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Crap title but I'm devoid of inspiration, well anyway, I know there are few guitar players on SYM. I thought we could share experiences and pitfalls what is good, what is bad. Best guitar you own, what you recommend for noobs and experienced alike.

Me, I've been playing since November and I'm bungling my way through Stairway to Heaven. Can play most simple songs but still need to work on my barre

now being the complete noob that I am, I just have to ask... what's a barre?

Originally posted by Vicsun
now being the complete noob that I am, I just have to ask... what's a barre?

Basically it is when you hold your finger over every string, so a barred F is E played with a barre over the first fret. That's about as far as I've got with barring myself. I'm sure someone else can explain it better than I.

I started playing guitar a while ago. I only played a couple of months and the guitar I was using was some old acoustic one that used to be my dads. But due to my small stature my hands were a bit too small for it so I quit. But now knowing that there are some SYMians who share the interest I'll pick it up again.

I taught myself how to play back when I was a teenager. In my opinion, the best guitar to start on is a steel string acoustic with medium gauge strings. The reason being is, one of the most important things you need to develop as a guitarist are callouses on your finger tips, and finger strength. Doing those barre chords becomes easier as you build up hand and finger stamina and strength. (yeah, that doesn't sound good I know, save the kittens! )

The action of the strings on an acoustic (i.e., the distance between the strings and the fretboard) are on average a little higher than they are on other kinds of guitars, which will help you develop greater strength in the hand you use to fret the strings with. I started on a horrible acoustic...it was a cheap instrument, but by the time I graduated to something better, I found myself the better for it. Playing a nice quality instrument really is akin to driving a Mercedes after you started out on a cheap-o guitar, which I liken to pushing a hippo up a hill. It may be hard as hell, but it makes you stronger.

All of this, and practice. Ted Nugent said play till your fingers bleed. Well...I came close to actually doing that several times, but I would advise you not to, as it makes fretting strings a wretched experience. Just practice, accept that you will sound like crap for a while, and try to squeeze something out of that instrument. Also keep in mind that you will never actually be truly satisfied with your own playing, which always sounds horrible to your own ears. When people stop complaining about the racket you make when you practice, and actually start listening, you'll know you're getting somewhere.

Lastly...want to learn how to play popular (or unpopular) songs? Buy guitar tablature books, a neat system developed that allows someone who doesn't know how to read music still learn to play like the pros. My favorite tablature book was a compendium of Iron Maiden tunes...I learned how to play the Trooper, Number of the Beast, Children of the Damned, and my personal favorite Iron Maiden instrumental, Genghis Khan.

From my own experiences playing with multiple people over the years, the best musicians I have ever played with were always the ones who would listen to just about anything that was available. Most of what I played when actually playing in front of people was rock, but it's amazing how the best rock players I ever played with were the ones who listened to everything; country, blues, jazz, anything that struck their interests. I think people who listen only to the style of music they play (as in Metal rules, all else sucks) severely limit their own playing. You can get fresh insights and inspiration from listening to something that you wouldn't normally listen to. Most of the ones who don't, they just wind up sounding ike 80% of everyone else out there.

I also encourage anyone who wants to learn to play to play with anyone and everyone you can find who is willing to play with you. You learn a lot more from actually playing with other people than you will ever pick up from books or videos. Your timing will improve, and you will likely find apporaches to the instrument that would never have occured to you.

Firstly, I prefer the term 'Nub'

I've been trying off and on for the past year, mostly under the desire to merely learn how to play an instrument (a wind instrument is next on my list). I caught on to the A, C, E and somewhat to F chords. My main issue, though, was moving my hand from chord to chord. something I failed to pick up on during the 3 months I tried initially. I've recently been thinking about trying it again, though.

Actually being able to switch chords was the toughest thing for me as well. It helped when I played with the finger positions for certain chords. The person who was showing me the A chord used a fingering that was hard for me to use effectively. It might help to experiment a little bit with various fingerings and see if any are more comfortable for you.

Also, don't try to play through chord changes at speed at first. Work at half speed or slower, just get the accuracy down first. as that develops, the speed will come second nature. If you try to move to quickly, your hand begins to pick up the mistakes as habit.Once you get the chords down, and get them to sound clearly while moving at a slower speed, your speed will jump in a very short time

Originally posted by Aegis
Firstly, I prefer the term 'Nub'

!!!!!!!!!!
I didnt know that anybody else used that term other then me and my friend.

I was interested in playing the guitar for a long time, but never knew what to buy. I didnt know what to look for. I guess i lost interest and picked up my tuba playing .

Woah, a guitar thread.

I'd just like to say that I almost cut my fingers trying to slide up a few frets on an electric just recently. Oh and also don't learn anything from internet tabs, actually try to learn to read sheet music if you ever have the chance. Trust me its very fulfilling. Or borrow from Chanaks advice and buy yourself a tabulature book.

If you want a decent guitar, you'd do well to view it as an investment. Anything under US$500 is going to break down sooner or later or worse, give out a really horrible sound. Invest in an expensive one and you'll never need to buy another one unless your really fussy.

@ Annatar
Try using an electric one day, the frets are smaller so its a lot easier to get your hands around them but you'll still be better off learning the acoustic. It'll be easier on the fingers.

@Sleep
So your making progress on Stairway to Heaven, very impressive. If you want to work on the barre's in a fun manner, learn to play that White Stripes song "Fell In Love With A Girl". Its incredibly simple but fun to play Its B, A, D, E and repeat and chorus is Fs, A, D, E, Fs and A. You can work out the timing, I think thats the whole song too.

Chanak, I'm learning on a Nilon string purely because I prefer the sound and I tend to play songs that are more attuned to it, I'm not a big rock fan so I prefer the softer sound.

I am however planning in the future to obtain a nice steel string guitar, I'm eying one up actually but haven't exactly got the cash to spare at the moment plus it seems to be a little decadent since I'll probably still spend all my time on the classical anyway, barring on a classical is difficult and mine has a very wide neck however it has made stairway to heaven and most pick based music a lot easier, since that is what I'm following more closely then I'll probably stick with it for a while.

I got a set of books called Basix which have been really good for learning basic notes and I have been using internet tablatures just to maintain my interest, although I'm thinking of picking up a proper book of classic 60's r&b.

I found switching chords quite easy after a while, what I did was play Am to C to E or Em just over and over again with different rythm strokes, then I moved from that to Am to C to E to Em to A to D7 to B7 to G to G7 and so on and so on, the hardest at the moment in transition to F but I'm working on it.

I really want to learn blues style but I'm not really in that league yet.

Originally posted by Tamerlane
...@ Annatar
Try using an electric one day, the frets are smaller so its a lot easier to get your hands around them but you'll still be better off learning the acoustic. It'll be easier on the fingers...

Thanks for the advice!

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
Chanak, I'm learning on a Nilon string purely because I prefer the sound and I tend to play songs that are more attuned to it, I'm not a big rock fan so I prefer the softer sound.

What? You're not a big rock fan? And you're trying to learn the guitar?

Perhaps you should take up the kazoo, or the congas.

I love the mellow, rich sound of a nylon-stringed Classical guitar. I had one for a while, back when I was in the Army. Careless roommates spelled the end of that instrument, though.

I would suggest obtaining a steel string acoustic at the first opportunity. This has nothing to do with some sort of inherent superiority of one over the other...I simply view it as a good training instrument. However, you might find yourself liking the acoustic as much as you like the Classical. You can execute some very haunting melodies on an acoustic. One thing you will discover on your way to calloused fingers and barre chord mastery are the harmonics present throughout the fretboard. While you can utilize string harmonics on a nylon string Classical, it can't compare to what you can achieve on steel strings. Tastefully done harmonic tricks can add a texture to chords that strumming or picking alone can't do.

I realize that you do not favor rock music, but I would urge you to explore all avenues available to you. What you are primarily looking for is technique and *feel*, and you can learn from any musician, regardless of the "style" of music they favor. In fact, the 1980's saw the rise of the heavy metal guitar hero, many of whom are stellar guitarists beyond compare...guitarists like Randy Rhoads (of Ozzy fame), Joe Satriani, David T. Chastain, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jake E. Lee (replacement for Rhoads)...the list goes on. Don't stop there. Other guitarists I would recommend looking into for inspriation:

Andy Summers (The Police, the chord king), Alex Lifeson (Rush), U2's guitarist (aaaah, I forget his name), Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler (The Dire Straits), Jimi Hendrix (required ), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Morse, Eric Johnson...

I wouldn't recommend looking into Jazz or Fusion guitar until you've been at it for a while. And what Tamerlane wrote about learning sheet music is indeed a good idea, and it's something I taught myself how to do eventually. It was tough, but it's worth the effort. To start off, though, I recommend sticking to tablature until you're more comfortable with the guitar. Most of the professionals raved about tablature when it came out, wishing it was around when they started out learning how to play.

One thing I wanna say about using Tab.

I use it, and it's a fast and easy way to pick up a song, but I wouldn't recommend people just starting out getting to caught up in it. I started playing when I was around 14-15, and didn't find any tab for the first 3-4 years. Even though I use it now for it's convenience and ease, I am glad that I didn't have access to it from the time I started playing. It lays out a song very effectivly (IF you manage to get an accurate version) but that's really about all it does do. If it's taken to the extreme, it will make you sound great on songs that you have learned, but leave you with no clue as to how to play in a simple informal jam session with freinds. I've seen it happen a lot, and I've seen it happen with people who learn to play by reading music. I know people who have been playing for years, one lady in particular at a church I used to go to. She would play the same songs night after night, but one night, someone asked her to play a song and she couldn't, because her songbook wasn't there. This was a song she had played at least 100 times.

IMO, tab and reading sheet music are great, but only if you have a basic understanding of your instrument before you really start to utilize them. To me, it's like learning to read one book at a time. You may memorize a couple books, but there will be a ton of others that you will have no clue how to interpret.

@ BS. I have a few tab books but try not to rely on them too much. However I also have plenty of books with empty sections so I can just doodle down little funky guitar licks.

Oh if your learning to play guitar, get together with a few other guitarists, doesn't matter what level they are at, it always makes the occasion an enjoyable one. Especially if your just playing instinctively. I have often played part in drawing out 3 minute songs into 15 to 20 minute ones simply because we were just having a blast being creative.

Originally posted by Chanak
What? You're not a big rock fan? And you're trying to learn the guitar?

Perhaps you should take up the kazoo, or the congas.

Indeed, I'm a strange boy sometimes I like some rock songs but it isn't my main musical choice. I already know how to play the kazoo, I'm the kazoo master!

I love the mellow, rich sound of a nylon-stringed Classical guitar. I had one for a while, back when I was in the Army. Careless roommates spelled the end of that instrument, though.

Shame, I'm quite precious about it, it is my first guitar, so it is treated with respect by all or they face consequences

I would suggest obtaining a steel string acoustic at the first opportunity.

Like I say it won't be for a good few months now but I'll probably put a deposit down on a nice one I've been eying up, what brand do you recommend?

I realize that you do not favor rock music, but I would urge you to explore all avenues available to you. What you are primarily looking for is technique and *feel*, and you can learn from any musician, regardless of the "style" of music they favor.

In this respect I haven't been too bad so far, it's been pretty eclectic, lots of different artists, I'll list some of them at some point.

I wouldn't recommend looking into Jazz or Fusion guitar until you've been at it for a while. And what Tamerlane wrote about learning sheet music is indeed a good idea, and it's something I taught myself how to do eventually. It was tough, but it's worth the effort. To start off, though, I recommend sticking to tablature until you're more comfortable with the guitar. Most of the professionals raved about tablature when it came out, wishing it was around when they started out learning how to play.

I have learned a modicum of sheet music, I used to play piano and cello you know but trying to remember the names of notes is my only real problem, so while I'm playing 1st to third to 5 fret on the first string I couldn't telly you what they were without having to think about it a bit, I believe it's F, G, A but then I had to think about that

What are the general opinions concerning singing along with tunes? I know it's worth it but are any of you any good at it?

Originally posted by Bloodstalker
IMO, tab and reading sheet music are great, but only if you have a basic understanding of your instrument before you really start to utilize them. To me, it's like learning to read one book at a time. You may memorize a couple books, but there will be a ton of others that you will have no clue how to interpret.

Wise words BS, at the moment I'm fortunate enough to be reasonabley diverse in my playing and haven't got lagged in a particular style.

I was gonna ask too, at what point did any of you lose interest, I know a couple of guitarists who say that after a while and you've finally got good then one loses interest in their instrument. Has this happened to you?

Tam, I intend to if possible.

I wish I could play the guitar. I used to play the alto saxphone, and wasn't too bad. I also played the electric organ for 10 years and was goo, but I hated practicing day in day out by myself. I was 13 when I quit.

Originally posted by Minerva
I wish I could play the guitar. I used to play the alto saxphone, and wasn't too bad. I also played the electric organ for 10 years and was goo, but I hated practicing day in day out by myself. I was 13 when I quit.

You can pick a guitar up pretty cheap and if you musically attuned which you seem to be, it should be pretty easy to pick up a few tunes and stuff. Give it a whirl.

What you mention is a problem I had with piano and cello and well anything really, after a while one loses interest and I guess that time will come for me too but I hope to be good by then

I played the alto-saxpone in my school's symphonic band (brass+woods+percussion band, otherwise known as wind orchestra) for 6 years. I had great time, and the band members, whom we've known each other since we were 12, are my best mates. I gave up because I know I did as hard as I could by the time I left school.