Where to start? Guitar!

[Jbleezyj]

Hey there everybody. Anybody here play the guitar? I just bought myself an acoustic guitar. I know it will take a lot of time, patience, and practice.

Though I never played an instrument in my life before. I don't really know where to start. I have learned some chords and etc.. from online and some really really basic songs.

I am wondering if I should learn notes or just tabs? I don't plan to compose my own music or anything but I do plan on being able to cover songs I like from the radio in the future when I am more better. I hear arguments that learning notes is much more difficult when you can just play by tabs much more easily.

I just want some opinions on where to start. Should I just keep learning chords and how to read tabs? Is learning notes really that difficult?

Please point me into some direction on where to begin, what to master first, what I should practice first and so on. I just don't really know where to begin. Chord memorization? How to read tabs or notes first? etc..

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Just want to know where to start and what to do from any other guitar players out there.

[doppelgaenger]

Just do tabs and chords, man. Who needs notes? They overcomplicate the simplicity that is a guitar. It is helpful to know a little bit about notes in case tabs aren't available.

Just know what the pitches for standard tuning are. Once you recognize that each fret is a half step, and that 12 frets are an octave, learn where the note pitches are.. for example on low E string, the first fret would be F. The 3rd would be G. The 5th would be A. And so on. Once you play for a long while you recognize a certain pattern on the fretboard. When you recognize that pattern (you'll know what I mean) you'll be pretty good at playing guitar.

But don't worry about all that now. Just learn stairway to heaven and enjoy it.

Oh and my tip is just to play and enjoy playing. Don't get frustrated. Guitar was my first instrument, too, and I loved it. It's been a while since I've played though.

[Only-virgins]

No, learn notes! Don't be the douche bag who plays nothing but the same 3 stupid ****ing tabs/chords around a camp fire. It is easy to spot that dude. Learn how to properly play the guitar.

[misombra]

no stairway to heaven!

[misombra]

No, learn notes! Don't be the douche bag who plays nothing but the same 3 stupid ****ing tabs/chords around a camp fire. It is easy to spot that dude. Learn how to properly play the guitar.

that's how i do it.

[doppelgaenger]

Hahaha, 'properly'.

Do what is easiest for you Jbleezy. Some people find notes easier than tabs. Some people find tabs easier. Fewer think it's easiest to throw both away and learn by ear.

[doppelgaenger]

no stairway to heaven!

What? No stairway?

Denied!....

[misombra]

i learned by learning to play songs i liked. started with really simply ones with 3 chords max, then moved on to more difficult ones.

i think if you learn chords well you'll start picking up scales.

you could always get a teacher. that'll help you out if you want to be proper about it.

[Mish]

Start with something simple

[Jbleezyj]

I think I am going to just learn through chords/tabs and learn notes when I have the time.

[Jbleezyj]

Start with something simple

That does not look simple. LOL.

[Lipp]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5QCs3PnQBc"]YouTube - Learning Guitar to Get Laid[/ame]

[lovesjoyajm]

This video really helped me start learning.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDjWLwqAPY"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]

[flea]

hi jbleezyj, I've been playing guitar for close to 20 years and still love it. I remember being confused about where to start, etc. I think, like anything, to keep you interested you need to be having FUN learning the guitar or chances are you'll get frustrated with the myriad of chord voicings and scales that are available and possibly give up. the way I tackled this was to learn songs (Guns'N'Roses tabs sound cool, and a pretty easy for the most part) because every one you get under your belt, the more confidence it gives you. don't be one of these dudes that just learns the intro, or the main chord progression though, aim for the FULL song (and solo when you get more confident). scales and theory can come a bit later.

this is the way I learned all of my chords, because the good thing about tabs is that they have all the chords at the beginning of the song so you can learn where to put your fingers and stuff. I learned a lot of interesting chord voicings (same chord played in different positions on the neck) this way, but if some of them are too difficult at first, break it down to it's root note to get you by.

for example: if a song has an Am7sus2 chord - substitute it for a basic Am (A minor) to get you through until your fingers are able to make the right changes. this will enable you to get through the song and enjoy it a LOT more than sweating over a difficult chord.

this site is really good too ----> [URL="http://www.justinguitar.com/"]http://www.justinguitar.com/[/URL] for any level of musician. it's free, and he has a heap of good youtube vids as well.


good luck on your journey, matey. any more specific questions, let me know and I'll do my best to help.


oh, and lol on the "guitar to get laid" vid.