Guitars

[Nupine]

I've been playing guitar for about...3 1/2 days.

Its just a cheap acoustic, but I'm hoping to eventually get an electric and an amp. I can play the first minute or so of Metallica's ''One'', the opening riff of Nirvana's ''Come As You Are'', the opening riff of The Rolling Stone's ''Miss You'', and a little bit of Metallica's ''Fade to Black'' reasonably well. I'm trying to learn some basic chords, and I'm finding it to be VERY overwhelming. I can seem to make my fingers stretch out in weird directions and I can't remember them too well. What do you recommend that I do? Is there any really good websites that you know of that could help me? Thanks.
Ashlyn

 

[bufforp89]

I recomend you stop playing the guitar! Just kidding, I tried unsucesfully for 2 years and even had lessons with my cousin who plays beautiful and has been teaching for a few years. I eventually gave up because my hands just couldnt stretch and position like they were supposed to. Also after playing for 2 years I still did not build up the nessacary callouses on my fingertips. Good Luck!

 

[Royd]

There are lots of fingering lessons on Youtube....As to learning the chords, not that I play a guitar, but there is something called muscle memory, which means that you have to practice something enough, that the mind no longer thinks about it, the fingers just do what they are supposed to do.

Don't be discouraged, if you're not Les Paul or Jimi Hendricks, within a month.

 

[SillyChicken]

patience and practice, patience and practice, practice patience and You could try actual lessons, and patience and practice, patience and practice, patience and practice!!

I'll ask my DH for any sites. He's played guitar since he was a kid and pretty good too.

 

[thebritt]

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! You could always take lessons as well, but I know quite a few people who have taught themselves - some that can't even read music! Good for you for taking up music...I've heard that learning an instrument makes you smarter! (not that you're not already an intelligent person

)

 

[thaiturkey]

Perhaps you are tempted to play riffs or 'tunes' before you know your scales and chords and before your fingers have the strength and dexterity needed. In any case, every rock band relies on its rhythm guitar. Keep soloing for later.

Learn basic major and minor chords. Practice for 30 minutes or so each day. Overdo it and you may burn out your enthusiasm. Be patient.

Learn scales - keep it simple at first and use pentatonic. Learn some 5th chords too for strumming to rock while your finger dexterity is still improving. Practice as above.

Use the scales as finger stretching exercises. In fact, you could just practice gently stretched down the frets between each pair of fingers to gradually loosen them. If a stretch hurts, leave it out for a while. Keep your fretting finger nails very short, by the way.

Learn about the CAGED system. It will help you get to use scales and chords all over the fretboard. Once you have that licked, learning a riff will be easier because you will understand how it is constructed and you will be able to improvise your own solos.

If you don't know any theory, get a book. The Complete Idiot's Guide To Music Theory has all you will need to know at probably much more. The guitar is a musical instrument and will give of it's best only if its musician understands what it can do and why.

The acoustic guitar can be hard on the finger tips until callouses build up and some barred chords such as F Major can be difficult to ring out well until finger strength builds up. You will probably find an electric guitar much easier. That and a practice amp. with a gain level control will also give you a better sound for the rock music that you seem to enjoy.

Get a good teacher. There's no substitute for 1 to 1 personal tuition tailored to suit your needs and progress.

Enjoy it! Don't make it a chore.

Some links for you:

http://www.cagedguitarsystem.net/

http://www.guitarnoise.com/ Google 'free online guitar lessons' for more.

 

[Welsummer Rancher]

I taught myself to play guitar using Hal Leonard's Complete Guitar Method. I've been playing for about 3 years and use an acoustic electric guitar. Learning the chords is somewhat difficult as your fingers must learn new positions. All it takes is PRACTICE. And LOTS of it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. There are no shortcuts. Oh, and remember, you have to crawl before you can walk.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

I've been playing for a few years, though I'd still classify myself as a beginner, but who cares? I have fun, and that's all that matters.

I tried using books, I tried having friends teach me, and all I got was confused. After owning my guitar for several years, I finally just jumped in, looked up chords for songs I liked, and taught myself, one chord at a time, until i could play a few songs. Every so often I'll find a chord in a song that I haven't learned yet, and I'll work on that one.

Start with easy ones- D, A, E, Em, Am, C, G. Those don't require any funky reaching or anything.

 

[chicks4kids]

Go to a music store and get a basic beginners book with dvd. They're super nice and it's like having an instructor right there in front of you (that's what the dvd is for). My daughter got hers for $25. If you don't want to go to an instructor, this book is an excellent alternative.

 

[Nupine]

Wow! Thanks for all the input!
I think I jumped into this too fast, attempting to play the first 24 bars or so of a (simple) Metallica song. I did succeed though

I took your advice and went to ebay, I bid on a decent sized beginner's guitar book and dvd set, with good reviews.
I'm so enthusiastic about this, but I need to learn the basics first!