Some of the best guitarists I know, including very successful ones I know in bands, are entirely self-taught. Some benefit from lessons, defo, some just don't need them. I've never had a single one in my life and I got to the level of being a signed musician playing in front of thousands. Lessons clearly won't harm, but they're not the be all and end all for everyone. The internet can teach you a lot these days.
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Learning the Guitar
- Thread starter bluemc1
- Start date
dannyboy29
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- 7 Mar 2011
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Thanks for the input, but I don't need a lecture/lesson.
I play with my thumb in all the wrong places. I'm absolutely fine with that and so are many guitarists, some of them amongst the very finest on planet earth.
I would be your worst student but you'd be my worst teacher because I'd end up chinning you.
Mark Knopfler didn't have a single formal lesson. He is self taught.
One of the greatest ever players and don't dare suggest otherwise, the stats and facts back that claim up and he is just one of many examples.
Cheers.
What stats/facts are available to back this up?
Gareth Barry Conlon
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I reckon most give up at guitar because all they do is learn covers/play on their own. Covers are always a good starting point, cos its not that hard to sound quite nice with a simple chord based strummed song. I started that way too, BUT...I do believe most pack it in because they then just stick to that method. Honestly believe the trick is to just not mind sounding shite and just enjoy making your own personal noise too, or even just jam with some friends. Convinced so many don't get better because they're just trying learn songs they love, and it often becomes a chore, and a frustrating one at that when you're not quite as good at that song as you want to be. It's easy to lose interest then, because they're not getting anything back at it. They're also not exploring the fun creative side of guitars, which is what most of us actually crave.
All of the above is why I think its important that when you've got a bit of confidence, just play about and actually just enjoy making noise with a guitar. Or find someone to just have a jam with and make a load of noise. It isn't like learning a song that has a strict way of playing, which means technically you can't really be getting anything wrong, and it kinda feels nice to not be limited by anything, and you can't really sound shite either, cos its just your own personal ideas. I mean they may sound a bit shite, but they're not 'wrong' are they? Cos its entirely subjective. Plus there is nothing better than making a load of noise with a mate. It's ten times more gratifying than nailing a perfect cover IMO :)
Maybe that's just me anyway. Can only speak from my experience there! I'm bang average at guitar, but I was basically the lead guitarist in a few moderately successful bands for years. I just had an ear for a melody. Terrible at covers, mind. If you put me in a room, there's usually no way I could impress someone with a guitar on my own, but if you put me in a band jamming I could write a nice melody that people would usually enjoy listening to. My mind just isn't wired the covers kinda way, and chances are the minds of most aren't, but they just go down the cover route and eventually get bored. I'd rather write something with a friend instead of learn something. If i'd have stuck to just doing covers i'd have got bored very quickly. I reckon most don't realise this.
Long story short - defo learn some covers, but also defo try writing some things and just enjoy making a fuck load of noise! That's the point of guitars really.
I find the concept of jamming with friends a bit difficult. I think you need that innate understanding of what notes go together and what works, you can learn the theory as i have tried but sit me down with others who are playing and i cant just join in. I'm 100% convinced there is musical ability that you have naturally or you dont. A good example of this is the ability to tune a guitar by ear. I try and can sometimes get it close (i always have to get the digital tuner out to check / finish), other people just pick up a guitar, strum a chord, tweek it, strum, tweek, strum, tweek strum and its perfect.
I find the concept of jamming with friends a bit difficult. I think you need that innate understanding of what notes go together and what works, you can learn the theory as i have tried but sit me down with others who are playing and i cant just join in. I'm 100% convinced there is musical ability that you have naturally or you dont. A good example of this is the ability to tune a guitar by ear. I try and can sometimes get it close (i always have to get the digital tuner out to check / finish), other people just pick up a guitar, strum a chord, tweek it, strum, tweek, strum, tweek strum and its perfect.
I don't think you need a theoretical understanding to jam or owt. I have very, very little theoretical understanding tbh. I don't know any scales or anything. I hit plenty of bum notes, but im just not bothered by that. You hit a bum note and it sounds really discordant, so you try another, realise it sounds in key, and just remember it. It's all trial and error really. It might be that jamming comes more naturally for some, but i've never played with anyone ever that doesn't know an out of key note. We can all tell if something is out of key or not. It just sounds *wrong*. Thing is just to not be arsed if you do hit a bum note, and then just try another one really. It's very easy to overthink. Maybe it's a left-brain/right-brain thing? Who knows. All i'm saying is that many people are told to just learn covers to get better, and while that's sound advice for many, it definitely won't work for everyone. It's worth trying different things.
For what its worth, I can't tune a guitar by ear either. Despite playing a guitar every day for ten years haha. I use a tuner.
Gareth Barry Conlon
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Sorry they aren't the greatest players, they are the best providers of the music you like and that's a world of difference. My guitar hero is Ritchie Blackmore who I think is a genius player on the basis that he was one of the best ever rock guitarists, if not the best, but for the last 20 years or so has been able to write and play renaissance music with Blackmore's Night. There's no way he could play what he's playing now without huge amounts of technique which came from his lessons as a kid.
John Williams has the skill and technique of a car driver like Lewis Hamilton. Jimi Hendrix (and many more like him) is the hoodie in the car banging up and down your street. The Hendrix driver will create lots of excitement and cheering, but it's not the expert driving of Hamilton.
I've no problem with either choice, but the expert players come from proper training as they do in all walks of life
I find Formula 1 incredibly boring to the point I haven't watched it in 20+ years. Its too clinical.
I quite like a classical guitar but I much prefer blues / Rock / pop style. Kieth Richards has to be one of the all time greats, he removes a string from his guitar - who would ever teach that?
I don't discount the value of lessons but they are not essential. You tube is a great resource.
I don't think you need a theoretical understanding to jam or owt. I have very, very little theoretical understanding tbh. I don't know any scales or anything. I hit plenty of bum notes, but im just not bothered by that. You hit a bum note and it sounds really discordant, so you try another, realise it sounds in key, and just remember it. It's all trial and error really. It might be that jamming comes more naturally for some, but i've never played with anyone ever that doesn't know an out of key note. We can all tell if something is out of key or not. It just sounds *wrong*. Thing is just to not be arsed if you do hit a bum note, and then just try another one really. It's very easy to overthink. Maybe it's a left-brain/right-brain thing? Who knows. All i'm saying is that many people are told to just learn covers to get better, and while that's sound advice for many, it definitely won't work for everyone. It's worth trying different things.
For what its worth, I can't tune a guitar by ear either. Despite playing a guitar every day for ten years haha. I use a tuner.
its known as the les dawson method
mancity2012_eamo
Well-Known Member
A lot of sound advice in here from people that are a lot better on guitar than me, I would guess.
I started very late in my forties, as a hobby. Something I had always had in my head to do but hadn't got around to.
I started from beginners books learning scales before chords, which is probably weird but really helped me, as you quickly get a feel for the full neck.
Where each note is in different places on each string. Very useful.
After six months I signed up for lessons, but was in a class of about eight others and being older than most, we never played anything I was interested in.
It was good to finally get me concentrating on changing chords, in synch with a group but I changed and found a one on one tutor and did it for two years or so.
A Spanish guy who was classically trained but into heavy metal. He was great and gave me structured exercises, which really brought me on.
At the end of the year he would get me involved with other students for some lessons and then we put a concert on in front of family and friends in a hired hall, where we all had to do our bit.
I muddled through "Blackbird" by The Beatles and it was a great experience to play through nerves and stage fright.
If I would add anything to what other better players have said here, I would say leave your guitar out in a prominent position where you will see it every day.
Do not hide it away in a bedroom. Pick it up every day even if it is for ten minutes. I did this for at least 5 years. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't play something before retiring each night to bed.
Learn TAB. IT's easy. It's pictorial not like learning music. You can then join Guitar TAB sites on the interweb and get whatever songs interest you.
It's more addictive when you are learning what you like to listen to.
I started very late in my forties, as a hobby. Something I had always had in my head to do but hadn't got around to.
I started from beginners books learning scales before chords, which is probably weird but really helped me, as you quickly get a feel for the full neck.
Where each note is in different places on each string. Very useful.
After six months I signed up for lessons, but was in a class of about eight others and being older than most, we never played anything I was interested in.
It was good to finally get me concentrating on changing chords, in synch with a group but I changed and found a one on one tutor and did it for two years or so.
A Spanish guy who was classically trained but into heavy metal. He was great and gave me structured exercises, which really brought me on.
At the end of the year he would get me involved with other students for some lessons and then we put a concert on in front of family and friends in a hired hall, where we all had to do our bit.
I muddled through "Blackbird" by The Beatles and it was a great experience to play through nerves and stage fright.
If I would add anything to what other better players have said here, I would say leave your guitar out in a prominent position where you will see it every day.
Do not hide it away in a bedroom. Pick it up every day even if it is for ten minutes. I did this for at least 5 years. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't play something before retiring each night to bed.
Learn TAB. IT's easy. It's pictorial not like learning music. You can then join Guitar TAB sites on the interweb and get whatever songs interest you.
It's more addictive when you are learning what you like to listen to.
I find Formula 1 incredibly boring to the point I haven't watched it in 20+ years. Its too clinical.
I quite like a classical guitar but I much prefer blues / Rock / pop style. Kieth Richards has to be one of the all time greats, he removes a string from his guitar - who would ever teach that?
I don't discount the value of lessons but they are not essential. You tube is a great resource.
I agree that lessons aren't essential as many players are self taught. The OP asked for advice on what to do as an absolute beginner and I said have a bit of fun but get lessons to give you the ability to choose from all the types of music to play. There will come a time when the OP decides on what style he wants and if its rock, then further lessons may not help and he'll move more towards getting the 'feel' of it all. If he chooses classical, then further lesson may be of great benefit.
I was only giving him / her my advice for what its worth. Amazing how these threads can get so giddy :)
A lot of sound advice in here from people that are a lot better on guitar than me, I would guess.
I started very late in my forties, as a hobby. Something I had always had in my head to do but hadn't got around to.
I started from beginners books learning scales before chords, which is probably weird but really helped me, as you quickly get a feel for the full neck.
Where each note is in different places on each string. Very useful.
After six months I signed up for lessons, but was in a class of about eight others and being older than most, we never played anything I was interested in.
It was good to finally get me concentrating on changing chords, in synch with a group but I changed and found a one on one tutor and did it for two years or so.
A Spanish guy who was classically trained but into heavy metal. He was great and gave me structured exercises, which really brought me on.
At the end of the year he would get me involved with other students for some lessons and then we put a concert on in front of family and friends in a hired hall, where we all had to do our bit.
I muddled through "Blackbird" by The Beatles and it was a great experience to play through nerves and stage fright.
If I would add anything to what other better players have said here, I would say leave your guitar out in a prominent position where you will see it every day.
Do not hide it away in a bedroom. Pick it up every day even if it is for ten minutes. I did this for at least 5 years. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't play something before retiring each night to bed.
Learn TAB. IT's easy. It's pictorial not like learning music. You can then join Guitar TAB sites on the interweb and get whatever songs interest you.
It's more addictive when you are learning what you like to listen to.
Great post
58 years old been trying to play for years but am making a determined effort to do so now . I picked a up a few riffs by playing one and two string stuff I figured if I could hear something I recognised then that would encourage me to learn more and have fun as well , looking to get lessons in the new year as want to learn properly but also want to have the confidence of knowing a little bit before going to a teacher . Maybe the wrong way of doing it but it seems to be working for me .