15 replies to this topic

[CaptainAndypops]

Hi All

I thought it might be useful to post some tips to people out there who are looking to start, or have just started playing guitar. I think it's safe to say when I began learning, I made every mistake there was to make in how I approached the task of learning, and I'm hoping this thread will stop others from making the mistakes I did. Also, if any of the more experienced guitarists out there want to add some tips, please feel free!

First Things First
Obviously if you're planning on learning to play the guitar, you're going to need an instrument and some other assorted gear to go with it. First thing to decide: electric or acoustic? This is very much a personal choice, but don't feel like once you've made it, you're stuck for life. When you begin to get more accomplished on one, you'll inevitably be able to pick the other up without too much difficulty. I wont go into the differences between the sounds, as I think they're fairly obvious. Learning acoustic is definitely more difficult than the electric, but is usually cheaper to start out on. Whereas electric is much easier to play on, but can cost a small fortune to get the gear required (as well as the guitar, you'll need a fairly decent practise amp, cable, and eventually some pedals).

The Gear
The next big step is to find the instrument. Don't expect to get the perfect instrument right away. I think the majority of guitarists will go through several guitars before they find one which truly suits them. Also, don't judge an instrument purely for its looks, or because your favourite artist uses one. I've found the best way to get a feel for a guitar is to play one or two open chords to see how the neck fits into your hand. In terms of cost, don't go for the most expensive guitar you can find. A $3000 guitar isn't going to make you any better a player. On the other hand, try to avoid most of the cheap "Starter Packages" you can find on the internet for $50-75. For acoustic guitars, I recommend a low to mid-range Yamaha or Tanglewood. For electric, look for a Mexican made Fender Stratocaster / Telecaster, or an Epiphone Les Paul or SG Standard. They'll set you back a few hundred dollars, but the slightly heavier price you pay is more than worth it for the durability and playability of the instrument. If it takes you time to find the right guitar, don't worry, stick with it, and you'll get there eventually. I spent nearly two years going through various cheap strat copies and getting increasingly saddened that I couldn't find an instrument I was comfortable with. Then I strolled into a store and had a quick jam on a Mexican Fender Strat. I knew in in instant it was the right guitar for me and bought it immediately!

If you've got an electric, or even an electro-acoustic, the next step is to find an amp. As with the guitars, don't be fooled into buying the cheapest thing you find. You can pick up a decent 10-15 watt practise amp for a relatively low cost thesedays. I personally recommend the Marshall MG series (MG10, MG30) or the Fender Frontman 15G. The Fender is a little noisy, but not too noticably if you're just jamming in your bedroom.

As for cables, they cost so little they're hardly worth worrying about. If, however, you are looking for a long-term investment, Fender California Clear's are my personal favourites. They come with a lifetime warranty, so as long as you keep the packaging and receipt somewhere, they'll replace them if and when there's a breakage.

The final thing for the electric players out there is pedals. These aren't a necessity to start out with, and in fact I'd recommend you spend a few months learning before you go out and purchase any, but as you get better, you'll find you want to get a different sound from your axe than the amp alone is providing. The first pedals to buy should probably be some kind of distortion (Boss DS-1 / DS-2 are my favourites) and a Wah Wah (Vox, Jim Dunlop or Ibanez).

I'm going to leave it at that for now as my fingers are hurting from all the typing. I'll post back in a few days with some beginners lessons on open chords, picking patterns etc.

I hope this has been somewhat useful. Also, apologies if I sound like I'm endorsed by Fender / Marshall!

[JF4ever]

ya learn things out on your own. taking lessons does the same thing only faster. you will better understand the guitar if you learn things out by yourself. just study your favorite guitarist. see what he does and will eventually master that genre of music. sound out songs off of cds. do not use tabs. you will be better off knowing where notes will be on the fretboard. by sounding out i mean figuring out the notes off of the cd. it will take time and it will be frustrating but it will come to you after a few songs. start easy then go harder.

[jaimex8]

I disagree with your opinion about starter packs, while it's true you shouldn't buy a pack that costs $50 I would very highly suggest getting a Squier Strat starter pack. A Squier is not a bad guitar at all, I still have mine from when I started 2 years ago and it's still pretty good. Of course that doesn't mean that it compares to my Fender Telecaster but that's more of an intermediate guitar anyway. Also I believe that tabs help out a lot and instead of being frustrated with not being able to figure out the notes when you first start you can focus more on getting the technique down.

[CaptainAndypops]

jaimez8 - I agree with you about the Squier starter packs, they're actually pretty good, as are the new Gibson Signature Series. I was referring more to the unkown brand starter packs (for some reason, they're usually advertised on the internet with a naked woman holding the guitar ).

As for getting lessons, while I don't think it's necessary to get regular weekly lessons, I think it's good to have a proper lesson once in a while as they can point out easier and more comfortable ways of doing things such as Barre Chords and string bending.

I don't believe in using tabs at all. Transcribing is a fine art to perfect, but it definitely makes you a better player in the end.

[JF4ever]

CaptainAndypops, on Jul 1 2009, 09:42 AM, said:

I don't believe in using tabs at all. Transcribing is a fine art to perfect, but it definitely makes you a better player in the end.

ya i wish i started out sounded music out. it will be easier to improvise and in the long run you no where certain chords are and what they sound like which will make you an awesome player.

[ezionretaw]

dont forget drugs. you'll need lots of drugs.

[JF4ever]

ezionretaw, on Jul 1 2009, 07:45 PM, said:

dont forget drugs. you'll need lots of drugs.

the only drugs i would recommend is weed. i get enough creation from that. enough said. do not do herion, even though it may change your life and youll end up to be as good as john frusciante. but still...

[dlemire]

Wow.. A whole lot of information, and it seems everyone is just going against what the other says. So I might as well throw in my two cents, which is to pick up a guitar, play what feels good, and when you feel comfortable with it or feel the urge to learn something new, do it. The more you play, the more you will discover, both musically and technical guitar stuff. As Mr. Frusciante himself says, his dream in music is to be forever changing, and I think everyone should follow that to an extent, because the more you discover and the more you play, the better you get.

Just start playing a guitar.

Don't worry what everyone says.

[L633]

I find that using the internet to look for finger excercises helps. Maybe also learning the piano or keyboards, which some people also say helps with learning chords/notes etc. I also find that using youtube when you get confused with a song (or anything really) helps. Of course I wouldn't rely on that excusively since there are a lot of different lessons on the same song that all tell you something different. As far as amplifiers for beginners go, you can get valve/vacuum tube stuff cheap these days. I was thinking about getting a blackheart little giant until I can afford something bigger. Also, I would say that If you can't decide between one guitar and another, but can only afford one, maybe look into pedals, effects etc. I mean, think of all of the sounds John has got out of his Stratocasters for example. I'm a begginer myself, so what would I know though

[CaptainAndypops]

Quote

dont forget drugs. you'll need lots of drugs.

LOL yes the drugses can sometimes help you discover some pretty gnarley riffs. On the downside, I find the weed makes me develop too much love for the echo pedal

Quote

I'm a begginer myself, so what would I know though

There's no shame in being a beginner. All of us have to start out somewhere. I'm still only a mediocre player myself, but I'm learning all the time. If you really have the desire to play guitar, playing and learning becomes an almost spiritual experience.

[ezionretaw]

you'll also need lots of groupies.

[Tolke]

I started two months ago to teach myself to play. Well.... I've got a lot better than before and I love it. But everytime I see people that I know play, I mean, they go natural or social science programme but a lot of these guy really know how to play!
And that just kind of pisses me off.
I just can't believe that I will ever get that good without taking lessons.

[SwedishFruscianteFan]

^How do you know that? Its all about dedication, how willing you are to improve. And you can get pretty far with all the stuff that are available online these days. Sure, it can be an advantage to have a teacher, but practice 1-2 hours (or more) everyday and I promise you that you`ll be a great player eventually.

[fenderfunk14]

good write up. only thing i dont like is the marshall mg series. they stink.

if you want a cheap practice amp, you can't go wrong with a kustom 12a. it has a 12ax7 preamp and sounds great at all sound levels. best part? its $90

[bobbybrenes]

fenderfunk14, on Jan 22 2010, 06:17 PM, said:

good write up. only thing i dont like is the marshall mg series. they stink.

if you want a cheap practice amp, you can't go wrong with a kustom 12a. it has a 12ax7 preamp and sounds great at all sound levels. best part? its $90

Yes! Listen to him! I made the mistake of buying an MG when I was starting and I just bought it because I thought they looked cool and because John used a Marshall too. Don't get me wrong, the amp isn't that bad, but for the price the Kustom 12A beats the MG and it's a great sounding amp. I think that the Kustom is the perfect starter amp.

As for the starter packs, my first guitar was a cheap Yamaha that came with a starter pack and I must say that it served its purpose. It didn't sound great but I learnt the basics with it and in case you feel as though the guitar isn't for you, you can feel good that you just wasted about $100 and not a whole load of money.

My advice is to start out playing an acoustic guitar. I now regret that I dropped off my acoustic guitar lessons, as I think that I would have understood better the electric guitar and maybe would have been far more advanced by now. Still I think that to start out a teacher is crucial because they show you how to put your fingers right, some basic music theory, and some other important stuff, but once you learn the basics you can pretty much handle yourself pretty well after that with internet lessons and such.

[AdMission]

I totally agree with the people who have recommended learning riffs and/or songs from recorded music. There is no better way to learn. If you only read tabs, then your timing will suck (unless you play with a metronome, which is really boring imo). Learning from recorded music is also much more satisfying (and it's how all you're favorite players learned). In addition, it is valuable to play with others as soon as possible. Don't worry about skill level or instrument: Jam with anyone who is nice and will play with you. Example: I jammed with a flute player a few times, and it was a lot of fun! Basic music theory (the way different chords relate to each other) is often helpful when writing songs and jammimg, but play whatever sounds good to you. Proper tuning and intonation is crucial: This cannot be stressed enough (See the link I posted in Guitar Wisdom thread, under Gear Snobs). And when you see an article or advertisement telling you that you MUST HAVE a certain piece of gear in order to acheive a good sound, be mindful of the fact that someone is trying to take your money (and probably doesn't care how you sound). Good luck!