[Music] Advice for someone wanting to play Guitar.

midnight_rendezvous · May 26, 2015

Don't cheap out on the guitar you get. If you don't spend a bit you'll get a crappy guitar that'll sound a bit naff and it'll affect how much you want to play it especially if you find it tricky to pick up. You can pick up good Fender acoustic guitars for around the £200 mark. My only other bit of advice is that you should practice everyday if you can. It's better to do 10 minutes a day than an hour once a week. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube so you can pick up the basics. Happy playing!

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

midnight_rendezvous said:
Don't cheap out on the guitar you get. If you don't spend a bit you'll get a crappy guitar that'll sound a bit naff and it'll affect how much you want to play it especially if you find it tricky to pick up. You can pick up good Fender acoustic guitars for around the £200 mark. My only other bit of advice is that you should practice everyday if you can. It's better to do 10 minutes a day than an hour once a week. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube so you can pick up the basics. Happy playing!

thanks i have been looking at the Yamaha C40 (as recommended by someone on here)

CherryInHove · May 26, 2015

Also, a good idea is to pick a couple of really easy songs that everybody knows that you can learn in no time at all.

An example would be something like "Stand by me". It has like four chords. (If I remember correctly, EM, C, G and D). If you learn those chords, to start with, it will take ages for you to switch from one to another, but you'll notice yourself getting quicker and quicker and the satisfaction that comes from being able to play an entire song that everybody knows in next to no time at all really gives you motivation to keep going.

(You also have the bonus that knowing those chords means you can play multiple other songs such as Disarm by Smashing Pumpkins, Zombie by The Cranberries and probably thousands more).

burnee54 · May 26, 2015

CherryInHove said:
If you're happy to learn on an electric guitar and have an Xbox/PS3 or PC that can play games, I highly recommend getting "Rocksmith 2014". Basically, you plug your guitar into the Console/Computer and it teaches you how to play.

It starts off really easy and then adjusts the difficulty dynamically depending on how well you are performing. It has tons of songs and lessons and I find that the "gamemanship" of it makes me play and practice for longer than I would without the game.

Agree with this Rocksmith is a fabulous way to learn, wish they'd had it in my day.
The only advice I can give you is whatever you are learning (at the moment I am teaching myself Alto Sax) you have to have dedication and patience. I taught myself when I was 15, I'm 61 now and I still play most days. Music is a fantastic hobby (I even made a living from it when I was younger) and it never leaves you. Once you know a few chord shapes try http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ . It's where us older guys pass on the stuff we've learnt over the years. Thousands of songs on there for free.
Good Luck and welcome to the club.

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

burnee54 said:
Agree with this Rocksmith is a fabulous way to learn, wish they'd had it in my day.
The only advice I can give you is whatever you are learning (at the moment I am teaching myself Alto Sax) you have to have dedication and patience. I taught myself when I was 15, I'm 61 now and I still play most days. Music is a fantastic hobby (I even made a living from it when I was younger) and it never leaves you. Once you know a few chord shapes try http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ . It's where us older guys pass on the stuff we've learnt over the years. Thousands of songs on there for free.
Good Luck and welcome to the club.

ironically part of the reason for wanting to learn is to spend less time on my ps4 lol

Gullflyinghigh · May 26, 2015

As a caveat; I'm rubbish and in no way pretend to be a rhythmic genius.

That out of the way, I started with nylon and found that the sound is probably the nicest of the options and the most beginner friendly, however, it doesn't prepare you for the change to either electric or steel strung guitars where your fingers will start to take a real pounding (comparatively)at the beginning.

Now when I pick one of the guitars up it tends to be the steel strings but, as many have said, it's personal preference.

As for learning, I had lessons for a while (whilst I could afford them anyway) before relying on tabs and whatnot. I probably could do with lessons again if I'm honest!

Edit; I find it hard to believe there's no guitar teacher on NSC, is it possible we've found the one job that isn't covered on here?!

Publius Ovidius · May 26, 2015

CherryInHove said:
If you're happy to learn on an electric guitar and have an Xbox/PS3 or PC that can play games, I highly recommend getting "Rocksmith 2014". Basically, you plug your guitar into the Console/Computer and it teaches you how to play.

It starts off really easy and then adjusts the difficulty dynamically depending on how well you are performing. It has tons of songs and lessons and I find that the "gamemanship" of it makes me play and practice for longer than I would without the game.

Garage band lessons are pretty good on iMac/ apple too.

dazzer6666 · May 26, 2015

For lessons, would highly recommend http://sussex.rockschool.net/ - based in Haywards Heath (Industrial Estate off Sidney Road)

Both my kids learned there (one on bass guitar, one on drums), they have loads of adults learning too. As well as teaching you to play, they'll potentially put you in a band with other learners when you're ready. Family run, very friendly.

burnee54 · May 26, 2015

I have a friend who teaches classical guitar, she is also a vocal coach but that's a whole other ball game.
I guess I could teach but I don't know if I have the patience for that these days.

KVLT · May 26, 2015

Shipley8312 said:
noisey neighbours are a nightmare id never want to be one, its part of the reason i have chosen acoustic guitar it can be played softly

A softly played acoustic will always be louder than an unamplified electric. If noise is an issue I would suggest either an electric c/w a practice amp and headphones, or get an audio interface for your computer and use software amplification c/w headphones. There's loads of great free amp software out there.

Also bear in mind that an electric still makes an audible sound without an amp and is quieter than an acoustic. I often play my electrics without plugging in.

BBassic · May 26, 2015

Best way I found was to just pick a couple of tracks you like and try to play along with them.

I'm a massive fan of three-chord idiot rock like Oasis so found myself the tab sheets for songs like 'Live Forever' (nice, slow chord changes) and just practiced them.

The most important thing, in my eyes, is to remember the following: You will suck when you start. You'll hit dead notes, mess up chord shapes and have poor rhythm but you will get better if you keep at it.

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

dazzer6666 said:
For lessons, would highly recommend http://sussex.rockschool.net/ - based in Haywards Heath (Industrial Estate off Sidney Road)

Both my kids learned there (one on bass guitar, one on drums), they have loads of adults learning too. As well as teaching you to play, they'll potentially put you in a band with other learners when you're ready. Family run, very friendly.

thank you

chesneyhawkes · May 26, 2015

I am not tough enough to drink in the golden lion.

Shipley8312 said:
your from durrington? ever drink in the golden lion?

neilbard · May 26, 2015

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

chesneyhawkes said:
I am not tough enough to drink in the golden lion.

i used to work there it wasnt that bad lol

carteater · May 26, 2015

learn chords and scales simultaneously, if you are going to teach yourself, I just learnt chords and am just catching up on scales now after 3-4 years.

If you are going to get lessons then they'll probably do this.

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

carteater said:
learn chords and scales simultaneously if you are going to teach yourself, I just learnt chords and am just catching up on scales now after 3-4 years.

im going to have some lessons to get started just popped to my local music shop on my lunch had a look at some puretone models

Shipley8312 · May 26, 2015

are there any opinions on the Yamaha FG700MS Acoustic Guitar seams to be plugged alot online

http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/products/YA52042/Yamaha-FG700MS-Acoustic-Guitar/

Since1982 · May 26, 2015

Man up, buy a bass.

Dick Head · May 26, 2015

neilbard said:
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