I am a true beginner

[jeff_the_walrus]

ok...im 14 i got my guitar a year or so ago and i still cant do jack
i need some real help.
please i don't care how good you are all i know is that you're better then me.
here's a list of skills i need off the top of my head
1.all types of f/x
2.how to read a tab
3.how to read sheet music
i also need to learn some scales.
i can read sheet music but not for the guitar.
my email is jeff_the_walrus@hotmail.com
please help me. im hopeless on my own. thank you very much.

[hunter60]

Jeff, you came to the right place. If you can, sign up for the full access. There's plenty of lessons and exercises here that can answer your specific areas of concern. If not, check out the free lessons and ask questions here on the forum. You're sure to get a lot of help.

I haven't been playing that long myself but I've learned A LOT here at GT. Terrific people who are always willing to help. Remember: every single person who has ever picked up a guitar has been a beginner. :) We gotta start somewhere, right?

Good luck and we'll see you around the boards. :D

[Sasuke199]

I have found that the best way for a beginner to progress is through private lessons. Make sure to try all the local instructors to find the best one. I have found that having a professional right next to you to teach you all the basics, and still have time to have fun and learn your favorite songs.

Remember, stay with it and rock on!!

[TexAxe]

Since you are a beginner, I wouldn't be too concerned with tab or sheet music. One thing worth focusing on, at this point, is your technique and learning a few basic chords and concepts concerning chords. Tab and sheet music are, at least, a couple of months away.

If you haven't already, I would consider getting a good teacher or instructor -preferably someone who plays the type of music you like or would like to play. That way, you can see where your playing should progress in time. Also, I'd read everything about playing guitar that you can get your hands on - magazines, websites, books, etc. Don't worry so much about difficult or little-understood concepts, but focus on a few of the basic elements that keep showing-up in your readings - they keep coming-up for a reason.

And, remember, practice, practice, practice. You gotta practice to yield results. You may not think so or see it very plainly, but consistently good practice over a period of time does, in fact, yield results -maybe not huge results all of the time, but results nonetheless. Persistence is key.

[ShootaMcgavin]

Start with the basics. Learn the fret board and try to get a little theory in and some chords before anything else. Then work your way to accuracy and speed in chord switching. from there, scratch a bit on the fret board and get used to it with scales, and more theory on what you are doing with the scales.

Theory isnt important if you like to cover songs and impress the chicks, but believe me, know why you are doing what will sure pay off.

for example, youll be able to connect scales with a partner whos playing chords in a complete improvisation.

[jeff_the_walrus]

hey guys thanks for the advice and everything else that I'll "steal" from you in the future.

[Badge]

Lots of great places on the web to get help....

Good luck!!

http://www.fenderpick.com

[JustinArmstrong]

Here's a good resource to learn about tab:

http://www.thenextstepguitar.com/lessons/tab_guide.html

[michaelferris]

Wow, you know what might also be a good idea? Along with looking at all the great info on this website, you might consider just take a lesson or two just to get yourself started, getting a little bit of structure, so even if you decide to learn on your own, you know WHAT to look for to learn.

[Kevin Taylor]

Just from personal experience....
When I started out my first experience was taking record albums (you know...Those ancient things), and learning them inside out.
Like literally taking Van Halens first album and playing it several hundred times until I could play it as well as he did. (the thought always being at the back of my head that he's just a human being too and no special than anybody else...So if he can do it...I can do it too.

Next step was to move on to other albums like Pink Floyd and learn how they put their stuff together.

I was totally self taught but on a couple of occasions I went to a teacher and tried taking lessons.
My own experience was that I usually ended up begin better than the teacher and the teacher kept stopping me and asking me how I played certain things.
I'm thinking at this point... "why the heck am I paying for lessons when I'm teaching him how to play"
So I never took lessons again.... except once a few years back when a guy blew me away with his playing and I took 4 weeks of lessons to figure out how he did it.
Personally.... I'm totally in favor of teaching yourself. You can get books from the library and bookstores.... learn off the net and go along at your own pace. Instead of relying on a teacher to slow you down to the level he thinks you should be at., (not to mention learning a bunch of theory you may not need)

My advice is to get a book that follows a curriculum for now and use this site to learn all the extra riffs you'll need to know outside of the general 'educational studies' that teachers force you into.

Guitar lessons should be about being able to play in bands and real life and not just learning scales and theory.