Desperately needing guitar learning methods - please help

[zabrak999]

Right,

so basically I'm going to practice the guitar for about 6 hours a day on weekdays (after work starting 6 PM until midnight), and all day on weekends. I would only take breaks when I deserve it (say I master a full Metallica or Zeppelin album, then I'll give myself a few days of leisure time).

However I'll need to have a set schedule to follow, if I want to properly practice the guitar for 6 hours a day throughout the weekdays on all day during the weekends....

...Which is where you guys come in. Can anybody here share me any websites or methods or whatever that you guys used, to learn how to play? H

Help would be FANTASTICALLY appreciated bros.

[Dazey]

Get some lessons with a proper teacher who knows what they're doing.

[The Sandman]

I hear Bumblefoot gives seminars.

[zabrak999]

~OH~ and can I have your completely honest opinion on what I eventually what my guitar to look like?

It'll be a gibson Les Paul, and I plan on getting a proper custom paint job, to have this done:

http://www.vintage-america.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Columbia_beer_399.jpg

That American flag shield applied to the guitar, with the gold outline, blood red stripes and all

People have boringly applied the american flag to it, but my idea will be different.

Think of America's coat of arms:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States_%28obverse%29.svg

or this Marshal Aid logo:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/US-MarshallPlanAid-Logo.svg

But it'd what you see in the first link above. I think it'd separate my guitar from the rest while still looking nice.

[GUNSNROSES513]

AC/DC songs are a great starting point.. Learn your strumming..

All i can say is don't take learning music too seriously. I play, when i want, for as long as i want. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes 5 minutes, some days 2 hours, some days acoustic, some days electric. I go to my friends, he has a board up on the wall he writes on... Monday Jazz, Tuesday-bla bla bla, Wednesday-learn this song, Thursday do this for a 2 hour minimum. Too much commitment for me. I'm self taught by the way, we're a musical family so it came easier to me and it might to other people. Play with people. that's my biggest mistake, i didn't play with people in high school, no i don't have the time. That's where you get real good at guitar..

i use tabs at ultimate-guitar.com... Try to use your ear for stuff too though.

[Gunner55]

AC/DC songs are a great starting point.. Learn your strumming..

All i can say is don't take learning music too seriously. I play, when i want, for as long as i want. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes 5 minutes, some days 2 hours, some days acoustic, some days electric. I go to my friends, he has a board up on the wall he writes on... Monday Jazz, Tuesday-bla bla bla, Wednesday-learn this song, Thursday do this for a 2 hour minimum. Too much commitment for me. I'm self taught by the way, we're a musical family so it came easier to me and it might to other people. Play with people. that's my biggest mistake, i didn't play with people in high school, no i don't have the time. That's where you get real good at guitar..

i use tabs at ultimate-guitar.com... Try to use your ear for stuff too though.

I'd say this.

I learned in junior high through music class where they made us all learn basic guitar. Lots of people weren't happy with that, but I was stoked. They taught us basic chords on an acoustic and how to read tablature. From there I got an electric for Christmas in 2005 and I kinda just taught myself from there. I Wouldn't consider myself to be great by any means, I can hold rhythm parts pretty well. I struggle with solos and shit so I don't really bother. I just play to have fun. Some friends play as well so sometimes we get together and just jam whatever for a bit.

Sometimes I'd love to take it further and play a show or something but I'm happy enough just messing around in my room on my spare time time. My wife and I are about to enter the market for a house. Maybe I'll have a spare room and I'll get a cheap drum set for it as well. Haha

[dalsh327]

Everyone does it at their own pace, I don't know if 6 hours a day is going to help, except in building callouses. I would just tackle the chords to songs to where you feel comfortable enough and enjoy playing it.

What guitar are you going to be practicing with?

[Johnny Drama]

Get some lessons with a proper teacher who knows what they're doing.

This. I've come a bloody long way in just over a year from doing this.

Maybe instead of worrying what a guitar looks like and saying automatically you want a Les Paul, you should probably learn what constitutes how playable a guitar is for you. Learn to know the difference between woods, pickups, ask whether the neck and action on a guitar suit you.

And don't practice 6 hours a day when you start unless you want to give up within three days. 30 minutes a day is more than enough for a beginner.

[Mysteron]

Right,

so basically I'm going to practice the guitar for about 6 hours a day on weekdays (after work starting 6 PM until midnight), and all day on weekends. I would only take breaks when I deserve it (say I master a full Metallica or Zeppelin album, then I'll give myself a few days of leisure time).

However I'll need to have a set schedule to follow, if I want to properly practice the guitar for 6 hours a day throughout the weekdays on all day during the weekends....

...Which is where you guys come in. Can anybody here share me any websites or methods or whatever that you guys used, to learn how to play? H

Help would be FANTASTICALLY appreciated bros.

Youtube?

I had a guitar teacher when I was younger, was awful. There appears to be lots of stuff on the internet, use that

I would also listen to lots of classical music, and the Beatles. Use your ears, learn about chord progressions and sounds. Current music shows advancements with beat music, but melodies have gone to an all time low. It makes Stock Aitken and Watermen look like geniii which is not good

[saber_]

Nice screen name, Zabrak. I'm probably the only one who gets it, haha.

As far as books, I recommend The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer. It's excellent. You can basically open it up to any page and study whatever you find.

As for stuff to practice, one thing that's odd but will help a lot is to only play with your ring and pinky fingers (again, as something to practice). Work on slides, bends, runs, trilling, hammer ons/offs, barring two strings with each finger, and basically mixing intervals together, linking those intervals together, shit like that- only playing with your 3rd and 4th fingers. Higher up the fretboard, you can play 5ths and minor 3rds and other stuff. Seems weird, but it will pay dividends when you go back to using all four fingers.

[Johnny Drama]

Nice screen name, Zabrak. I'm probably the only one who gets it, haha.

As far as books, I recommend The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer. It's excellent. You can basically open it up to any page and study whatever you find.

As for stuff to practice, one thing that's odd but will help a lot is to only play with your ring and pinky fingers (again, as something to practice). Work on slides, bends, runs, trilling, hammer ons/offs, barring two strings with each finger, and basically mixing intervals together, linking those intervals together, shit like that- only playing with your 3rd and 4th fingers. Higher up the fretboard, you can play 5ths and minor 3rds and other stuff. Seems weird, but it will pay dividends when you go back to using all four fingers.

I'm sure he totally knows what you mean when he wants to play 6 hours straight away and his biggest concern is what his guitar looks like.

[sweetness]

See a teacher for at least a few months to make sure you don't develop any shitty habits, this is very important. A lot of beginners neglect using their pinky and only want to use down strokes with a pick, I've even seen some kids go several weeks after picking up a guitar actually fretting with their fingers DIRECTLY ON THE FRETS. It's best to avoid having to re-learn these rudimentary things later on, plus it's just helpful to have somebody who knows what they're doing observe what you're doing and critique you. Then when you're comfortable you can get started on your own practice routine, I think you should stick with a teacher until you at least master the pentatonic scale, the minor and major scales, open chords, bar chords, and have a good understanding of modes. Then you can go off on your own.

Schedules are gay. Guitar is supposed to be fun. Don't make it like work, or else it will get boring and you'll probably stop playing before it ever starts being fun. instead; set goals and take your time achieving them. There's no rush, building finger dexterity will take time and repetition. Challenge yourself with new songs, riffs, solos, and keep it interesting. Drills are great for building up your fingers, but they get boring fast. Playing guitar isn't supposed to be boring.

All in all it depends what kind of guitar player you want to be. If you want to play classic rock covers at open mic night then learn the blues scale and a handful of 70's rock hits. If you want to be a virtuoso then have fun sitting on dildos and running through sweep drills with a metronome in your room for 12 hours a day while having absolutely no life whatsoever and getting exactly zero pussy. If you want to create fun and original music to play live and record with your friends, challenge yourself over and over again, listen to music outside of your "comfort zone", strive to create your own unique style, and don't be afraid to write a shit load of simple generic songs at first.

Have fun.

[Johnny Drama]

See a teacher for at least a few months to make sure you don't develop any shitty habits, this is very important. A lot of beginners neglect using their pinky and only want to use down strokes with a pick, I've even seen some kids go several weeks after picking up a guitar actually fretting with their fingers DIRECTLY ON THE FRETS. It's best to avoid having to re-learn these rudimentary things later on, plus it's just helpful to have somebody who knows what they're doing observe what you're doing and critique you. Then when you're comfortable you can get started on your own practice routine, I think you should stick with a teacher until you at least master the pentatonic scale, the minor and major scales, open chords, bar chords, and have a good understanding of modes. Then you can go off on your own.

Schedules are gay. Guitar is supposed to be fun. Don't make it like work, or else it will get boring and you'll probably stop playing before it ever starts being fun. instead; set goals and take your time achieving them. There's no rush, building finger dexterity will take time and repetition. Challenge yourself with new songs, riffs, solos, and keep it interesting. Drills are great for building up your fingers, but they get boring fast. Playing guitar isn't supposed to be boring.

All in all it depends what kind of guitar player you want to be. If you want to play classic rock covers at open mic night then learn the blues scale and a handful of 70's rock hits. If you want to be a virtuoso then have fun sitting on dildos and running through sweep drills with a metronome in your room for 12 hours a day while having absolutely no life whatsoever and getting exactly zero pussy. If you want to create fun and original music to play live and record with your friends, challenge yourself over and over again, listen to music outside of your "comfort zone", strive to create your own unique style, and don't be afraid to write a shit load of simple generic songs at first.

Have fun.

Thank you. Everything this man said. Learning alternative picking and making it a habit is key to not stifling progress later.

[Chewbacca]

If you want a Metallica song start with Hero Of The Day. It's easy.

[Johnny Drama]

If you want a Metallica song start with Hero Of The Day. It's easy.

Blackened is the way to start, Loadboy.

[Snake-Pit]

Step one: pick up a guitar

Step two: play

Step three: practise

[Johnny Drama]

Step one: pick up a guitar

Step two: play

Step three: practise

You attempt that last one much?

[Chewbacca]

If you want a Metallica song start with Hero Of The Day. It's easy.

Blackened is the way to start, Loadboy.

I wouldn't call it a begginer song, but...

[Johnny Drama]

.... you'd just spend the next 3 years learning only one song if you attempted it as your first?

[Snake-Pit]

Step one: pick up a guitar

Step two: play

Step three: practise

You attempt that last one much?

Of course!

[OmarBradley]

Nice screen name, Zabrak. I'm probably the only one who gets it, haha.

Count me in for that, 15 years of playing Star Wars PC games has given me an astute understanding of the galaxy.

On topic, Sweetness's post was basically perfect - and as the others have said, don't get too caught up in appearances. I was just like you when I started, wanted the Les Paul. What I didn't understand is that you have to earn it (or be well off enough to gamble $2k+ on a hobby you may or may not pursue). For now, play what feels good, not what looks good.

I'd recommend playing with other musicians, friends would be good. If you're in high school, form a band.

EDIT: Also, there's a musicians section for a reason! Do not be afraid to post there. I also notice a lot of musicians on here don't post there.

Edited April 24, 2014 by OmarBradley

[chevelle]

Just have fun with it and remember that no matter how hard you look, you'll never find that one 'secret' that will instantly make you a better player. It's just practice, analyzing what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong, and adjusting as necessary.

[foghat43]

If you decide to go the self-taught route, or if you need a good resource for those times between lessons by an instructor...this website has a lot of great stuff for free ("honor system")...

http://www.justinguitar.com/

[Chewbacca]

.... you'd just spend the next 3 years learning only one song if you attempted it as your first?

Course not. I just think you should start slowly from the begining. No reason to go all out on a heavy thrash song, especially from their most progressive album.