Guitarists

Skydome

What's invisible and smells like hay?
What is your playing style? Tabs are always a great place to start, but I would also spend time memorising open chord shapes (open being all chords played without barring the fretboard like the D chord Duckmeister displayed) so you don't need to reference a tab chart. Once you get these down pat, learn their barre chord equivalents so you can play Smells Like a Teen Spirit/Smoke on the Water etc!
Definitely get the guitartabs app if you have a tablet device thingy. It is my library of any tab/chord chart for any song, a remarkable resource!

Sorry if you have already done this and this information is useless! Good luck! I love the guitar.!

I have no idea what my playing style is as yet, as I have only really just started. I've mainly been beating the crap out of my guitars just to get the feel with navigating the fret board, picking etc, wasn't worrying about learning what they were or anything, just mainly getting the navigating and picking part of it done.

In terms of picking; I went from using picks and now just use my fingers for picking (Edge of them, so tips/finger nail area)

I'll have to check out that app.

I've done a bit of playing by sound, nothing too extreme though, just mainly beating a long the fret board and seeing what sounds I like/dislike etc.
 

Luco

Likes Dirt
I have no idea what my playing style is as yet, as I have only really just started. I've mainly been beating the crap out of my guitars just to get the feel with navigating the fret board, picking etc, wasn't worrying about learning what they were or anything, just mainly getting the navigating and picking part of it done.

In terms of picking; I went from using picks and now just use my fingers for picking (Edge of them, so tips/finger nail area)

I'll have to check out that app.

I've done a bit of playing by sound, nothing too extreme though, just mainly beating a long the fret board and seeing what sounds I like/dislike etc.
Im self taught and have now been playing for over 11years so my music theory is pretty basic, but what I have leant is never to give up. I've seen so many of my mates borrow my guitars in the hope of busting riffs out over night, but they tend to give up after a month because they can't get it to sound good. So if you really like the guitar don't stop playing! Play everyday so your fingers tips get hard and their dexterity better.

I guess your playing style depends of what music you like listening too. I started playing nirvana, silver chair, green day etc and that developed into blues, into rock, classic rock, metal and now I play a lot of acoustic. The beauty of the guitar is that it is so versatile and can cover a huge variety of music genres.

Good luck!
 

Skydome

What's invisible and smells like hay?
Personally, for me, as a beginner, it will be best to start off going down the way of rock, than going down the heavy metal/black metal area, so start off broad than narrow it down to a specific area I guess.
 

Jaredp

Likes Dirt
Playing guitar is worse than cycling in that you can easily get addicted to the gear and you lose your competency almost as fast as fitness levels.... You take a break and before you know it. Wham, you are a blundering noob.

Hahahahahahaha
 

Matt C

Likes Dirt
Playing guitar is worse than cycling in that you can easily get addicted to the gear and you lose your competency almost as fast as fitness levels.... You take a break and before you know it. Wham, you are a blundering noob.

Hahahahahahaha
So true. I've been playing on and off for 20 years and am at a point now where I wonder why I bother after leaving it for so long.
 
One of the best teachers of guitar is transcription. As in, the ability to hear something and be able to notate it. The other (easier) form of that is to hear something, then be able to play it.

Ask any guitar player worth their weight how to play blues (for example), they'll tell you to buy an Albert King record and learn to play it.

As convenient as tabs are, they won't develop much ability to further your playing. So along with learning tabs of your favourite songs, be sure to incorporate lots of 'playing by ear' in your practice time too. The time spent working out what chord is being played is invaluable.
When Steve Vai joined Frank Zappa's band he transcribed a number of tunes which became a book that can be purchased (though only second hand now). I believe he undertook this exercise for learning purposes.

The key to learning the guitar is to know what you want to achieve, workout how to achieve it, practice slowly with no errors and practice lots.

This is why a guitar teacher can be worth it.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Self taught for about 9 months. I play anything at all. My criteria is anything that sounds good on guitar that is just enough to challenge me. My progression was pretty fast until I hit bar chords and then I gave up for a month or 2. Decided to get a new guitar with low action and hey problemo fixed! Right now I'm just building dexterity in the right hand to improve strumming and finger picking combos but it's at the stage where I can at least play most chords in relatively fast combinations and apply basic strumming or finger picking patterns. I'm also looking at theory too because I find it limiting not knowing anything (can't transpose etc).

The problem with the whole guitar thing is is is absolutely crap for my back (which screws my riding). I tend to finish a ride and then smash a lot of food then slouch on the couch watching tv with guitar in hand and laptop by side (sheet music haha). It's great relaxation but my back doesn't like sitting for too long on a soft lazy couch.

As for what I am playing now - classical - yep you heard right. For some reason classical sound really nice to me on guitar. Started with a relatively easy canon in d and was like holy crap - I should stop playing modern music. Now in the process of mastering fur elise.
 
your back hurts coz you are practicing with poor posture.

The only way to be fluid in your playing is to relax, any tension any where in your body translates to awkward playing which can stuff up your timing or smoothness of your playing.

Head stock of the guitar needs to be high, the knee that the guitar is sitting on needs to be raised (I use the guitar case, not ideal but I'm a bit lazy sometimes). I am right handed (ie left hand is the fretting hand) and I actually practice with the guitar sitting on my left knee. this took the tension out of my right shoulder by lowering it and allows me play faster and smoother.

Don't practice continually in large blocks. 5- 10 mins then have 2mins off the guitar and repeat.

If you start noodling practice time is over.
 

Bryce88

Likes Dirt
books/apps/tips for absolute beginners?

Hi all,

I've recently bought an acoustic guitar and would obviously love to learn how to play it!

I am just wondering if there is any good book or app you would recommend for an absolute beginner? Currently I am using an app called Guitar Basics which is alright and it has helped me move my fingers around the fret board a bit quicker. I'm also trying to use yousician, however it isn't working very well.

Any other tips and inspiration would be great.
 

stirk

Burner
Love to say it, there is no substitute for an experienced teacher, one that breaths air, not an app.

Apps can't tell you that your technique is wrong.

Get a few lessons to start you on the right track.
 

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Love to say it, there is no substitute for an experienced teacher, one that breaths air, not an app.

Apps can't tell you that your technique is wrong.

Get a few lessons to start you on the right track.
This is the best advice you can get. No ifs, buts, or maybes.
 

Bryce88

Likes Dirt
Love to say it, there is no substitute for an experienced teacher, one that breaths air, not an app.

Apps can't tell you that your technique is wrong.

Get a few lessons to start you on the right track.
Cheers, I do understand what your saying. I do plan on sussing out some lessons via the local music shop, pending on time available I agree this would be most beneficial.

In the meanime my boss (who is actually an amazing guitarist) is constantly giving me pointers and showing me how to do things. The app/book idea was more to give me some guidance when I feel like practicing at home.
 

hazza6542

Eats Squid
www.ultimate-guitar.com is one of the better tab sites around for learning new songs once you get tabs down. I learned off my brother, then 3 or 4 lessons then everything by ear or tabs. Lessons are great to start you off, teach you things like how to play the guitar, not how to play songs on guitar. Very helpful.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Self taught for about a year (ableit very slack) and can comfotably do most chords bar a few of the slightly uncommon ones (Bb for example).

Question to you gurus is how does one learn to play tabs? I can read them and I can play them, but stringing together a few is the hard part. I never know what shapes to make to make transitions easier. The only way is if someone shows me on youtube.

For example, learn the first bit of stairway to heaven - tried to do it through just reading tabs and was liek wtf. and then looked up a youtube tutorial and it taught you the shapes. How do I know what finger shapes to use?
 

Luco

Likes Dirt
Self taught for about a year (ableit very slack) and can comfotably do most chords bar a few of the slightly uncommon ones (Bb for example).

Question to you gurus is how does one learn to play tabs? I can read them and I can play them, but stringing together a few is the hard part. I never know what shapes to make to make transitions easier. The only way is if someone shows me on youtube.

For example, learn the first bit of stairway to heaven - tried to do it through just reading tabs and was liek wtf. and then looked up a youtube tutorial and it taught you the shapes. How do I know what finger shapes to use?
For Bb I barre with my fore finger and then pick up the rest of the chord with my ring finger, slightly releasing it to open up the top E string...

I had trouble trying to answer your question around reading tabs and knowing which finger shape to use. I'll try and answer it in my laments terms as my music theory is poor. So, I picked up my acoustic and started to play the intro to stairway to heaven to think about your issue. Ummm I guess experience will help you learn and recognise shapes quicker, as tabs are, as you know, a language in themselves. I found myself barring all chords in the intro until I got to the F chord, which was open. So instead of trying to individually finger each note of the tab, I look for notes that don't change position throughout the song and realise that they can be barred which saves time.

If you see a G, C, E, D or typically any common open chord in tab form, I'd imagine you could recognise it straight away? (Seeing 23200x will give away a D chord etc) Take Greenday's Time of Your Life for example. We know the chords are G, C and D for the verse and can quickly play them from a chord chart. If however, you went to look at the tab chart to get a better idea on how they really play the song, you'd quickly recognise those chord shapes in the numbers on the tab, even know they are displayed as individual notes which you might think to finger individually. But if you keep the chord shape for each appregio, it makes the changes seemless.

So going back to Stairway to Heaven, the tabs are essentially spelling out 4-5 different chords, albeit more complex than Greenday, but can be easily played when you recognise that they are a barre chord with some extra notes added in.

I hope this helps. I'm in no way a musician, just another self-taught guitarist.
 

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Tabs are a really contentious issue among guitarists. In short, they don't give you any musical information, so on their own, at best they're just an indication of how a tune goes. If you cant read a tab and nut out what chord shapes are being implied, it simply means you need to do more work on your chord vocabulary.
There are many ways to increase that vocabulary, be it a theory book, a teacher, videos, chord charts, the real book, etc etc. Which ever method you choose, just be thorough. Its a long process.
you should work towards being able to play any chord in 5 different positions/inversions. For example, you know open C and C barred on the 5th string 3rd fret. Theres 2. Learn 3 more. Do that with major, mining and their 7th counterparts. You'll see patterns emerging quickly, and it will soon seem far less daunting than you initially think.
As your vocabulary builds, you'll begin to read tabs far more easily, and likely you'll even discover more efficient ways to play the song youte learning - most tabs are written by some random bedroom guitarist anyway! Good luck!
 
Tabs are great if you want to play Kum-by-ya and you already know how it goes.

There is so much information missing from tab you really know the song first to be able to play it correctly.

Stirk is correct, get a teacher, a proper one that is interested in your long term playing.

I'll guarantee for all you self taught players on here there are a myriad of less than optimal techniques in your playing style that will ultimately hold you back. I'm experiencing this myself.

Ditch the tab, get a teacher, learn music. It's tough at first, but the rewards are immense. You have an advantage over people that have been playing for a while, you have no bad habits.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Stirk is correct, get a teacher, a proper one that is interested in your long term playing.
But that will eat into my mtb budget :(.

Maybe I might get a teacher for a few pointers. It depends what your goals are for guitar though. For me the whole point of it was to have something to work towards myself - I actually picked it up when I got bored recovering from a crash haha. If I have to commit more than once a week on it, I'd rather spend the time cleaning my bike or better yet riding it! I do know what you all mean though, some of the early mistakes took a while to even find let alone weed out. I'm sure there are a lot. Wish I did this as a kid - but was also too busy riding back then too.
 
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