Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge I'm musically skill-less, wanna fix that...

I'm gonna have lots of time soon so I've decided to learn a couple of things, Tae Kwon-Do (got that covered) and I've always wanted to learn to play the guitar, do you guys have good suggestions of software or anything like that decent and affordable enough to learn how to play the guitar? at least the basics so I know if it is for me or not...

Justin Sandercoe

Save yourself the hastle of carrying that big clumbsy case and messin up yur purdy finger tips and nails on a geetar. Start by gittin' yurself a nice Key of C harmonica and the book 'How To Play The Harmonica and Other Life Lessons'by Sam Barry (Daves brother). Nothing travels like a harmonica, it never intimidates, it fastinates young and old alike (and there's no strings attached). The book alone is worth the read - Not so much that the harmonica lessons are superior - The life lessons and the Barryesque humor (humour)are true to life as well as entertaining. My recommendation is Honher harmonicas - inexpensive and quality for the price. Start with a Marine Band in the Key of C. Before you know it you'll be collecting a nice variety of blues harps - all for far less than one of those Spanish banjos and no formal lessons unless you want to go that way. The internet is filled with tabular music, too. I blow and suck away hours just accompanying recorded music on radio and cds - even lying in bed and on long trips in the car. Sure, there are limitations, but, mobility alone out-weighs them.

http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitarlessonarchive.htm

http://www.guitarnoise.com/

A couple of sites I have visited for learning guitar.
Keeps me occupied for hours though.Playing becomes very addictive.

Thanks for the links and suggestions everyone! keep 'em coming

Guitar Hero.

join my guitar forum for all the help and links you need.
www.6stringheaven.com Here's me playing 45 by shinedown.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDjQfcHEB7I

Dan Smith's Guitar Page is a good site for beginners and intermediate players. He's got some good tabs of some popular songs.

Angel... I can't think of a better way to carry you through the changes you currently face than to explore your interest in music. Music is not just about making noise or sounds... it is working with resonance and frequencies which is the way all of existence presents itself. Not to get too abstract here but just saying that when it comes to music, there is more than meets the ear.

Barry talked about the harmonica. What an amazing instrument! I use it extensively in the music I produce. It is far more than adequate to fulfill the urge or need to produce sounds that make me feel good. And it is soooooo portable. Of course the idea of portability is relevant, ie guitars vs. pianos, but guitars are very friendly that way too.

As far as lessons go, it's pretty hard to beat youtube. There is PLENTY of help there for beginner guitar and harp... and well, I ran across a guy who is a bit of a harmonica guru with a vast number of lessons for the taking just because he cares... nothing else. What a cool and talented dude.

Just want you to know I admire and respect your interest in playing an instrument. Good for you man.... enjoy the ride!!!

Guitar lessons, or a friend willing to watch your hand positions and provide feedback, are great ways to start--literally just a few weeks so that you don't develop bad habits up-front. The feedback is crucial early on. Maybe you can even borrow a guitar from a friend for a short period to find out if playing is really for you.

You will learn most by experimenting and listening to or watching other players. Play along with other folks as soon as you know some basic chords and you will learn faster.

Don't be surprised that if you take to the guitar, other stringed instruments will also begin to appeal to you! It's very common and does not indicate you have a problem

Wow, thank you for all the feedback and suggestions! I've been talking with a friend who plays and he is kinda guiding me; maybe we'll be willing to give me a couple of basic lessons, I doubt he'll let me touch his precious guitars lol, will have to get my own.

It took a lot of work but I've finally become proficient in playing the stereo.

If ya want some guidance in buying that first guitar I'd be happy to help!

I'm interested in a solid strat, My friend suggested a Squire or similar... what would you suggest?

Squires are great guitars ,i just bought a semi hollow Telecaster to learn on,at a very resonable price .they have decent Strats, affinity series for less than $200 which get great reviews. http://www.squier-talk.com/ you,ll get all you need to know there. heres a few places ive been checking out to learn stuff including some tunes.
http://www.chordbook.com/index.php
http://bobsguitarlessons.yolasite.com/
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ good for tabs on tunes
http://www.justinguitar.com/ this guys lessons are cool.
http://www.roedyblack.com/Downloads.html downloadable chord poster with tons of chords and info for all level of players.
http://www.songsterr.com/

Hey ya Bill... is that First Act geeter acoustic or electric? And ummm, same question for the next one.

Also, how old is your grandson 'cause size might play a role in the next choice?

Those First Act guitars aren't all that bad. They started making guitars for kids, and now they have a "higher end" signature line of guitars. I bought on a whim their VE591, which has an internal preamp that gave a real warm tone, and allowed you to plug a set of headphone directly into the guitar for practice without an amp. I sold it recently, and kind of wish I hadn't.

As far as other budget electrics, the Squires mentioned above are pretty good values. A guitar instructor of mine would always recommend Ibanez for their high value/playability. Hope this helps!

Acoustic. He's eight, about 1.1 meters tall.

Yeah, I hear you Lance, the guitar's been pretty good, but it's starting to separate a little where the neck attaches to the body.
My other daughter has a Fender acoustic (don't know the model) that's pretty nice.

Passed by the local Guitar Center. Attached a Squire Affinity to an amp and messed with it... I had no idea what I was doing but it just felt good going back tomorrow to pick it up with a small amp. The guitar is 179 and the amp 99 plus whatever it cost to prep it, probably 30 bucks.

My 6yr old son just loved to hold an act just right for his size and was all excited as well... he starts violin on January but after today he might drop it for the guitar

After some serious though, I'm gonna go for an Acoustic, its more affordable and it's more mobile. After I become proficient I'll get a nice electric.

snows, did you get your acoustic? If so, congrats! If not, there are some very good ones out there for a pretty good price. If you need suggestions, just holler!

Get a cheap used Statacaster(sp) and a Neil Young song book. Hook it up to your sound system and rock.

This is gonna be a little long winded so hang in there… it’s worth it for anyone considering a new guitar.

When buying a guitar, make often has very little to do with it. Okay… Bill, you mentioned the guitar your grandson has currently is an acoustic; therefore I assume the next one will be acoustic too. If so there is one major thing to watch out for...

Is the guitar a solid top or plywood top? What does it matter? A solid top gets better with age. The wood will actually soften over time and produce better tone characteristics. A plywood top on the other hand will never change and will NOT sound near as good right from the start.

I totally recommend a solid top. The better the sound the more inspired the player.

Next, you need to check the guitar’s intonation. This is the guitars ability to be properly tuned. Many times a new (or used) guitar cannot be accurately tuned and if that’s the case, the thing sounds lousy and inspiration to play diminishes. I CAN’T stand an out of tune guitar. My ear just simply rejects what is an unacceptable sound. I won’t get into what intonation means… it’s a bit of a topic on it’s own but I refer you to info on intonation for a great write up on the topic.

Action is VERY important too. Action is the distance the strings are from the fretboard. The closer they are, the easier the guitar is to play. The easier to play the more likely the player will actually pick it up.

When I asked how old your grandson was that was because I wondered what the best size guitar might be. He is going to grow very fast so I recommend the Dreadnought (yes, this is a reference to size), the most common size there is. It will feel a bit awkward at first for the lad, but he will get used to it. It is also the fullest sound guitar out there (except for the jumbo) and is easy to find cases for. For a in-depth look at guitars and their available sizes refer to guitar size info.

Finally, choose the right strings. Stings come in different weights ranging from extra light to heavy. For a child I recommend strings in the extra light-light range. They are the easiest to grip and therefore make for easier playing. If the lad plays a lot consider a new set say, once a month. Fresh strings sound better which in turn inspires the player to play more.

As you noticed Bill, I haven’t mentioned any brands yet. I started out saying, brand or make has little to do with it. However, I will recommend Simon and Patrick, Norman, Seagull and Art & Luthier guitars. All made by a company called Godin, and all very good bang for the buck. Also Yamaha... amazing guitars for the money. Oh, and Parker makes a very good yet inexpensive guitar but there are many more which you will run into as you look around.

Finally (catch my breath here) there is a choice between steel string or nylon string. Nylon string guitars (usually smaller in size) are mostly used for classical and or flamenco playing styles. (Nylon are easier on tender fingers too). But if the lad is learning more generalized stuff then the light weight steel string guitar should work just fine. Generally, it is not recommended to put steel strings on a nylon string guitar. It is too much tension for the way the instrument was built.

I’ve seen too many people buy super cheap guitars for kids that never get played. The way I look at it, if they are given an instrument that doesn’t work properly, the child doesn’t have a chance.

Oh, there is one other thing. A new guitar should be checked by a luthier. This is NORMAL and completely within the realm of reason. Every guitar I own went to the shop before I started playing it. They ‘tweak’ or set up the instrument to make it as playable as possible. They can perfect the action, file the frets if needed (to take away buzz), correct intonation, adjust the tension on the neck and so on. Often this is provided free from the music store or costs around $30-$50 from an instrument technician. Something to consider if you want the guitar to be its very best.

Okay Bill… I’m done. I hope this helps you and anyone else who might read this.

PS. If you want an electric guitar, Gordie (Celt) provided some good links a few posts above this one. (done for SURE now)

I definitely second what mountainman has said, particularly his recommendation of the Godin family of acoustics. I have a Seagull S6+ and for around $300 US, it is one of the best buys in my opinion. Solid top, use of beautiful woods for the top, sides and back, and a wonderful tone from this guitar. The Seagull gets constant rave reviews for it value and sound. I have other acoustics, but always enjoy playing my Seagull!

I knew I was posting this in the right place I picked up a Fender solid top acoustic. Later on when I can actually play I'll upgrade. Right now I'm practicing the power chords... so much to learn. A friend also suggested to get this software called Guitar Pro 5... will see how I do by myself and all the links you guys have posted. If things don't go so well I'll pay for lessons or give that software a try.

Hey Angel, here's ya a little known fact....

Chuck Norris is so darn good at playin' the ge-tar that he makes Clapton sound like a friggin' beginner!!!

(...but I'll bet you probably already knew that, didn't ya ol' buddy?!)

snows, Fenders are nice guitars , and solid tops are the way to go - the sound gets better as the top ages. Have fun!

Pawn shops often have some great deals on used guitars.

I found a mint condition and like new old Fender bass in a hospital thrift shop. Paid $50 for it, with the original case. I know that's rare, but every now & then...

Guitars are a lot like motorcycles in that a large number of excellent condition low mileage used ones are out there for sale. My brother bought his son a used Gibson Les Paul for a song, as the boy was getting pretty good at guitar, and so he wanted him to have a decent instrument. He had his guitar teacher buddy do the setup for free. Nice guitar it is. Brother also scored a Martin acoustic (model D?) for free. It too was in excellent shape.

Remind me to talk to him about finding me an Alembic bass...

Lately I've had a hankerin' to learn Violin. It fits so many styles of music, and allows participation in melody, harmony, & rhythm. Easy to carry, (fits in a saddle bag - maybe?) and it might be possible to just plug into the house sound and not lug an amp? Hmmm...
Might even have to hook up with a Suzuki teacher.
I'll have to get my wife some really good ear plugs for the cat torture audio portion of the learning curve. Do they make 'em with frets? (ha ha)

Suzuki method...bah. Yer not gonna learn to fiddle that way.

"Guitar from Scratch" (www.skepticalguitarist.com) is a very user friendly series. Having "GAS" will soon take on a whole new meaning for you...

Get you a good Ibanez, say, an "RG" series, (not too expensive), and a "Line 6" Spider 120 amp (around $250), and learn the barr chord....Get some old mid '70s tracks of Boston, Styx, Journey, Scorpions,etc, and have at it..Works for me....Still don't know an "A" from a "G", but can play all of those with a simple Barr chord...A good one to start with is Scorpions "Still Loving You"...

Go with the blues. It's the best teacher of music you could ever do.

Man, I'm really enjoying this, I can't believe I waited so long to start playing. I've been learning from Justin's website, great stuff. I need to practice a lot to be able to move my fingers between chords smoothly. When I start taking my Karate lessons I might get as good as Norris-San.

Thanks Keith! I hear you man, I know some people think it is weird to name their bikes and instruments but I have named my guitar "Peace"
Thanks for the support it is really appreciated. Moving out in 2 weeks. New year, new life...