Best way to learn guitar?

[Ancient Ways]

I tried lessons way back a couple of times. Very hard to find a teacher that I clicked with. They had their own agendas and we're trying to teach me things I wasn't interested in. I had a friend show me a few things and jot down some tabs for me for some riffs and learned more from him in a couple days than in several "lessons" from pros. Then used ear and tabs to continue to learn. These days there are so many on line lessons and YouTube videos you can "take lessons" without ever meeting your teacher and have a variety of teachers. You can spend some time getting to know your instrument and learning some simple songs this way and, if the guitar bug sticks with you, you can always move on to "real lessons" and get into theory

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Forget all about that macho shit

And learn how to play guitar

Thank you John Camp Cougar Melon...

[toymaker]

Look what happened to the 2112 dude. I mean, he taught himself guitar, but he obviously wasn't good enough to impress the priests. They smashed his guitar and then he sank into despair.

 

Seriously, though, discovering guitar over a long period of time on your own can also be satisfying. Regardless of what route you take, I believe that one of the most important things is to persevere. I know a few people who bought guitars and gave up after a relatively short time, and thereby totally denied themselves years of joy.

[HemiBeers]

Ok, so I'm a total noob. I just got a guitar and I am wondering what is the best way to learn. Like, should I just go for lessons somewhere? Should I learn on my own? Through the many resources of the interwebs? Some DVD set out there I should know about? What's the fastest way to memorize the strings and frets? I have a hard time even picking the same string as the one I am holding down without looking. I'm not expecting to play well anytime soon I just need to know where to start. I really want to put this guitar to use, I've given up before but I don't want to do that again. I really hope this doesn't make me sound stupid, so go easy on me.

First off, don't be hard on yourself if you start to get frustrated. Lessons are good. It might be fun to take a group class like at a local community college. You'll have multiple people starting out. Pick some easy songs that you like. Learn barre chords since they can be used liberally until you get more in depth. Concentrate on playing chords and. Don't be concerned about playing lead yet.

 

I had been playing for about 6 years and I took a couple of beginning classes in college to kill some electives. I was noodling away at stairway to heaven as the other kids were just picking away at basic stuff...but I did happen to learn some things.

[Slim]

I'm completely self-taught and I can certainly play. But I really wish I'd taken lessons. I found the chords and all that by myself, and basic soloing and improvising, no problem. But I'd love to be fluent in different scales, modes and whatnot and have a bit of theory ingrained in my grey cells.

[Xanadu]

I tried lessons way back a couple of times. Very hard to find a teacher that I clicked with. They had their own agendas and we're trying to teach me things I wasn't interested in. I had a friend show me a few things and jot down some tabs for me for some riffs and learned more from him in a couple days than in several "lessons" from pros. Then used ear and tabs to continue to learn. These days there are so many on line lessons and YouTube videos you can "take lessons" without ever meeting your teacher and have a variety of teachers. You can spend some time getting to know your instrument and learning some simple songs this way and, if the guitar bug sticks with you, you can always move on to "real lessons" and get into theory

 

The only downside to all the internet stuff is that there is SO much stuff that your head will spin and it's just all over the board with no rhyme or reason for the person just starting out. I suggest if people want to learn online to start with a program that will give you some structure and is laid out in an organized way (for example, Justin Sandercoe has a great course and even for beginners where you start with the basics and work your way up). I think once you have a good feel for the basic (open) chords, power chords, barre chords, some theory and some knowledge of scales then it's ok to venture outside of that a little. But that's just me.

[EagleMoon]

It's important to get at least a good basis to learn from. You can spend more time on undoing bad habits than it would have spent learning it correctly the first time. Edited November 21, 2015 by EagleMoon

[Ancient Ways]

I tried lessons way back a couple of times. Very hard to find a teacher that I clicked with. They had their own agendas and we're trying to teach me things I wasn't interested in. I had a friend show me a few things and jot down some tabs for me for some riffs and learned more from him in a couple days than in several "lessons" from pros. Then used ear and tabs to continue to learn. These days there are so many on line lessons and YouTube videos you can "take lessons" without ever meeting your teacher and have a variety of teachers. You can spend some time getting to know your instrument and learning some simple songs this way and, if the guitar bug sticks with you, you can always move on to "real lessons" and get into theory

 

The only downside to all the internet stuff is that there is SO much stuff that your head will spin and it's just all over the board with no rhyme or reason for the person just starting out. I suggest if people want to learn online to start with a program that will give you some structure and is laid out in an organized way (for example, Justin Sandercoe has a great course and even for beginners where you start with the basics and work your way up). I think once you have a good feel for the basic (open) chords, power chords, barre chords, some theory and some knowledge of scales then it's ok to venture outside of that a little. But that's just me.

I think we're on the same page.

[rushfanNlv]

I don't disagree that lessons are a perfect starting point, but my personal suggestion would be to start by buying as many pre-Back in Black AC/DC albums you can find and learn those songs. Don't worry about the leads for now, just learn the rhythm parts. That's a great jumping of point. You'll learn the fret board and most important, you'll learn to play in 4/4 time very comfortably and you'll gain confidence. Also, as soon as you are ready, start playing with a drummer or a drum machine.

[Ancient Ways]

I don't disagree that lessons are a perfect starting point, but my personal suggestion would be to start by buying as many pre-Back in Black AC/DC albums you can find and learn those songs. Don't worry about the leads for now, just learn the rhythm parts. That's a great jumping of point. You'll learn the fret board and most important, you'll learn to play in 4/4 time very comfortably and you'll gain confidence. Also, as soon as you are ready, start playing with a drummer or a drum machine.

Cut my teeth (and possible my fingers) on songs like tnt, dirty deeds, etc...

[cooheed2112]

Never had lessons myself.i remember gettin piano books to Rush and transcribing every note to guitar. I didn't go out for a year!

Bought a keyboard and learnt all Geddys parts too. My God ,back in the day I used to wedge coins in the keys to make a chord,then play guitar over it! Lol

Lessons probably a good thing!

[Mr. JD]

Practice, practice, practice

[alphseeker]

I'm thrilled to say after fooling around with guitars for the past 35 years doing simple songs from tablature, i have finally buckled down and paid for my first two months of Classical Guitar lessons. I've sold my electrics and amps and purchased a solid Cordoba and will fulfill my lifelong desire. :D I splurged and hooked up with a local masters graduate who was director of classical guitar at one of san diego's performing arts centers. I start this Friday

[The Analog Cub]

I'm thrilled to say after fooling around with guitars for the past 35 years doing simple songs from tablature, i have finally buckled down and paid for my first two months of Classical Guitar lessons. I've sold my electrics and amps and purchased a solid Cordoba and will fulfill my lifelong desire. :D I splurged and hooked up with a local masters graduate who was director of classical guitar at one of san diego's performing arts centers. I start this Friday

 

Sounds exciting. Hope it goes well!

[treeduck]

Lift up the guitar and hold it in your hands, pluck or strum or pick with one hand and fret and hammer-on and pull off with your other hand. This is probably the best way.

[The Analog Cub]

Lift up the guitar and hold it in your hands, pluck or strum or pick with one hand and fret and hammer-on and pull off with your other hand. This is probably the best way.

 

"What can this strange device be?"

[treeduck]

Lift up the guitar and hold it in your hands, pluck or strum or pick with one hand and fret and hammer-on and pull off with your other hand. This is probably the best way.

 

"What can this strange device be?"

Are you singing that in a lilting falsetto?

[The Analog Cub]

Lift up the guitar and hold it in your hands, pluck or strum or pick with one hand and fret and hammer-on and pull off with your other hand. This is probably the best way.

 

"What can this strange device be?"

Are you singing that in a lilting falsetto?

 

...SINGING!? I do not sing. I let the guitar sing :Alex:

[treeduck]

Lift up the guitar and hold it in your hands, pluck or strum or pick with one hand and fret and hammer-on and pull off with your other hand. This is probably the best way.

 

"What can this strange device be?"

Are you singing that in a lilting falsetto?

 

...SINGING!? I do not sing. I let the guitar sing :Alex:

That's what Joe Satriani said in an interview in Guitar Player in 1988 when asked why he didn't sing. On his next album Flying in a Blue Dream he did sing on several tracks.

Edited January 8, 2016 by CygnusX-1Bk2
mispelling

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

I think what Joe did on that album is referred to as "singing" with quotes included. It's more speaking that anything else.

[treeduck]

I think what Joe did on that album is referred to as "singing" with quotes included. It's more speaking that anything else.

Pretty much yeah.

[treeduck]

Ugh just realised i put sang instead of sing in that post, hmmm can't edit now either... :hail:

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

I fixed it for you. Because I can. ;)

[alphseeker]

I'm thrilled to say after fooling around with guitars for the past 35 years doing simple songs from tablature, i have finally buckled down and paid for my first two months of Classical Guitar lessons. I've sold my electrics and amps and purchased a solid Cordoba and will fulfill my lifelong desire. :D I splurged and hooked up with a local masters graduate who was director of classical guitar at one of san diego's performing arts centers. I start this Friday

Off to my second lesson today. Learned a ton on my first visit. i already fell more comfortable floating my picking hand right above the strings. in just one week I have eliminated a ton of unnecessary hand flailing. Still working on the flying pinky though on the fret hand. Learned my first classical song - Andantino - yeah its a 1 on the 1-10 skill scale but that's what I am when it comes to classical.

I also realized there is a huge difference between Classical and Flamenco guitar. I always thought flamenco was just a style of flamenco boy was I wrong. I don't care for it at all. Not my cup of tea.

Edited January 15, 2016 by alphseeker

[JARG]

I'm thrilled to say after fooling around with guitars for the past 35 years doing simple songs from tablature, i have finally buckled down and paid for my first two months of Classical Guitar lessons. I've sold my electrics and amps and purchased a solid Cordoba and will fulfill my lifelong desire. :D I splurged and hooked up with a local masters graduate who was director of classical guitar at one of san diego's performing arts centers. I start this Friday

Off to my second lesson today. Learned a ton on my first visit. i already fell more comfortable floating my picking hand right above the strings. in just one week I have eliminated a ton of unnecessary hand flailing. Still working on the flying pinky though on the fret hand. Learned my first classical song - Andantino - yeah its a 1 on the 1-10 skill scale but that's what I am when it comes to classical.

I also realized there is a huge difference between Classical and Flamenco guitar. I always thought flamenco was just a style of flamenco boy was I wrong. I don't care for it at all. Not my cup of tea.

 

 

Yeah, it doesn't seem that tricky of a song, but I'll tell you right now, it would a buttload of practice before I could play it as well as that guy does.