It helps with music theory and moving from strumming into soloing – which you do by learning which notes are available to use in a solo, which depends on the key, major or minor, specific modes, etc. But the old way of teaching sucked: You can’t play a song until you spend three years mastering every major and minor scale and mode on every string up and down the fret board! Again, I’ll repeat my advice that I started with: Find a good teacher who will help you play the songs you like. It’s worth paying for, because he or she will keep you from forming bad habits and will make your practicing more efficient. I’ve been playing guitar for 17 years now, and bass guitar for 7 years … and I just re-upped with my favorite teacher for another round of lessons. Oh, and get into a position where you play with others ASAP. It intensifies your desire to learn and helps you with your rhythm … and is hella fun! ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/17 "2017-11-14T19:33:27Z")
I’d also recommend to take breaks now and then if things get frustrating. Noodle around a bit, reset and try again. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/18 "2017-11-14T20:30:53Z")
> [@Spiff](#): > > Find a teacher you like. One who likes the same kind of songs as you. I’ll second this advice. I’d played guitar as a kid, and taken lessons, but got bored with it, and gave it up when I was 11. However, there was always a twinge of regret about it, as I grew to love music over the years. About 10 years ago, after watching me play the Guitar Hero video game to excess, my wife bought me an electric guitar starter set as a Valentine’s Day present. I tried to go the self-taught route, using videos, but realized I wasn’t doing much with it. I called the local music school about lessons, and the owner asked me, “what sort of music are you interested in playing?” When I replied with “classic rock,” he said, “Perfect – I’m going to set you up with Keith.” I’ve been taking lessons with Keith ever since – not only is he an excellent instructor, but he loves the same bands and songs that I do. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/19 "2017-11-14T20:41:25Z")
I figured out how to play Day Tripper in grade 7 and that buzz has lasted for years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576/20 "2017-11-15T01:29:18Z")
Everyone has a different way to learn. I’ve tried lessons, but that means a 100 mile drive for me (each way). Um. no. That’s one of the reasons that I’ve gone on line for instruction. In learning chords, I found - [http://chordguide.com/guitar](http://chordguide.com/guitar) Instead of trying to build chord sheets to practice with, you can build the practice sheets online and print them out. I’m a ways away from putting a song together, but (for myself) I’m ok with practice, practice, practice (chords at this point) before I move on. I’m having fun. Trying to move on with out having the basics down would frustrate me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-picked-up-a-guitar-the-other-day/801576.md?page=2)