Learning To Play Guitar

Discussion in 'Blazers OT Forum' started by ABM, Dec 24, 2010.

  1. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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  2. Charcoal Filtered

    Charcoal Filtered Writing Team

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    The Borders by Pioneer Place is going out of business. They had some learning guitar stuff when I went a couple of weeks ago.

    Not musically inclined and tried picking up guitar in the pre-season. Found it takes alot of time that I do not have.
     
  3. RR7

    RR7 Well-Known Member

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    If you're doing it to pick up girls ABM, just carry the case around with you. No need to ever actually play the thing.
     
  4. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Take a few lessons in person first. You know RubberToe is a damn good guitar player and would teach you.
     
  5. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    I taught myself to play about 30 years ago and I still play.

    I bought a book of chords and taught myself to play my first chord. Then I listened to a record/CD to a song I wanted to learn, and every time that chord came up in the song, I played along with the record. After a while I learned a second chord and played that along with the record. Then I learned to change my fingering between the two chords and played both along with the record.

    After a while, it became real obvious that most songs are made up of just a few simple chords and it became really easy to learn those songs. A song might have E-A-D chords in it. Or C-G-D. And so on.

    It really helped me along to have someone who was pretty good at guitar to play along with and watch what he was doing with his hands. I picked up tricks like hammer on/pull off that way.

    If you want to get good, you have to practice until you get blisters on your fingers. Those blisters turn into calluses which makes it so it doesn't hurt your fingers to play.

    Unfortunately, I'm getting up in years and my fingers don't move like they used to :(
     
  6. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    And for the last 30 years Denny has been "that guy" who when he drinks too much at a party gets out the guitar and plays Smoke on the Water over and over and over.
     
  7. MrJayremmie

    MrJayremmie Well-Known Member

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    My suggestion is get the cheapest guitar that is in good shape. I spent a couple years with a beat up guitar from my friend, and bought it from him for about 30$. I learned everything on that. A couple years later I went out and got a Taylor which I love (acoustic).

    And make sure to learn on an acoustic, not an electric. Have your fingers build strength on the acoustic.

    Good luck! Guitar is great. I knew piano a while ago, then kinda forgot and picked up guitar. Now I'm relearning piano. It is much easier this time around.

    And I taught myself as well. Everything you need is online. Once you understand chords and all that, try playing simple songs. Learning songs not only helps you learn better, but makes it fun as well.
     
  8. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    My experience was that guitar was easier to learn, but piano is easier to master. Bass guitar is really easy once you know guitar.
     
  9. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Go to a few guitar stores and hold and strum some guitars. Have their salespeople guide you. Then find the brands and shape (concert, drednaught, jumbo, etc.) you like and search for them on Craigslist. Playing on a guitar that isn't comfortable for you isn't much fun.

    You can buy a book if you want, but with the internet and a printer, there's no reason to do so.

    I've been playing since I was five and I play at least 15 minutes a day and most days over an hour. After all that playing, I still learn new things almost every day. Good luck!
     
  10. Further

    Further Guy

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    I started to learn guitar years ago and things were going well, then I moved and left my guitar in Portland and never really picked it back up, even though I have my Taylor 310 back again. One of the things I am excited about regarding buying a house is that I can pick up guitar again without worring about apartment neighbors.

    When I was learning a while back, several things really helped. First I got a chord book and a guitar theory book. After a couple months strengthing my fingers and learning how to comfortably switch between a the most important chords, I took 2 lessons. Those lessons really helped me. If I take it back up, I would love to take another half dozen lessons. It is really amazing how much a live teacher can show you that a book can't.

    Good luck!
     
  11. Nate4Prez

    Nate4Prez . . . .

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    [video=youtube;exE5kuyNo7E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exE5kuyNo7E&feature=fvw[/video]
     
  12. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    Why not just buy a cheap keyboard to drag along with you.

    Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, buy an accordion and join a hot Oompah band. There's a way to pick up chicks your age. Some of them might even still have their own teeth.
     
  13. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    No pun intended, but that's some sound advice. Thanks for that.
     
  14. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    Next time you start whining to me about the "childish posts on this board", I'm gonna steer you back towards these remarks. :lol:
     
  15. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    Anyone know about the quality of Protocol acoustic guitars? I'm interested in a 38" one.

    Protocol.jpg
    2.jpg
    3.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2010
  16. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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  17. DaRizzle

    DaRizzle BLAKER

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    Ok....I cant resist posting in this thread...Ive been playing for 20 years.

    Do you want acoustic or electric?

    Acoustic guitars have thicker strings than electric guitars. This makes it it slightly harder to push the strings down. The action on a acoustic guitar is also higher than an electric. Action refers to the distance between the string and the fretboard. Higher action= need more pressure and precision to play well.

    Acoustic guitars will be good for a beginner because it gives your hand a workout and promotes good technique...on the other hand electric guitars are easier to play for beginners so you will probably have a little more fun off the bat....your call...I went electric :P

    In my experience trying to learn guitar by sheet music is a bitch. You can play the same note at the same octive in multiple places, so not only do you have to read the music correct you also have your left hand in the correct postion. The solution is TABLITURE (aka: The poor man's way of learning guitar) . IMO its the way to go.
    http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/lessons/the-basics/how-to-read-guitar-tab/

    As for buying a cheap used guitar....if you dont know how to inspect a guitar you can get one with high action or just warped in general.
     
  18. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    Truth hurts, eh bro?
     
  19. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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    Actually, no.

    Meaning, I've never really had any problems utilizing my own, unique methods in the art of "picking up chicks." And, for heaven's sake, I've never relegated myself to defer to you in such matters. :lol:
     
  20. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    I talked to RubberToe, email him. He'll hook you up.
     

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