Learning the Guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluemc1
  • Start date Start date
Here's how you play guitar. And he rode his bike to get to lessons as a kid. If you think you can get this good without training, you're well off the mark.



Mark Knopfler, hahaha
 
So I have just borrowed a bass and going to start learning to play. I have absolutely no idea about guitars or bass.
I know a little about theory and can read a little music.
I am looking for a tutor if anyone knows of a good one.
Also any good tutorials or books for a beginner.
Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Nightmare Walking said:
So I have just borrowed a bass and going to start learning to play. I have absolutely no idea about guitars or bass.
I know a little about theory and can read a little music.
I am looking for a tutor if anyone knows of a good one.
Also any good tutorials or books for a beginner.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

In line with what others have said about online advice, have a look at Scotts Bass Lessons on the web. He's a great bass player and has lots of free video's for you to watch on You Tube. You can also pay to become a member if that's the way you want to go.
 
I've had a guitar for over a year and not had the patience to carry on practising chords. Was getting frustrated at constantly muting strings.

I've started up recently and gone right back to basics. I've bought the Fender app on the Iphone which has been helpful. I can read Tabs, understand all the strings and jargon etc... I've just started to learn chords again. I have mastered G but struggling on C. I keep muting the G string when applying my middle finger to the D string . I've tried altering my technique. Putting my thumb right under the neck, arching my fingers and using the tips of my fingers, I've also changed my posture and holding the neck higher up to help arch the fingers and pulling my elbow in to my body, I'm determined to persevere but has anyone any extra tips. Is it about being persistent with constant practice and develop calluses on the finger tips?
 
flyer said:
In line with what others have said about online advice, have a look at Scotts Bass Lessons on the web. He's a great bass player and has lots of free video's for you to watch on You Tube. You can also pay to become a member if that's the way you want to go.
Click to expand...
Can't stand that smart arsed twat haha
He's evolving into some street cred teenager at age 40ish.
Rather watch paint dry..
 
flyer said:
Here's how you play guitar. And he rode his bike to get to lessons as a kid. If you think you can get this good without training, you're well off the mark.



Mark Knopfler, hahaha
Click to expand...

I agree with you about lessons and proper training learning the right technique.
I don't share your love call Ritchie Blackmore but I can see he is a good player, I'm more interested in jazz and jazz/rock fusion players like John McLaughlin Allan Holdsworth maybe even Pat metheny.
I used to listen to Rock players but got tired of the same old major and minor pentatonic boring stuff they trot out. Clapton, Page, Gilmore, it's all the same stuff musically.
Anyway just wanted to say that I agree with you about lessons and technique.
 
I'd love to play guitar but I'm a kind of a mixed up ambidextrous kind. By that I played football with my right foot to kick and shoot, right handed playing cricket tennis and table tennis. I write with my left hand, play pool left handed and on picking up a guitar I always felt comfortable strumming an acoustic and bass guitar left-handed. But that's as far as I've got. Maybe I should buy a half decent left handed guitar and seek out a left handed tutor ? Maybe I'm the next Jimi Hendrix in waiting.

Shut up BMR you're talking shite. Go to bed lad: /
 
I have always admired anyone with an innate ability to play a musical instrument. Thanks to @Pezzer2 for bumping. Maybe lockdown will spawn a star.
Spoiler alert: It won't.
I have learned a couple of things though:
Playing an instrument comes easier to some than others, lessons are generally a good thing unless you happen to be a genius in which case...
Practise makes perfect.
I have fallen hopelessly in love with Alexandra Whittingham.
 
bluemc1 said:
Hello, just seeing if anyone else started late ( I’m 41 ) or if anyone who plays has any good tips advice on beginners ?

I have never played a note of anything in my life :)
Click to expand...

I would start with learning a few principles of music rather than shapes on the guitar.
For instance - the notes on the different strings.
Then a do-re-mi 7 note scale.
Then understand that most simple tunes are I-Iv-V (i.e. major chords having the letter names associated with the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of the major scale) with an occasional minor chord thrown in - having the name of the 6th note of the scale.
Then that a major chord is made up of the 1st 3rd and 5th notes of the scale.
And a minor chord is the same but with the 3rd 1 fret down from a major chord.
You can then work out a lot of it for yourself, without confusing yourself over a million chord diagrams
.
 
Pezzer2 said:
I've had a guitar for over a year and not had the patience to carry on practising chords. Was getting frustrated at constantly muting strings.

I've started up recently and gone right back to basics. I've bought the Fender app on the Iphone which has been helpful. I can read Tabs, understand all the strings and jargon etc... I've just started to learn chords again. I have mastered G but struggling on C. I keep muting the G string when applying my middle finger to the D string . I've tried altering my technique. Putting my thumb right under the neck, arching my fingers and using the tips of my fingers, I've also changed my posture and holding the neck higher up to help arch the fingers and pulling my elbow in to my body, I'm determined to persevere but has anyone any extra tips. Is it about being persistent with constant practice and develop calluses on the finger tips?
Click to expand...

just keep on doing it in short bursts, its hand strength and muscle memory. theres no race, just leave it for a while. C can be awkward and a full F7 chord is the ultimate bitch. i loved that time of discovering songs with all the chords i had learnt.
 
Plmokn said:
just keep on doing it in short bursts, its hand strength and muscle memory. theres no race, just leave it for a while. C can be awkward and a full F7 chord is the ultimate bitch. i loved that time of discovering songs with all the chords i had learnt.
Click to expand...
Cheers
Well chuffed I've rang out the C chord a few times now without muting the strings. I have heard this is the hardest major chord to master. I have also learnt the G chord and found it quite easy. I'm just going to continue playing these 2 for 2 weeks continuously.
Like you said I have practised short bursts. I'll play a chord rest for 20 secs and keep doing it for 15 minute spells.
I'm working out different thumb positions for each chord and discovering what fits best. The C I found easier placing my thumb parallel to the neck whereas the thumb was in the upright position near the top of the neck for the G.
 
I’ve played guitar over 25 years and have recently started lessons again. It never ends, that’s what keeps it interesting.

just practice and enjoy it.
 
There's a good app(isn't there always these days?) it's called yousician my kid brother is a guitar teacher n he's been getting his students download it during lockdown.
 
maccadon said:
There's a good app(isn't there always these days?) it's called yousician my kid brother is a guitar teacher n he's been getting his students download it during lockdown.
Click to expand...
I’ve been using the Fender play app. It’s been really good!. Although I had to pay for it to get the most out of it
 
i have been noodling away, porch style blues generally. for years...recently shifted from my Gibson SG to a rather spiffy Faith acoustic...now started learning a spanish/flamenco style..its like starting all over again...one advantage is that the dischords sound like part of the piece and you can always do a full on fingernail clatter off the body when you get lost...
 
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