re: Resolved to learning to play guitar: advice wanted

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Anyone that is truly interested in music should learn to play piano, even if they have no interest in piano. It gives you a much better understanding of music, and helps so much with any instrument you play.

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That’s a good idea, and before I taught myself to play the guitar a few years ago, i started off wanting to learn piano.. not sure why i didnt follow through with it, guess i just figured guitars were more affordable and portable, and maybe easier to learn, so i went that direction.

Decided to look at costco.com for shits and giggles after reading your post, and stumbled across this beauty for only... a quarter million dollars, lol






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I started about a year and a half ago and was in the same boat. Lot of good advice in here. I frequently use Justin guitar and Marty Schwartz on YouTube. We seem to have the same taste in music. Do like one poster said and start off with learning the G C D chords. May not seem like you're doing much at first but it will come. You'll be surprised at the songs you can play with those 3 chords. I'm a little further along now but I was able to play some Isbell and Childers in about 6 months.

Practice, practice, practice

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G, D, Cadd9, Em7.

Down, up, up, down

Repeat a thousand times for the next 3 months

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SOLID advice

First learn the basic chords of your favorite simple song. Like a 3-4 chord song progression that’s repetitive. If you can learn G, C, D, & Em, you can literally play hundreds of songs. If these chords fall under the umbrella of your favorite simple song, bonus.

Buy a tuner and use it. Early on your technique will be garbage and you will need to retune a lot.

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Gumbo, this was the first book I used at age 9 in 1975! That was the start of my playing and I'm still going at it!

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I got my first guitar, a cheap acoustic for Christmas from one of my aunts when I was 12 years old in 1964. The guy across the street from me was about 17 at the time and had been playing for years and was giving lessons as did his mother, only on piano and organ.

I stuck with it for about a year and got into boxing at a local gym and didn't have time for both of them, school and weekend work.

I don't have my original guitar, but do have a Yamaha Acoustic I bought around 75 and a knockoff Fender electric I came across and the price was right about 10 years ago. Haven't played them in a while though and they are in their cases collecting dust right now.

I really should find someone to give them to who is interested in learning, since at my age-----67----I'm not going to get back into it.

Gumbo, if you decide to sell them, I am teaching my nephew how to play. My dad was a guitarist all my life and years before I was born. He is in the Louisiana Hall of Fame. He played in the 60s with the Boogie Kings and The Swing Kings as well as different bands that played the Candle Light back then. He gave me that Mel Bay book and a Yamaha acoustic when I started.

There may be times you want to do this...



Don't! You'll get through it.

Enjoy

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find the crossroads.

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But you’re gonna die soon.

I believe while laid up with a married woman.

Right?

When you realize it’s all patterns just moved up the neck, you will make great strides.

I don't play guitar but I play some keyboard and percussion. I can give you advice because I have a few friends who have picked up guitar and it's never easy unless you devote a LOT of time to it. You need to learn basic chord structure and don't try to be like Stevie Ray Vaughn and take it slow. Good luck. You have to love it to be great at it.

Nice!