New Guitar

[codedigital]

So after wanting to play my entire life...I bought me a guitar this weekend.

I don't have a lick of experience playing any instrument but I've ALWAYS wanted to play the guitar. So does anyone have any tips, strategies, hints, lessons for me to learn?

Anyone else share my aspirations?

[DieselV2]

I bought a guitar as always wanted to play but I'm rubbish at it :p

It's back in it's box and has been for about 6 months

[DoM cAbAn]

My brother wants a guitar because he thinks he would be amazing and it, and that it looks "easy". But he would totally suck at it, haha.

[Bluntman428]

Well I don't personally play, although I really want to but just can't afford to buy one right now.

But a friend of mine's amazing, been playing for over 10 years, sounds like a frickin rockstar. He gave me some tips for when I get one that I'll pass on.

First thing he said, is when you first start playing just experiment with it and learn what each note sounds like. Play around with it, and don't expect to get good at it anytime soon.

He also said if you ever really want to get good at it, you need to take some lessons. It's pretty cheap usually, and you just can't teach yourself what someone with years of experience can teach you.

[codedigital]

He also said if you ever really want to get good at it, you need to take some lessons. It's pretty cheap usually, and you just can't teach yourself what someone with years of experience can teach you.


Thanks for the thought out post Bluntman....

I've looked into lessons as well. A friend of mine can play and has agreed to get me moving a bit for free so that I don't feel like a flipping idiot when I go in for lessons.

I found a place around here where all the instructors have Ph D's in Music that charge 80 bucks for a 5 week period. I figured with a year of classes under my belt might move me in the right direction.

[Apocobring]

I figured with a year of classes under my belt might move me in the right direction.

That is the first right step with any new instrument, in my opinion. Realizing that you will need help to get good, and being willing to pursue that help is incredibly useful. I've learned how to play tuba, trumpet, trombone, learned to sing, and am taking classes for piano this next semester. Lessons will help you a whole, whole lot.

Lessons without practice are useless, though. I learned that last part from a little experiment called "high-end trumpeting" =D

Best of luck to you, and don't get frustrated. Pick out some more simple music that you enjoy and after a few weeks show it to your instructor. If they think it is at your skill level, they will teach it to you...then is when the real fun begins.

[codedigital]

Oh...I'm definitely resigned to the fact that I'll need lessons. I think I'll stick with them too because of how much I've always loved the instrument.

[ElementalSoBe]

my friend learned to play from watchin youtube vids , and some other online stuff , but the best thing is prob to get lessons

[Cisumurug]

It depends, someone I know never took lessons and learned from guitar tablature and he is really good. The more you practice the better you will get. But having someone showing you stuff is almost as important as having a private tutor. I showed my friend a lot of stuff that helped him out, stuff I learned from the lessons I got. You can always try looking for beginner instructional videos too :p

[KewlBrettC]

i always wanted to play the guitar, but i really suck at it

[Pieface]

I can play the guitar and Bass, btw which Guitar did you buy?

[codedigital]

I can play the guitar and Bass, btw which Guitar did you buy?

I didn't want to spend a ton of money of my first guitar...I want to make sure I'm going to be able to play before I drop a lot on it.

But I bought this one:
http://www.gregbennettguitars.com/mb50.html

It's great for a starter guitar.

[Tussell]

Yeah, it's usually not best to start anything with something that's very expensive.

Just don't give up, that's all I can really say.

[BlaZiN cdn]

Thats looks exactly like my first guitar, except mine was purple. I ended up pawning it because I never used it.

[Pieface]

I didn't want to spend a ton of money of my first guitar...I want to make sure I'm going to be able to play before I drop a lot on it.

But I bought this one:
http://www.gregbennettguitars.com/mb50.html

It's great for a starter guitar.
Never heard he make, but how much was it? Looks a quite big body.

Also if it was really cheap one thing I do reccomend which will improve sound alot is buy new machine heads and new strings, there easy to put on and will set you back around $15, $20 (I think, costs around £10 here overall). Also a Decent Guitar lead does help alot. There is no need for effects pedal yet.

Also another thing you could do with is a guitar tuner, there dead cheap and its alot easier than tuning by ear (Which I learned the hard way :P)

[codedigital]

Never heard he make, but how much was it? Looks a quite big body.

Also if it was really cheap one thing I do reccomend which will improve sound alot is buy new machine heads and new strings, there easy to put on and will set you back around $15, $20 (I think, costs around £10 here overall). Also a Decent Guitar lead does help alot. There is no need for effects pedal yet.

Also another thing you could do with is a guitar tuner, there dead cheap and its alot easier than tuning by ear (Which I learned the hard way :P)

It wasn't too cheap. About 300 dollars. I bought new strings when I bought it...I just haven't put them on yet.

They gave me a pretty cheap tuner but it really sucks so I'm going to go buy me a new one. A stand and gig bag are my next two purchases.

[Pieface]

Just a lil tip if you wanna learn to tune by ear.

If you place your finger off a string on the fifth fret, the note above it should sound the same and that shows it is in tune.

My guitar is a Fender Squire Strat but I need a new guitar now really, I spend all my money on games though :P. Did you get an amp with it aswell?

[codedigital]

They gave me an amp as well. Just a little 10W amp but it works great for in the house. The neighbors complained once already ;) It has the overdrive and all that jazz.

The gave me everything I needed to play. Tuner, amp, cables, picks, gig bag, and an extra pack of strings.