How hard is it to learn the guitar?

TriggerHappy

TriggerHappy

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I've been thinking for a while now I'd like to be able to play a little more guitar. I tried when I was maybe 10-12 and wasn't very good but I just had a couple of lessons of a friend who taught themselves how to play. I fancy giving it another shot and was just wondering how hard it would be to teach myself? Obviously there's lots of tab sites out there and I'll remember how to read that pretty quickly as that was never a problem before. I've still got my old electric guitar and amp but it's acoustic I'd much rather learn so I may have to pinch my dad's as he never uses it anymore.

Could anyone point me to a few places that would be good for learning the basic chords and scales? Perhaps there's someone on youtube who does step-by-step tutorials that you could recommend?
 
YouTube can be a valuable source of information. Just search for guitar lessons or something. I wouldn't necessarily say that finding a site full of tab is the way to go.

When I started playing, tab hadn't even been invented. I learned the time-honoured way - by playing along to records, sometimes armed with a songbook (for the chord boxes) and sometimes not. The aim is not only to get the right chords, but to listen to how those chords were played... Doing that, rather than trying to copy the tab parrot fashion, is going to enable you to develop your own style quicker. It'll also help you to 'learn' the fretboard and how the notes co-relate...

The other thing - learn the value of surgical spirit... It works wonders when it comes to getting rid of blisters!
 
Depends on how far you want to take it, as a rule of thumb learn the open chords down the bottom of the neck whilst learning the bottom two strings (the fat ones) note positions. remember not to push down on the strings too hard when fingering chords or playing single notes, just enough to stop them from buzzing on the frets. Top tip chord boxes only show the shape of the chord how you play it is up to you, for instance the open A chord can be played with 1,2 or 3 fingers.
Get yourself a good tutor, I have been playing since i was nine but didnt take lessons until i was 26 i learnt so much from the two tutors i had, best thing i ever did. :thumbs:
 
Can't be too hard, look at all the people who play it, many are not even that clever :)

Kidding aside, I got frustrated the 3 times I tried to learn to ply, after a few weeks I wasn't nearly as good as I was at piano (I play in a band so reasonably proficient) so got bored and stopped. That's just me being impatient thought and having too many other things on the go.

I would check out the youtube thing, but in honesty, unless you are really dedictated having someone to teach you will help as you have something to aim for each week, just depends on your character.
 
How hard is it?

Well if you are like me you practice and practice and practice and you are still rubbish and can't hold a tune

If you are like my son you idly pick up an old guitar that's sitting in the cupboard and within a month with no lessons you filling the house with extremely tuneful playing. Grrr!

I'd say play stuff you really enjoy, rather than going through a set programme of lessons. Getting together with mates who also play or are learning is good to keep motivated and pick up tips. Maybe have one or two lessons just to get started with good technique and help with tuning.
 
I bought a guitar aged 22 or so - went to a Sleeper gig with Rialto supporting, was with two (girl)friends who got invited backstage by one of Rialto. I blagged my way backstage after too, and thought WOW, picking up girls is so easy, so went and bought a guitar.

I struggled, no way was I going to play solo, and while some chords were ok could never get B sorted out! I would suggest having lessons with a tutor as learning by yourslef can be demoralising and get you into bad habits.
 
It is hard to learn guitar and takes time and dpersistence to get to a reasonable standard of playing. At first it seems very difficult until your fingertips stop hurting. You have to really want to do it. The reward comes a year or two after starting to learn.

www.justinguitar.com is the most comprehensive teaching site that I know of.

I think it's one of the most satisfying pastimes there are.:)
 
I have a 20 year old Les Paul which I bought new and still can't play properly...... while my eldest can give Satriani a run:shrug:

And was playing lead in a band of 30 somethings at 16 - two years after picking the bloody thing up!

He did drive us mad, however, with literally hours of practice!
 
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You're only going to be limited by your own lack of desire.

Playing the guitar (like photography), is not a black art that only a few exceptional people can master....if you want to learn to play guitar then you will!

Here's a few tips..

Don't keep your guitar in a case under your bed.
Get yourself a guitar hanger for the wall...you'll be more inclined to reach for it and play.
Don't make practice sessions an occasion.

Get a decent tuner.
Make sure you check the tuning before you practice. You may be playing the right chords, the right way, but if one of the strings is out you will get disheartened.

Choose an acoustic guitar with a nice action.
Or get it set up to play easily.
If you have to fight to push the strings down to the fretboard, you're going to find it all a lot harder than it really is.

Tap your foot!
It's no good playing well if your timing is out.
If you're going to start off by learning chords, try strumming in time with down strokes only.
 
Catdaddy said:
YouTube can be a valuable source of information. Just search for guitar lessons or something. I wouldn't necessarily say that finding a site full of tab is the way to go.

When I started playing, tab hadn't even been invented. I learned the time-honoured way - by playing along to records, sometimes armed with a songbook (for the chord boxes) and sometimes not. The aim is not only to get the right chords, but to listen to how those chords were played... Doing that, rather than trying to copy the tab parrot fashion, is going to enable you to develop your own style quicker. It'll also help you to 'learn' the fretboard and how the notes co-relate...

The other thing - learn the value of surgical spirit... It works wonders when it comes to getting rid of blisters!
Click to expand...


+ 1 Good call.

I did exactly that but with two other people we found it easier to learn together.
Later we formed a band..
 
Some good tips here. You will only get out, what you put in :) Enjoy!
 
It was Bass I always wanted to play but because the mrs had an acoustic guitar I tried learning that first. I don't find the theory and the nust and bolts so hard as I do the actual physical handling of the instrument. I have long fingers but small palms, and have never really found a guitar I can play comfortably. (I always marvel at BB king - have you seen his hands??). It's very annoying that I know a song, I know the chords the timing etc but I keep getting caught out by part muted strings!

I'vw now gotten rid of my strat and only have Basses.
 
I taught myself (on a cheap electric, much easier on the fingers :thumbs:) with the aid of the "Tune a day for guitar" book. Once I had the basics (I could already read music and played clarinet and brass in the school orchestra) I bought a chord book and rather than ploughing through that I looked up the chords of my favourite tunes of the time (not easy in the pre interweb days).
You can get to a basic standard quite quickly (Status Quo/boyband level) but making further progress takes practice.

You can find the chords and tabs for just about any song on the Ultimate Guitar site.

And play through the pain barrier. Your fingertips will stop hurting :)
 
I have a guitar in the hallway.. its been there months.. thougth I would give it a go.. but never have the time... A comment furthur up makes me wonder.. I ahve athritis in all my finger joints but it doesnt trouble me because I know my limitations and stick to them... Have a feeling this would pass those limitations? :(
 
TriggerHappy said:
I've been thinking for a while now I'd like to be able to play a little more guitar. I tried when I was maybe 10-12 and wasn't very good but I just had a couple of lessons of a friend who taught themselves how to play. I fancy giving it another shot and was just wondering how hard it would be to teach myself? Obviously there's lots of tab sites out there and I'll remember how to read that pretty quickly as that was never a problem before. I've still got my old electric guitar and amp but it's acoustic I'd much rather learn so I may have to pinch my dad's as he never uses it anymore.

Could anyone point me to a few places that would be good for learning the basic chords and scales? Perhaps there's someone on youtube who does step-by-step tutorials that you could recommend?
Click to expand...

I am a semi-professional (still studying as well) classical musician, I would really suggest getting some lessons from a professional and not rely on things like YouTube - you can't compare getting lessons from someone on the internet to getting real lessons! You'll probably pickup bad habits without realising (I'd be suprised if you didn't) and you'll probably enjoy it more if you had real lessons.

Its totally impossible to study properly if theres noone there to criticise you and also spur you on... and also crack a whip if you slack as well! A video can't listen to you and tell you what you are doing wrong.

All of the above applies if you want to have a serious crack at learning the guitar....
 
Take a look at Chordie. The following is a link to Chordie but the page also has other good links.

http://www.chordie.com/linkpage.php

You can create your own 'song book' which is very handy. Also don't get too hung up on nailing every single note in tab format, try just using the chords.
 
Online lessons are ok when you have the basics down, but I'd suggest going to a tutor first for a few lessons. You'll get a lot out of it....a tutor can teach you decent technique straight away, can correct faults and give you instant feedback on what's good and bad about what you're doing.

Be prepared to have sore fingers for a while btw, but it's well worth it.:)

PS: the Justin Sandercoe site is excellent once you get a bit more competent.
 
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Agree with travellingcello. You cannot beat one to one tuition in my opinion.

As for arthritis, I have a client who has severe rheumatoid arthritis, had two tendons snap in her thumbs that were replaced with some from her fingers, and she's a great pianist. She enjoys it, and that's the most important part. She has limitations, but we work round them :)
 
"How hard is it to learn the guitar?"....

I just learned basic power chords through watching friends, videos of my fave artists performing, plus using tab books, which are a great aid.

I started on a cheap strat copy and crappy 5-watt amp (that I blew the speaker on the first day) and it was all about applying myself, setting achieveable goals and getting those fingertips hardened up :lol: I now love the fact that I can play a fair bit of stuff of the top of my head (not very well might I add) and entertain my little boy.

I can jam okay these days but solos are a different kettle of fish and if you asked me to read actual sheet music I'd be in a whole world of pain!!! :lol:
 
Thanks for all the feedback.

I've got my hands on my parent's acoustic guitar which is a classical with nylon strings so that should by a little softer on the old fingers although I remember it wasn't nearly as bad last time as people had me believe. Just waiting on some new strings to arrive in the post because these must be 20 years old and there's only 5 of them :lol:

Fortunately my taste is for mellow acoustic type stuff, big guitar solos go straight through me, so it should be a little easier to learn the type of music I enjoy I hope. It's funny how tastes change though; 10 years ago I first bought an electric guitar to play those solos and now I can't stand them!
 
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