Guitar Lessons

Flying Cement · Post by **Flying Cement** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:47 am

My brother received a guitar for his birthday this year, but since he didn't have enough time to play it, I *borrowed* it from him. I've been trying to teach myself through tabs since September. I'm not very good. I can play the intro to Dust In The Wind, Motorcycle Driveby, and the accoustic version of Everlong. But that's all I have to say for myself after four months. I am starting a new job in January and would be able to affor lessons. Do you think I should take a few lessons to learn some basics, go all out with the lessons, or would I be okay without them. Thanks in advance.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:25 am

Tabs are very seductive, in that they offer you instant music. When I was starting out it was all chord charts for quick fixes. Unfortunately, I played/taught myself for about 10 years before attempting to take lessons to "really" learn how to play (finger-picking, classical, jazz progressions, all the stuff you don't think about when you're a kid starting out). I learned that I had developed so many bad habits I literally had to start over from scratch.

I would recommend starting out with proper lessons from the beginning. You won't get the instant gratification of playing what you thought you wanted to play, but whole new universes of music are there to open up to you if you already have the basic skills and understanding down pat.

Feck, I sound old.

djm

gonzo914 · Post by **gonzo914** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:27 am

You should learn Smoke on the Water. It's required. I think there's a law somewhere that requires you to learn this.

Then, when you are playing Smoke on the Water, and your spouse/significant other/parental unit/smokin'hot neighbor/best friend's sister says "Don't you know anything else?" you can say "Pretty good, huh? and I haven't had a single lesson."

Then, and only then, should you start lessons.

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:50 am

gonzo914 wrote:You should learn Smoke on the Water. It's required. I think there's a law somewhere that requires you to learn this.

Then, when you are playing Smoke on the Water, and your spouse/significant other/parental unit/smokin'hot neighbor/best friend's sister says "Don't you know anything else?" you can say "Pretty good, huh? and I haven't had a single lesson."

Then, and only then, should you start lessons.

But seriously, didja know that Ritchie Blackmore is a good Celtic guitarist, too? Check out his version of Unquiet Grave on Youtube and you'll see what I'm talking about.

P.S.: No Stairway!

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:54 am

Get lessons. They make life so much easier at the start and you'll progress a lot faster than you would without them. I had lessons for a year when I started on the guitar and it gave me a good solid grounding of chords, scales and general theory (as well as technique) for me to carry on myself for the last 11 years.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:58 am

And "House of the Rising Sun".
When the Germans did their record breaking event with the greatest number of guitarists, they were playing "House of the Rising Sun".

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:09 am

BrassBlower wrote:P.S.: No Stairway!

Subversive twaddle!

djm

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:17 am

Lessons are a good idea. (I don't just say that because I used to be a guitar teacher.)

If you are clear about what style you want to play, get a good teacher of that style. If you just want to play guitar well and have the technique and understanding to play different styles and teach yourself later, learn from someone who teaches you a bit of music theory and how that manifests itself on the fretboard. I mean you should learn about chords, positions and scales. But not in the abstract. Learn chords and scales and then songs that employ those chords and scales.

The guitar is a very logical instrument and much of what you learn can be used over and over again. Learn to play a blues using barre chards and learn which notes sound good to play against those chords and you can transpose this knowlege up and down the fretboard to play blues in any key. Unlike piano, you don't have to learn to play twelve different fingerings for major scales. A fingering learnt for one will do for all.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:44 am

BrassBlower wrote: P.S.: No Stairway!

Denied!

Flying Cement · Post by **Flying Cement** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:22 am

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to get a few lessons in January to learn some of the fundamentals and go from there. If I am still struggling, I'll take some more lessons.

missy · Post by **missy** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:23 am

Flying Cement wrote:Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to get a few lessons in January to learn some of the fundamentals and go from there. If I am still struggling, I'll take some more lessons.

Nah - if you are still struggling, switch to a mountain dulcimer!! Much easier to play!

KateG · Post by **KateG** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:11 pm

Definately the dulcimer...much easier on your fingertips. Plus, you get to be the center of attention 'cause nobody has a clue what a mountain dulcimer is. And yes, you can play "Stairway to Heaven" on a dulcimer.

Chiffed · Post by **Chiffed** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:44 pm

Innocent Bystander wrote:And "House of the Rising Sun".
When the Germans did their record breaking event with the greatest number of guitarists, they were playing "House of the Rising Sun".

Wasn't that record broken by a gaggle of Canadians doing "Takin' Care of Business"?

A couple lessons early is better than unlearning stuff later. Give yourself the gift.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:11 pm

KateG wrote:Definately the dulcimer...much easier on your fingertips. Plus, you get to be the center of attention 'cause nobody has a clue what a mountain dulcimer is. And yes, you can play "Stairway to Heaven" on a dulcimer.

Well YOU might be able to play "Stairway to Heaven" on a Mountain Dulcimer...

...Whatever I play seems to turn into "Oh No John, No, John, No, John, no." (Or "Flowers of the Forest".)

(But I might get mine out and try it...)

missy · Post by **missy** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:31 pm

You can play anything on a mountain dulcimer, it just depends on the dulcimer and it's tuning.

In fact, if someone says you can't play that on a dulcimer, Tom and I will find a way to do it!