Bought my first guitar last night

[El Fangel]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Z8nxj8FVL._SL500_.jpg


Nothing special mind you, just something to learn on. Came with learner kit, but I think I am getting my buddy to show me how to play it.

I am pretty sure its badly out of tune, need a goddamn tuner and forgot to pick one up :(

I am terrible at it so far, but thats to be expected.

Who here besides obviously Penner, plays guitar? Any tips?

[CSL]

That dickhead The Mask, Kane Knight and I'm pretty sure Mitchablesanthropic play, definitely a few others also. I have had a pretty nice guitar for a good few years now. I still can barely play a single chord.

[Rammsteinmad]

I have nine. :cool:

Don't really have any 'tips' to be honest, but guitars are pretty easy to get the hang of, so you'll be playing away in no time.

[El Fangel]

Yeah, my only problem is I dont understand the music they are showing me in the book. beats, measures, whole, half and quarter notes.

Like it shows me how to play a chord, then dives into sheet music with no transition. I am like....ok....what...?

The music program at our school was all but useless as all we ever did was play the fucking african drums.

[Rammsteinmad]

I would say just learn from tabs, but if you want to learn proper music notation it may make it more difficult in the future. I learned guitar with tabs for five years before going onto sheet music, which made it extremely difficult.

However, tabs are fucking easy. If that's what you wanna do, then just go on 911tabs.com or ultimate-guitar.com and look for whatever song you want to learn. You shouldn't have any problems, unless you're looking for Dream Theater, or Dragonforce or something.

[El Fangel]

Yeah, DT or Dragonforce is a bit much at this point. Ill have a look at tabs, as I am told thats the easiest way to learn. Not good with the fingering yet though and my fingertips are fucking blistered haha.

[Rammsteinmad]

Don't rush into it. If this is your first experience with guitars, go easy for the first few days and give your fingers a chance to get use to it. :y:

[El Fangel]

I was rocking out, making alot of noise. Just had to do that :p

[El Fangel]

Oh and I have played bass before, just didnt get far with it.

[El Fangel]

Just as I expected it was terribly out of tune. Got it now and it sounds wonderful as I thought I may have been worse then I actually am.

[Kane Knight]

Learn some Judas Priest. Other than the solos, the songs tend to be fucking easy and have a decent riff or two.

Then work on the solos once you've got your chops.

[CSL]

I thought tabs were kind of 'cheating', like when I got my guitar I wanted to learn how to actually play guitar and not just play songs. Is this not the case?

[El Fangel]

Yeah, thats what I am worried about. Knowing how to play songs, not knowing how to play guitar.

[toxic rooster]

I only properly got into guitar a few months ago, mostly so girls would touch me. I think it pays to get a few lessons tbh when you're starting out, you can only teach yourself so much. Human contact is the stuff. and whenever you go to your friends' place, just grab their guitars and start picking

you can probably learn a few recognisable riffs pretty easy. things like Knocking on Heaven's Door, Time of Your Life, 3am are pretty easy to pick up, they just take a retarded amount of practice.

speaking of which, I learnt to leave my guitar next to the couch. now when I'm watching TV I'll naturally just grab it and start picking as I watch whatever.

[Razzamajazz]

hell's bells is an easy song to learn

[Kane Knight]

I thought tabs were kind of 'cheating', like when I got my guitar I wanted to learn how to actually play guitar and not just play songs. Is this not the case?

Even with proper lessons, you will likely learn through songs to some extent. Before they had me playing scales on trombone and piano, I was playing "Hot Cross Buns" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

Learning songs is learning music.

[Kane Knight]

Also, Hendrix learned to play by playing along to the stereo.

[OssMan]

I just try to learn a bunch of chords and see what sounds good together.

[jerichoholicninja]

Learn a couple of chords and then fuck around. Learn a song here and there. Unless you plan on becoming some sort of virtuoso there's really no wrong way to do it.

[Furious Beardsley]

learn the 12 chords and you can play damn near every song ever created.

Also 90's music is rather simple 4 chord stuff. Songs like Jumper, Closing Time, Glycerin, Save Tonight, etc.

Playing guitar is alot of fun, I enjoy it, me and Jimmy Cones do it together. We suck.

[El Fangel]

My cousin told me to learn the basic ones first, then work on the rest.

[Kane Knight]

My cousin told me to learn the basic ones first, then work on the rest.

What do you plan on playing, anyway?

Most rock can be done with barre chords (at most). Most metal can be done with power chords. These are really fucking easy to learn, since they're the same up and down the frets.

The problem is when you get into different voicings and the like. And you may not need that. If you want to play leads, scales are a must. A lot of shredding comes down to playing arpeggios really fast. Solos in Rock and Metal tend to involve blues scales or minor pentatonics, which are similar.\

If you do want to go all Dream Theater, you'll need to pick up a dozen or so theory books. :p

[Rammsteinmad]

If the first song Fallen Angel ever learns is a Dream Theater one, (and not one of the rare few which are pretty simple), then afterwards he should have no problems learning any other songs. :y:

[El Fangel]

Metallica, OLP, Black Sabbath, Guns N' Roses, Rammstein, Foo Fighters, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Hendrix, Megadeth, Slayer, Disturbed, In Flames. Those are the ones I wish to learn.

Iron Man will likely be the first, as my cousin will be able to help a lot.

[Rammsteinmad]

Rammstein are probably one of the easiest bands to learn. I learned their first three studio albums in a day, and most of it playing by ear.

[El Fangel]

Yeah, but I dont know how to play by ear for one and two I dont know to play at all.

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

I would suggest learning to read music. Once you have that down, it makes it easier to learn any other instrument you might choose to pick up in the future, as half of the initial battle is the learning to read notation.

Plus, only pussies learn tab. (except Rammsteinmad, because he is the man)

[Kane Knight]

Man, if Requiem or (I think) Mitchables reads that, you're going to have a spazz attack on your hands, El Vaq.

[The Mask]

http://www.igdb.co.uk/pages/techniques/images/power_chord1.jpg

go forth and rock

[El Fangel]

Wooo! Power Chord!

[The Mask]

srsly just spend about 2 months power chording it up and you can work on your strumming and picking technique, and it still sounds good.

also if you want to tune your guitar sans tuner

http://www.site-www.com/images/otherimages/guitar/StringNumbers.jpg

you can fret the 5th fret on every string except the 3rd (fret the 4th for that one) and tune up to that. like fret the 6th string and compare it to the 5th string open, and it should sound the same.

[The Mask]

and when you are done play the 6th and 1st string together and they should sound in tune with one another and you'll know you've tuned it prety much consistantly.

[Requiem]

Man, if Requiem or (I think) Mitchables reads that, you're going to have a spazz attack on your hands, El Vaq.

?????

[Requiem]

I suck at guitar. Have not really had much time recently to put effort into learning it, but I still pick it up and fuck around sometimes. I don't plan on ever 'quitting', but it's gonna be a while before I am any good at it.

[Purgatory]

I'd suggest Youtube for learning, as well.

[Purgatory]

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Not really a tutorial, but shows what possibilities there are.

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Definately awesome, plus he actually shows you a few things.

[El Fangel]

My fingers are hurting so bad right now :(

I got the intro to Iron Man down pat though, not like its anything difficult but I am pretty stoked at the moment.

[DaveWadding]

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[Rammsteinmad]

Never really been a fan of Michael Batio, but his picking is impossibly perfect.

Joe Satriani on the other hand... :cool:

[The Mask]

yeah over the hills and far away is a great song to learn hammer ons and pull offs. black sabbath solos are too :'(

[The Pope]

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[YOUR Hero]

I want to learn how to play guitar as well.

I was going to buy one from the pawn shop or something(an acoustic) does anyone have any suggestions?

[The Mask]

i have a simon & patrick acoustic guitar (a couple in fact), which is canadian. they are really good. i think they fall under the godin brand along with art & luther and some other stuff. the wood used in my guitar (cedar i think) is amazing.

[YOUR Hero]

send one to me, :heart:seriously, let's work something out!

[Sixx]

Congrats.

Too bad you'll be wasting it on playing Metallica songs.

[Furious Beardsley]

Seagulls are great.

They are Mid-level/Beginner guitars. Mine was about $400. Falls under the Godin brand as well. Canadian made, but most guitar centers carry them I believe. Check your local music store out too if you have any.

[Penner]

Nice guitar bro. I suggest learning major chords and minor chords and switching between them.

Learn songs like Nirvana, Blink, Green Day, easy stuff and learn from tab.

[El Fangel]

My cousin showed me how to tap, I think I am in love.

I am still horrible at playing and sound like I am strangling a cat but Im having fun.