Guitar

[Jason1]

So my brother got a Acoustic guitar for christmas and started taking lessons. Ive been fooling aroud with it quite a bit latley, basically having him show me the same stuff he does (which is mostly Nirvana stuff, because thats what hes into at the moment) I cant really do any complete songs yet, but so far I know the basics of Smells like Teen Spirit, About a Girl, All Apologies, Stairway to Heaven, and Sweet Home Alabama. Im probably the best at About a Girl, seems like its very easy for me to do the basic chords on that one. Anywho, a lot of those nirvana songs are mostly power chords which I seem to have trouble with. Anyone play in here? Have any tips for someone who is learning, or know any easier songs to start out learning?

[Typhoid]

I play, not remotely good though.

But the tip would just be to do some simple slow song at first. Nirvana is a good choice because of the lack of chords in each song.

It'll get easier the more you do it, and your fingers will stop hurting. Thats all I can think to say.

[Acebot44]

No tips from me, just an observation.

It seems like every person I know (My brother, my friends Michael, Eric, Daniel, my friend Jessica's brother Warren, you, etc.) starts out learning guitar by playing Nirvana.

My bro left his guitar here when he went off to college, but I never took advantage of the opportunity to learn how to play. I'm lazy when it comes to playing instruments :)

[Dyne]

I didn't learn Nirvana, I started with Bob Dylan and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[Teuthida]

My sister just started learning with the Red Hot Chili Peppers too. I showed her Kaki King's Playing with Pink Noise video (http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2658058?htv=12) and now she's making some failed attempts at imitating that.

[Swan]

Bassist here so I can't really give any help with the guitar bits. But I hate the power chord. Very very annoying :(

[KillerGremlin]

Flea's stuff is harder.



Nirvana is easy to commit to memory, and pretty easy to play. A lot of my friends started with Blink 182 as well.

[MuGen]

Been playing for little over 4 years now, self taught. Basically how I learned was from looking at guitar tabs for songs I liked, then learning how to play the song. Then I'd slowly learn to play full songs and sooner or later the chords and finger movements etch into memory.

But what I would suggest is you begin with strumming, different types of strumming and picking up and down to get used to going from string to string without hitting the other. You don't have to start fast, just practice. Also practice simple chord progression such as Em to C to G. Once you get used to it you will be able to hit finger placement naturally and will be able to obtain smooth progression. Nirvana is a great song to learn power chords from and progression between power chords. But the way I learned was by learning how to place some of my favorite songs. And once you can play a lot of the songs you like smoothly, you'll rememorize finger placement and you'll be able to create something original using chords you've learned from other songs and sooner or later you'll be playing rather well.

Another note is getting used to octaves and scales. For example, a chord that is hard to play could be achieved on a different scale and easier finger placement. Right now all you really need to obtain is basic chord progression. If you can read guitar tabs, here's a bar you can probably practice too

E|-------------------3--------------2--------------
B|--1-------1-----------------------3--------------
G|--2--------------------------------2-------------
D|--2-------2---------------2-----------------------
A|-----------3-------2------2-----------------------
E|------------------- 3-----------------------------
(Note: Bottom E being the top string and Top E being the bottom string
... Low E and high E)

Just practice those chords for awhile... practice progression through those chords, and if you can do those easily through power chords will become cake.

[MrCoffee]

I didn't learn Nirvana, I started with Bob Dylan and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

me too, but the guy expected me to spend 5hours aday practising and I really wasnt enjoyin it all that much so I stopped playing and self taught myself...my tip is you gotta wanna play it alot to get good ;P

[Krypton]

when i first started playing the geetar, sweet home alabama was the very first song i learned.

seems like a pretty easy song for beginners, that and back in black.

[Canyarion]

I started playing half a year ago, but I have periods that I don't touch my guitar for months, and periods where I play every day. :p

[Bube]

If you want to play songs, download Guitar Pro. Learn all the basics of playing a guitar, then start using GP. It doesn't teach you how to play, but it's very easy to use. You can learn the techniques yourself by trying to play the songs.. Go to www.mysongbook.com and download whatever song you want to play.

I started a little more than a year ago, with an electric guitar. Started out playing solos, as chords seemed to complicated at the time. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the first solo I learned :D Then I thought I should learn chords, and it was easier than I thought it would be. I'd say I'm pretty good, still miss sometimes with my pinky though :p

Just keep playing, you'll see that you're getting better.

BTW, for anybody that's interested, Radiohead's There There is very very fun to play... :)

[MuGen]

If you want to play songs, download Guitar Pro. Learn all the basics of playing a guitar, then start using GP. It doesn't teach you how to play, but it's very easy to use. You can learn the techniques yourself by trying to play the songs.. Go to www.mysongbook.com and download whatever song you want to play.

I started a little more than a year ago, with an electric guitar. Started out playing solos, as chords seemed to complicated at the time. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the first solo I learned :D Then I thought I should learn chords, and it was easier than I thought it would be. I'd say I'm pretty good, still miss sometimes with my pinky though :p

Just keep playing, you'll see that you're getting better.

BTW, for anybody that's interested, Radiohead's There There is very very fun to play... :)

Well if you want him to learn the basics of playing a guitar it would be learning the chords and chord progression... Solo comes when you're used to strumming and picking and you've already almost mastered where all the strings are and you can pick without looking for the string.

But yeah solos are fun especially when you can nail them right along with the song.

[ZebraRampage]

I have a question for everyone who plays guitar. Do you read music, or do you just play by ear and reading guitar tabs? I'm not in high school anymore, but I knew a lot of people who played guitar, but they didn't really know how to read music, and that kind of bothered me. I also wondered if it would be easy for me to learn how to play guitar because I know how to read music very well, since I play three different types of sax, flute, and piano. I kind of wish that all of those guitarists who don't know how to read music really could, because it's just kind of sad that if you put a piece of sheet music infront of them they can't play, but I'm sorry if I offend anyone with that. Anyway, so umm..my question..it's up there somewhere.

Also, I know that there is more to guitar than just reading. It probably takes a lot of skill and mastering the instrument, but that's the same for every other instrument, mainly piano.

[Bube]

Well if you want him to learn the basics of playing a guitar it would be learning the chords and chord progression... Solo comes when you're used to strumming and picking and you've already almost mastered where all the strings are and you can pick without looking for the string.

But yeah solos are fun especially when you can nail them right along with the song.
By basics, I meant learning to read notes and how your fingers should be placed. I wasn't saying he should start playing solos, lol :) That's not a wise thing to do..

[Swan]

Yeah, in my experience alot of guitar players can't read music. The ones that can are usually the ones who have learnt other instruments such as the ones you have mentioned.


I myself wish I could read music.

[MuGen]

Well when I started to play guitar I couldn't read music, but I took theory class to help with that and now I can read music.

But with the guitar theres normally chord notes above the sheetmusic for guitar and the bars are for other instruments. It's just easier for so many to read tablature, I mean nowadays tabs are a form of sheetmusic if you think about it.

[Jason1]

Thanks everyone, im taking everything into consideration. Im currently learning Mary Janes Last Dance by Tom Petty. And that guitarpro program is pretty neat.

[jeepnut]

I started out with learning Collective Soul songs. Now I just kinda mess around on it every once in a while.