i need serious help

[lauz]

hi im laura.. im 16.. iv always been interested in learning how to plzy the guitar and have finally decided to learn!! but i havent the 1st clue where to start!i have bought a guitar its an accoustic or how eva u spell it!!
but i ust dont no where to start!! it all looks very hard and complicated and i dont no if im goin to be able to do this!1 i really want to learn!! if there is anyone with any advice wotsoever to help me in anyway then please reply a.s.a.p!!
thanx

[zepp_rules]

well for beginners, i would recommend taking lessons. this will help you understand how everything works and will give you the knowledge to be able to improvise later on.


however on your own, there are many things you can do. for one, there are many tutorials on the guitartricks homepage. that should get you started. but the thing is, there is no right way to learn. myself, i'm almost entirely self-taught. i try to play the guitar everyday. it may be boring, but the best way to start off on the guitar is through repitition of licks and exercises. when your watching tv, have the guitar in your lap and practice as you watch.



the main thing is to find what way is best for you. if you llike certain songs, get the tabs off the net and practice those. i would still advise taking lessons, but there are many ways to learn. keep up with this site and you'll learn a lot.

[lauz]

thanx for the reply!!
theres 1 question iv got to ask..i may sound silly but wot are licks?
its mentiond a few times on the net and that and i havnt a clue what they are!!
well u c iv bought this guitar and its got a tutorial video with it...do u think that will be any help?

[Raskolnikov]

Lick: any fragment of a song or usually a solo or fill in a song.

Also, learn some basic chords and play around with them. Practicing changing from chord to chord, even make up a stupid little song. This will help you get used to the instrument in general, not just changing chords. You should also find some scales and practice those. That will give you a bit of a heads up into music theory and build hand strength. If you have some friends who play, have them show you stuff too.

One note: Do you have a tuner yet? It would be awful annoying to try and learn anything on the guitar with it out of tune.

[Benoit]

Got to say that you did the right thing in buying a acoustic guitar before an electric one. First it will help you gain strenght in your finger and also it's a lot harder to make a acoustic guitar sound good than an electric. It may be frustrating at first but in the long run you'll benefit greatly from it.

The first thing I should have done when I started was to learn chords and concentrate on rythmn instead of lead guitar. Chords will help you with finger positioning. I always found great songs to learn chords in traditionnal music. I know, they ain't the most fun to play but it's going to help you.

I've been playing for 9 years now and I still have trouble with basic stuff cause I never took the time to learn them correctly. I was to busy showing off ;)

When you feel good about playing some basic chords, pick a tab of a acoustic song you like on the net and start practicing the rythmn part. The key of success is motivation. At first it may be boring, playing chords and playing chords and playing chords. But once you get the basics out of the way, start playing songs you like and you'll never stop.

This site is so full of tools you can use, take a look around and you'll get all the answer you need.

[nechako]

Master Tzu always told me to simply tune... and play to begin with,..just start...every moment you spend with the intrument will teach you something...it is an instrument of learning... it teaches you things...open your mind...sit, take a few breaths and explore as if you were walking in some strange and beautifull new land where everything is new and exciting...each moment is bliss. And remember the first song great masters of china learn is tune ning.

find buddies to play with
search for a teacher(although keep travelling)
books "rideux music" has excellent books
Aaron Shearer's guitar method is brilliant

[Lordathestrings]

Very well said.