beginners guitar player thread

Well I can't see where it's copyright or I am breaking an agreement (if otherwise let me know and I'll delete) so I'll post the links from a free session I signed up for, anyway I suppose it's all publicity for the guy.

Really liking this blokes approach. Refreshingly simplistic.
3 different tutorials despite the link names.

ROCK GUITAR LICK LAB VIDEO 1
ROCK GUITAR LICK LAB VIDEO 1
ROCK GUITAR LICK LAB VIDEO 1

Check out James Shipway on YouTube.

This guy was a good find really enjoying his YouTube videos
 
Well been learning on and off a second part to a solo, thought I was getting upto speed with it.

Put the backing track on last night to see how I was fairing, absolutely a mile off, kept losing it on the 2nd barr never mind the rest of the section.

Couldn't even play the solo never mind keep time, just all goes to pot when playing to the song. I'm ok ish playing it on it's own.
Times like this makes me feel like packing it in....which I won't of course.

Really put me on a downer!

O well I'll go again today.
 
You're not alone!

I posted the other day in one of the threads that I'd gone back to Sweet Child of Mine, can play the intro fine now at full speed to a metronome, try and play along with the record and it all goes out the window :)
 
You're not alone!

I posted the other day in one of the threads that I'd gone back to Sweet Child of Mine, can play the intro fine now at full speed to a metronome, try and play along with the record and it all goes out the window :)

Despite what some guitar teachers might tell you, I think playing along to the actual track is far more useful learning, you get the feel of the song and are partly learning by ear. For tricky parts, something like Anytune Pro + App that lets you slow down a selected section and gradually pick up speed also helps. Then no adjustment needed going from click track to playalong.
 
Yeah, I've started using Ultimate Guitar Pro when I'm on the PC now, you can slow that down
 
It sucks doesn't it!
I got 1st part down near enough to the backing track, the one I posted on here a while back, but the 2nd part is a little trickier and faster. But I'm sure I should be able to nail it.

SCOM is another song I need to get round too.

I think once you can play something without thinking about it, you can then concentrate to get it in time.

I'm sure your not far off Goooner.
 
No mate. I just stumbled across him a few weeks ago and added him to my YT subs. Then he put out a clip with a link to sign up for the free sample lesson clips.

I'm not sure if I would stick with it if I paid for the lessons as I tend to skip around, but I do use his free YT content.
 
Signed up to to members area. You enter an email address and receive a link to the members only area, no login required. Had a quick look and this has loads more clips in it.

Total Guitar Lab is where you create a login and buy lessons if you want to, but I'll stick with the free stuff.

Hours of awesome, free guitar tuition!
 
I Am a big fan of Shutup & Play on you tube. A great player with a wide knowledge of music. Ive learnt loads from this guy. Theres no tabs or anything but he explains it well. And its free. Loving people like this who share their skill.
Check out Fire and rain by James Taylor lesson.
 
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When it comes to solos I've been getting on well with the songster app which I picked up for the bargain price of 10p with lifetime sub's....

never got on too well with tabs sometimes but I find the songster ones pretty good...shows all guitar parts...ie distorted and clean....and can be slowed right down.
 
Well I've finally realised after my latest theory book I bought that I'm definitely not buying anymore.
Think I'm best off sticking to YT so I can see and hear what's going on. Books ain't for me!

I've picked up bits, but I haven't got the patience to keep flipping back and forth between pages etc.

And I'm trying to learn to much theory instead of learning songs that I should be doing to enjoy myself more.

From now on when I start a session, I'll devote 30 mins at most to theory, and the rest to noodling and songs.
 
Well I've finally realised after my latest theory book I bought that I'm definitely not buying anymore.
Think I'm best off sticking to YT so I can see and hear what's going on. Books ain't for me!

I've picked up bits, but I haven't got the patience to keep flipping back and forth between pages etc.

And I'm trying to learn to much theory instead of learning songs that I should be doing to enjoy myself more.

From now on when I start a session, I'll devote 30 mins at most to theory, and the rest to noodling and songs.

30 minutes every 12 months when Goooner and I restart the theory book is plenty enough!
 
Just back from the rehearsal studio; we're practising for tomorrow night's end of term gig at a local pub. Theory is fine, but just playing in time together seems to be more important for us :eek: ...just hope it goes OK tomorrow night.

I've got a few books around the place, but they are mostly song books as the theory stuff seems to go over my head. I sometimes find that I know how to do something, but I just don't know the name or the theory behind it when someone does explain it to me. Maybe I need to try have a read up again as I think I might need to give it a rest next term due to hand problems. :( Reading up on the theory might be a slight compensation for not playing as much.
 
Just to say that the gig went well, no major muck ups, just the usual difficulty in hearing the guitar amps, so thank heavens for muscle memory after all the rehearsals. Always a bit of a come down afterwards, as it's another whole term before the next one. I think I'm going to have a go at some local open mic sessions on my own, just to keep the buzz of live performing alive.
 
Hi Reevesy,
welcome to the club! I have been playing for over 50 years and still learning.
The key to playing is practice, more practice and then still more practice (sorry if that sounds a bit dull). I found that the best way to progress and really learn was to pick a favourite song, preferably not too complicated (don't try 'Girl from Ipanema' first time out . . . ), and work it out by ear, by yourself. You will need the basic three inversions of the major chords, and the same for the minors - you can find those in the chord books, but work out the melody as if you were playing it as lead guitar, then work out the rhythm part (chords). You'll tear your hair a few times, but you will gradually find you're playing something recognisable.
After that, try experimenting with how you're playing the individual notes in a simple melody - stopping them, bending them, a bit of vibrato, hammer-on, left-finger pluck (I was doing these things automatically before I knew they had names) that way you will learn about technique, and in time you will find that you have developed your own individual style.
Perseverance is the key - good luck mate!
 
Yeah cheers john......think it might be 2 1/2 years since I started playing ....and started this thread.

Six guitars and 3 amplifiers and a looper later.....

Still love it .....still playing every day...

..... And still nowhere near as good as I want to be....but then again who is!?

It is surprising how quick you can sometimes learn something which you never thought you would never be able play though
 
Yeah cheers john......think it might be 2 1/2 years since I started playing ....and started this thread.

Six guitars and 3 amplifiers and a looper later.....

Still love it .....still playing every day...

..... And still nowhere near as good as I want to be....but then again who is!?

It is surprising how quick you can sometimes learn something which you never thought you would never be able play though
A few weeks ago I went back to the start of this thread and started reading the forward from where we started out, asking which pick to use and stuff. It nicely documents how far we have come since then. I never thought I would be able to strum that open C chord, just seemed so difficult to me at the time :)
 
Yeah I struggled with C for an absolute age as well ......especially with muting the E string........used to use C add 9 instead.....still do for some songs.

Been playing a couple of songs recently where you play the C adding your pinky on the E....verves drugs don't work for example.

Will have to go back and read some of the posts....do remember thinking if I'd ever be able to barre correctly and play the dreaded F.

Mind you soon as you jump one hurdle another one soon crops up!
 
hmmm! You think some of that is tricky? I started to learn pedal steel a few weeks ago, now that really is a challenge!!
 
Yeah I've heard they're pretty hard to play....

There was a guy on one of the jools Holland shows... last year I think.....can't remember his name but he was a demon on one
 
I know we may be getting a bit off-topic here, but . . .
There was some conversation about picks - if you play both lead and rhythm, why not lose the pick for the rhythms, just use your fingers? Your nails won't give you quite the attack a pick does, but it's enough, and you have four of them. Your hand is somehow quicker for the rhythms than coping with a pick.
On the subject of slide, as I said I'm just starting out, and it's hard, but the best player I have ever seen is not a bluegrass good-ole country boy from the USA, but a home-grown Englishman. Check this vid (it pays to watch the whole thing, starts up at about 31"):

Regrettably the great John Stannard has gone to that great jamming studio in the sky.
 
er, just realised it's five fingers, as you use your thumb on the upstrokes. (We neanderthals are just learning to count . . )
J
 

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