Ok, here goes nothin...

I've been wanting to learn guitar for ages, now. I've asked friends and family for years... and none of them had time to help me. Ok, not true. Dad tried to teach me once, years ago, but back then I wasn't good about practicing or sticking with stuff for too long. So, that ended it pretty quickly.

Anyway, a week ago, my pastor's son taught me how to play the G chord... but that's all I know. I'm not sure if he'll be able to teach me more too often. And so I'm thinking I should learn on my own (which is what he did, by the way). But I don't know the best way to go about that. I mean, I want to know how to do this correctly.

Any suggestions?

Princess Anna, I self-taught myself guitar for the first year I played. I can tell you the best recources I found, and practice methods. First off, decide what you want. If you just want to learn a few chords and play songs at parties, you won't need to take it as seriously as if you really want to learn the instrument. I started out just playing for some fun on the side, but quickly became obsessed (I love playing guitar). I started out learning a few chords, G, C, and D, if I remember correctly. I would practice them, and then switching between them. Every few days I'd learn a new chord or two. For starting out, I recommend learning G, C, E, D, Am, Em, and F. The F chord is going to be the hardest chord you learn as a beginner, so make sure you learn either the reduced bar version of the power chord before you try tackling the full barre chord. (If none of this makes sense to you yet, I apologize). I had a book, guitar for dummies, that I used to learn the chords, but any chord chart will do. Anyways, I practiced playing chords and stumming them for about 2 or 3 hours a day/night, and in a few weeks I could play some songs. After you get that down, just move onto more chords or songs, and you'll want to look into the pentatonic scale if you've mastered your first few chords well enough. Learning to read music is a great tool to have, but not necessary unless you really want to learn it as an insturment and not just for fun.

Once you get the basics down, there are plenty of recources available online that I could send you links to and whatnot.

If you have any questions or need anything explained in better detail, feel free to message me. I love talking about guitar, so I'd be happy to help with anything I can.

If you have any questions or need anything explained in better detail, feel free to message me. I love talking about guitar, so I'd be happy to help with anything I can.

Thanks for all the help, Andrew! And I just might take you up on that at some point!

I guess I'm not sure how to approach this because...
I do want to learn mainly for fun. You know, so I can accompany myself? I partially want to learn, because I've grown up watching my dad play. (and other people too) However, I said I wanted to learn it correctly, because I have a background in music. (mainly choirs, and voice lessons. but piano too. and a LITTLE bit of flute and recorder) I guess I've drilled it into myself over the years of learning things the right way. Besides, if I end up getting real lessons someday, I don't want to go in and learn that I've been teaching myself wrong. Bad habits are hard to break, so I'm trying to avoid that. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I have an update now!! Ok, so this morning, I asked Dad to show me another chord... and he did! And then I taught myself three more, using chords he'd written on a piece of paper a long time ago... bringing me to a grand total of five chords! They are: G, Em, C, Am, and F

Speaking of the F chord... maybe it's the way my dad wrote it down, but I'm not having any trouble with it. So, I'm guessing it's a cheating way or something? Seeing as everyone in this thread (and my mom) have said that it's the hardest chord, I mean. I'm confused.

And on top of learning four new chords, I now know two songs, as well! (Dad brought a book upstairs for me, so I could play one song... and I found the other in that book) They are: "It's a Happy Day" and "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love".

So, yeah. I'm all excited now... that's way more than I knew yesterday! Thought you all would like to know.

Princess Anna: Well, I don't find an F chord that hard, even when I don't play the cheater version, but it is usually hard for beginning guitarists. If you already have strong hands, I wouldn't expect it to be much of a problem. Question: do you barre it? (use one finger to hold down all strings while playing others) How are you playing your F? I'm glad you aren't having trouble, though!

Sorry... it's just that "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love" was the second song I ever learned on guitar. Imagine that!

Re the song: I don't know whether that is my first or second. I mean, Dad showed me that one first, but I was having a little trouble, and got bored. So, I found the other one, and after playing it for awhile, I switched back to the one you mentioned. (and it went easier that time. but still... ick)

Re the F chord: As for how I play it... I wonder if there's a way to show you. Hmmm....
But no, I'm not doing what you described. (that's why I wonder if it's a cheater version ) *tries to think of a way to show you*

edit:
OH! I found someone on youtube who shows people how to do it the way I learned! (though again, I figured it out on my own, looking at a paper. and maybe there is a slight difference on which of the first two fingers go where) Here ya go:

... re=related

(I forget how to make the video show up on here)

24 hours later...
Sick of me yet?

I've learned a few more chords! (D, A, F#m, and Bm) So, now I know a total of 9 chords!

Crazy right? But that's not all!

Because I know more now, that opens up more songs to me. Today I discovered I know the chords for (at least) two of my dad's songs*!

*When I was little, he had a band with people from our church. And he wrote pretty much all of their songs. Hearing those... it's probably the main reason I wanted to learn. I wanted to play them for myself, so I can still hear/sing them someday when he goes to Heaven. (which hopefully is a LONG ways off) But yeah... I CAN PLAY TWO OF THEM NOW!!!!! Not the way he does, not yet... but I'll get there. So, I'm a happy girl.

Anyway, I'm surprised I can play today... I played for two hours (for sure; plus a bit more) yesterday. So I've been kinda sore. (was really sore last night) Oh, well... you do what you have to do, right?

Ok, I want to run through them one more time before I stop for today. So, I'm gonna go now. See ya later!

Glad to hear you're making progress, Princess Anna! I thought of a couple small things I didn't include the other day, things I did not know about when I started playing guitar that I wish I had: Rythm! Since a lot of us play guitar by ourselves, it is easy to forget to have good timing and whatnot, especially since you're not playing from sheet music. If you have a metronome, it's a great excercise to set it at a manageable pace and just play (for now) chords, one per beat, or play a strumming pattern on time with it. Also, memorize the strings' note names. If you don't know them yet, they are (from thickest to thinnest): E A D G B e. This will come in very helpful later on when you start applying music theory and scales. Glad you're having fun and keep up the good work! You'll be rocking out in no time!

Thanks again for all the advice so far, Andrew! Especially this:

Also, memorize the strings' note names. If you don't know them yet, they are (from thickest to thinnest): E A D G B e. This will come in very helpful later on when you start applying music theory and scales.

That helps a lot!

I don't remember how far along I was when I last wrote in here...
But I know I know a good amount of chords, and that I know more songs than I did back then.

Anyway, I wanted you to know I haven't given up. In fact, a couple weeks ago, I actually started adding chords to song lyrics I wrote back in high school! So, that's really cool! (no more doing them a capella!!) One is done, another is started. That's how far I am on that. (and might I say, it's been way fun playing the finished one, knowing that all of it came from MY BRAIN)

Question, though... what's a good way to learn how to tune it?
I can't keep asking my dad... he's busy, and doesn't like constantly fixing it. And when he does, he uses an electric tuner most the time. (but he keeps that at church, as that is where he most often needs/uses it)

One of my friends (Pastor's son) said that "you should have him teach you how" and I was like "What, like have him stand there, guiding me, while I do it?" "Yeah"

Well, I don't know if that'll happen... at least any time soon. And it's kind of hard to practice with an out of tune instrument (as I don't want to get used to the sound). So, thoughts on what I should do? I miss playing!

How long have you been playing?

I started learning guitar when I was 7 (41 years ago), drums when I was 11 (37 years ago) and bass guitar when I was 18 (30 years ago). I'm still only OK on all of them. Also started learning piano two months ago - this week's task is to master "London Bridge Is Falling Down", playing three-note chords with the left hand and the melody with the right. And I sing.

Have you performed in public?

I've played in amateur and semi-professional bands over the years, playing pop/rock cover versions from the '50s onwards in pubs. I've also been singing/acting in amateur productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operas since 1986, sometimes in the chorus and sometimes as a principal baritone.

Are there instruments you don't play that you would like to learn?

I've tried to learn flute and trumpet but I literally couldn't get a note out of them. I've got to Grade 2 on the bagpipes but I've had to give them up as I've a lung problem.

What type of music do you prefer to play?

Would love to play in a Pink Floyd tribute band. Or a Mud tribute band. (NarniaWebbers on the west side of the Pond probably won't have heard of Mud - they were a pop/rock band whose biggest successes in the British charts were in the mid-'70s.) Singing: I prefer singing G&S to my own stuff.

Do you write music or lyrics of your own?

I've lost count of how many songs I've written - well over a hundred, but nothing published, despite trying. While at uni I wrote a rock opera called "Locusts And Honey" about the life of John the Baptist as described in the Gospels, but it hasn't been performed in 25 years. I've also written a score for a musical play Gilbert wrote without Sullivan, called "A Sensation Novel" (most of the original music from 1871 had been lost). It was performed at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in England in 1999. Would love to get even one song published and recorded by people who can really play and sing.

How long have you been playing?
I've been playing guitar for well over 5 years, and I've been singing much longer (not sure exactly how long, but probably about 10 years)
Have you performed in public?
I have performed in public several times
Are there instruments you don't play that you would like to learn?
I would love to learn how to play the violin
What type of music do you prefer to play?
I personally love to play acoustic style songs and anything done by Owl City, Switchfoot and Relient K
Do you write music or lyrics of your own?
I've tried and failed epicly

I ran this past the moderators, but I'd like to find out your opinion on this. I'm thinking of starting up a musical themed section of the site where everyone who wants to can work together to sing a song for all to hear. Thoughts?

Sounds like a very specific concept, probably could be done with a single topic instead of a whole section of the site.

yeah, that actually might be better

So, I just got the go ahead to do this from the mods, is there anyone interested in doing this?

How long have you been playing?

I've been playing guitar for about 2 years, piano for about a year but I hardly ever touch the piano.

Have you performed in public?

Yes, I played a coffee shop with a friend once and I've done a couple of recitals in the past.

Are there instruments you don't play that you would like to learn?

I would like to learn snare drum but I don't have the time or money to pick it up. If I could go back in time I would have learned drums when I was younger but I'm not interested enough to put the proper amount of time into learning it now.

What type of music do you prefer to play?

I love to play blues, acoustic stuff, some rock, anything by John Mayer

Do you write music or lyrics of your own?

When inspiration hits, I will, but alas, I write better without a guitar for some reason.