learning to play guitar?

i would really LOVE to learn to play the guitar. what would be the easiest way to go about this? my cousin is self taught and he can play extremely well. i already began to look at some guitar tabs and learning to read them, but it seems kind of difficult, even though most people say its easy.

i could have my cousin teach me how to play, but at this time i'm at college and won't ever see him, and in the summer time i will have a job and probably wont have a lot of time for him to teach me.

i just need an easy way of teaching myself.

 

What you can do if you have a good ear is to learn a couple of songs, then when you're more at ease, learn the scales, wich will help you improvise.

There is no real ''trick''... just practice, practice, practive, never give up... the more you play the better you are.

Good luck!

 

u should probably go to a music store and buy a "teach yourself guitar" book or something like that, thats how i started

and dont forget, PRACTICE!!!

 

i agree with the others, its best to pick up some books and practice often. guitar is hard to get the hang of and easy to lose so keep practicing even when you know what you're doing. its worth it, damn fun instrument.

 

take some lessons?

 

I am a guitar teacher. There are some people who can just pick it up and play it. some cant. if you have a musical backround in your family it will be easy. music runs in your blood.

why guitar tho? there are so many instrumnets. Try a cigar box guita, bass, violin, mandolin, drums, flute, ukalele (spell) hell id say learn to play the tuba. Im not saying dont learn the guitar, im just saying saok it all up.

-Rydns

 

yeah thats a good idea about just listening to songs with guitar and picking it up and gettin books.. i'll probably do that soon cause i'd really like to learn!!

and rydns: i do like all kinds of instruments.. i have taken piano lessons for years, and also have been interested in the drums.. but the guitar just stands out as something i'd love to do.

 

Well that's a little discouraging. I wish music ran in my blood.

I love to sing though and even though both of my parents seem to be tone deaf people have told me I have a good voice. But back on topic- I cannot seem to grasp guitar. I have a cheap acoustic and a teach yourself type of book. Its so painful for me to hold down the strings and my pinky usually can't even reach. I have small hands but then again so do Tegan & Sara and they play beautifully. I wish I could play .. then I could play and sing along to myself. *sigh*

 

i wish i could sing.. but i couldn't hold a tune if my life depended on it. lol

 

I do not mean to say that if no one in your family plays music then you dont have a chance.

Im saying if they do you have an advantage. Dont give up. there are plenty of finger streches you can do that will help you with reaching and strength.

You'd be better off taking lessons if there isnt a musical backround in your family. But then again everyone is different.

Stick with it. There is somwthing about the guitar.


-rydns

 

There is a decent program you can download from any P2P site
like Bit-torrent, bearshare, and kazaa. It is called Guitar Pro.
It has some very handy features like a speed trainer, Digital guitar tuner,
and you can still get songs for it in TAB form.

It's what I use to learn John Denver songs.
Yes, Song books are a GREAT idea too. You can start by playing the rythm part using chord charts, that are printed bar-by-bar!

 

I really wanna learn. Is 19 too old to start again?

 

It's never too late to learn and become a good guitarist if you put enought effort.

However, if you wanna have a musical career, you should have started earlier, or play all day long to catch up.

 

Yes it is better to learn when you're young(no job,kids=more free time),but I don't know about the career part..Cause most of these bands today just flat out suck...Just make sure you're good looking and know about 3 chords..lol

It's so sad these days..If you're good at playing,you suck,if you suck, you're good!

 

lol, i'm 18 and wanna start playing guitar.. so i guess its not too old!

 

seriously...whats happened to the music industry these days,

 

Yeah, it's true, most mainstream guitarists suck... but don't forget they're only the top of the iceberg (at least I hope so)...

 

It's never too late,you just have to keep at it.Practice,Practice,Practice!

Go to a music store like Guitar Center and just try out different instruments,see which one you like best.

My friend started out playing bass,but he didn't really have it with it,plus I was the bass player!Our band needed a drummer,so my dad taught him the beat to jumpin' jack flash and he just took off from that day.He's now a very good drummer.
^Just thought I'd throw that in there,cause some people catch on quicker with certain instruments.

 

When I First Learned to Play Guitar...I Started Off on a Classical Guitar...And Learned to Play Classical music...Such Sites can be Found with a Quick Google...

Classical music is Fairly Easy to Play...Just Involves Finger Picking mostly...And is Satisfying to Hear...

The Neck of the Classical Guitar has Wider Frets than an Accustic...So you will Learn to Stretch your Fingers That Way...And Also the Strings are All Nylon...So won't Cut up your Fingers as much as on a Steel Stringed Accustic...

When you Have mastered a few Songs...You will be Surprised at How Easier it is to Play on the Shorter Frets Acustic Guitar...After this Change...And your Fingers will Hopefully Have Developed Some Cuss for them Steel Strings...

Just Remember that you Position a Classical Guitar Differently When you Play it...Compared to a Accustic...And They are Extremely Light...Plus Cheap...

I Still Have my Original Classical Baby...Just Need to Replace a few Strings...Keep meaning to...Now I Think I will...

 

I didn't start til I was 19 and after a few years was gigging. Go to a music store and find a music book that focuses on the songs of an artist you like and try learning some of their songs.