43 yr old beginner

I've played piano for years but always wanted to learn guitar. I've gotta takamine acoustics and a fender squire electric (recent purchase because my youngest - 14 - is learning at school and we both wanted to play with electric too).

The hardest part for me is the difference in organization of the notes compared to the piano. I read music very well and the piano comes to me without thinking at this point. It's frustrating not being able to correlate the notes on the guitar to what I learned on the piano.

However, I'm going to stick with it for a year this time and reevaluate where I a after that point with daily practice, I'm hoping I'll be able to sight read easier songs and be good enough to sing along with. Would also like to do a bit of fingerpicking as well.

I'm not really sure the relative difficulty of the guitar as it's all difficult to me right now.

Anyone else make the transition to guitar from piano? Any pointers or advice?

Thanks,
Kelly

There's a book called "The Fretboard Workbook" that helps you identify the notes across the fretboard. It does so through a series of exercises and breaking the fretboard down into a series of sections and "shapes". Since you already understand music, the second half of the book may not be as useful to you, though it will help translate things like triads and arpeggios into shapes on the guitar fretbboard.

It's by a guy names Brett Tagliarino, who also happens to have a song lesson on this site.

I've been playing for 30 years and am going through the book now. I never learned to read music and my knowledge of the fretboard is spotty. I'm using this book to sure up my fretboard knowledge and pave the way to be able to read music.

Welcome aboard!

Hi Kelly- Welcome! I can relate to your challenge although from the other side. I played guitar for a long, long time and then decided I'd do some piano. Turned out very little of what I knew from guitar translated to piano. Mostly because I was too lazy to learn the new disciplines necc for piano ... I gave up after a couple of months. Even tho it would seem keys would be easier because of their linear arrangement of notes I didn't find that to be true. I admire/envy people who have attained some level of proficiency on the piano but I don't think it's ever going to happen for me. Some rainy day I'll prob dust off the old Casio and try again, but I'm not optimistic about a good result. Good Luck.

Hi Kelly, Welcome to GT.
If you direct your question to Chis Schlegel's forum you would probably get some good pointer. He is not only an outstanding guitarist and in structor, he is also a pianist and instructor.
If you go to the scale finder, (Top Right Corner Red Banner Staff Icon) select CMajor 4 th pattern. Set to show notes. All the UNmarked notes are Sharps and Flats.
You may also want to learn tabs for the guitar to get started. Later relate tabs and sheet music.
Good luck and enjoy the ride.