Learning the guitar

mysticmackem said:
Is "Bert Weedon Play In A Day" still going? Loads of us started out on "Little Brown Jug"
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Five shillings and 60 wasted years...mugged I was!
I am Boss said:
Tried twice. Its moving between two chords I find almost impossible.
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Stay on the same one and join a punk band 👍
Tex said:
I never bar an F chord I play it the same way I play a C chord just move it to the lower/higher strings and add my index finger.

BTW @Joe Public you asked about a capo. It’s purely to help you sing i tune so if your voice is higher than the recording of a song you know you put the call on and Ann play the same chords in the same shapes but the end result matches your voice without having to transpose the chords however many steps up.

Example - I mentioned ‘That’s Entertainment’ - on the original recording you need a capo on the third fret if you want to play it exactly as on the record / video. Mind as Weller’s voice has got lower and huskier with age I noticed when he played it with Noel Gallagher at some acoustic gig more recently they did it with no capo.
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I can't do bar chords, but that has led to a unique style...it's called CRAP!
 
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I've played guitar for over 20 years and the best bit of advice I can give is that you have to put the hours in playing the guitar. Barre chords, alternate picking etc it's all muscle memory. If you want to learn a lick or phrase, play it slowly on a loop over and over again then speed it up. Play to backing tracks. Play along with records you like. Write your own riffs or progressions no matter how simple - those are often the best.
 
As been said, learn as many chords as you can first and keep at it it.
If you learn C, D, E and G, you can play a load of classic rock n roll songs. Ultimate Guitar is a good app for chords and tabs for just about any song you fancy.

Keep at it though mate. It's the best hobby you can learn, once you get into it. I've been playing 27 years and still learning every day.
Joe Public said:
He’s only ten so it’s great for him, but the sound isn’t great off it (not just cos I’m shit!)
Can you get owt decent around £200?
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There are some nice Epiphone acoustics for less than that, with a nice, warm tone.
 
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I hate all the fluff on youtube lessons mind. Sitting there talking shite for ages instead of getting on with the playing.

I don't think they're very necessary for beginner/novice things. Only really find them useless for more advanced techniques or more complex parts...and then they're even worse with the waffling on about which custom guitar they're playing through what boutique amp. Pains in the arse. Pick out some songs, look up the chord sheets, and get strumming.

Learn your major/minor open chords. G, D, C...there's a few songs learnt before you even know it.

A, Am, E and Em.... move them up a fret at a time and it's every chord there is. Learn how to play these 4 chords with your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers, then when it comes to barring your B, Bm, F and Fm chords you're already half way there.

Practice barring an A chord with ya index finger.... then you can do a nice hammer-on to a suspended 4th chord and chew some Wrigley's bubble gum.

DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR STRUMMING HAND. I've seen so many beginner/novice/amateur guitar players who can finger the chords nee bother, play you a song, but they're sawing the guitar in half with the strumming hand. Oasis are very good to practice strumming. Wonderwall for example: Down, down, down up down down, down up down down, down up down down down. Just practice that pattern with an open hand against the body of the guitar away from the strings. Think of it was brush strokes... flick your fingers out on the downstrokes and flick back with thumb on the upstroke. It'll get the wrist moving.

Oasis, again, very good to get you going with chord changes. Wonderwall, Whatever, Live Forever. All similarish chords and changes. Wonderwall and Whatever you keep the 3rd and 4th fingers in the same position for almost the full song, you only need to concentrate on shifting the index and 2nd finger about.
 
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Joe Public said:
Not easy is it? Just startedlearning at 43 and struggling a bit with it, my decrepit old fingers aren’t helping but gonna keep plugging away each day till I can make some kind of tune out of the bastard, if the wife doesn’t kill me first.

Any tips for beginners?
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Make sure it is always tuned properly, cannot stress this enough when you are learning.

Also - download Songsterr and pay for it on your phone. Think I paid £8 years ago and it’s ideal for learning the fiddly bits of songs.

Simple chord changes, power chords, simple melody lines etc. Break things down into chunks then put it all together however you want.

One thing you will find is how many songs are remarkably similar.
 
rey mysterio said:
Make sure it is always tuned properly, cannot stress this enough when you are learning.

Also - download Songsterr and pay for it on your phone. Think I paid £8 years ago and it’s ideal for learning the fiddly bits of songs.

Simple chord changes, power chords, simple melody lines etc. Break things down into chunks then put it all together however you want.

One thing you will find is how many songs are remarkably similar.
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One of the finest exponants of simple chords (basically four) were Status Quo...the melodies, timing and phrasing are constantly jumbled around...it's songwriting of the highest order. In contrast Abba use complex chord structures and syncapating bass lines, then over lays and emotional string movements.

There's a place for everyone's music...maybe even mine :D
 
Gelan said:
One of the finest exponants of simple chords (basically four) were Status Quo...the melodies, timing and phrasing are constantly jumbled around...it's songwriting of the highest order. In contrast Abba use complex chord structures and syncapating bass lines, then over lays and emotional string movements.

There's a place for everyone's music...maybe even mine :D
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To be honest once you've got reasonably competent with three chords you can play with someone else and if they are good that is a great way of learning some techniques. They will probably come down to your level a bit but if they take lead you can get some great sessions going. That is when a dreadnaught can come into its own with great base tones so that you are effectively playing a bassy rhythm.
 
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Mercia Blackcat said:
To be honest once you've got reasonably competent with three chords you can play with someone else and if they are good that is a great way of learning some techniques. They will probably come down to your level a bit but if they take lead you can get some great sessions going. That is when a dreadnaught can come into its own with great base tones so that you are effectively playing a bassy rhythm.
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Yes siree :D
Singing whilst you learn to play will move you on faster 👍
 
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Gelan said:
Yes siree :D
Singing whilst you learn to play will move you on faster 👍
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I quite fancy one of these lately, an acoustic bass guitar. Sigma are a good build and the body is jumbo size. The electronics are Fishman which is good and I already have a Marshall acoustic guitar amp but can I justify the price at £549?

www.andertons.co.uk

Sigma BMC-15E Mahogany Jumbo Acoustic Bass - Andertons Music Co.

Get the Sigma BMC-15E Mahogany Jumbo Acoustic Bass from Andertons Music Company today!
www.andertons.co.uk
 
Mercia Blackcat said:
I quite fancy one of these lately, an acoustic bass guitar. Sigma are a good build and the body is jumbo size. The electronics are Fishman which is good and I already have a Marshall acoustic guitar amp but can I justify the price at £549?

www.andertons.co.uk

Sigma BMC-15E Mahogany Jumbo Acoustic Bass - Andertons Music Co.

Get the Sigma BMC-15E Mahogany Jumbo Acoustic Bass from Andertons Music Company today!
www.andertons.co.uk
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Bought the missus a bass Ukelele...looks odd but easy to play and fantastic through an amp.
 
Gelan said:
Bought the missus a bass Ukelele...looks odd but easy to play and fantastic through an amp.
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I expect she likes this bloke then

At the other end of the scale to dreadnaughts I wouldn't mind a parlour (oo size) or similar size guitar. I keep my guitars in a hard case in the bedroom but it would be great to have a smaller one hanging around in the living room to just pick up and play. Claptonesque.

www.andertons.co.uk

Alvarez DELTA00TSB Jazz & Blues Acoustic Guitar in Vintage Burst - Andertons Music Co.

Get the Alvarez Jazz & Blues DELTA00TSB Acoustic Guitar in Vintage Burst from Andertons on 0% interest-free finance with free next day delivery in the UK over £100!
www.andertons.co.uk
You've got to avoid getting gear mania though where you just want more gear for the sake of it although nowt wrong with a variety of different guitar types.
 
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Mercia Blackcat said:
I expect she likes this bloke then

At the other end of the scale to dreadnaughts I wouldn't mind a parlour (oo size) or similar size guitar. I keep my guitars in a hard case in the bedroom but it would be great to have a smaller one hanging around in the living room to just pick up and play. Claptonesque.

www.andertons.co.uk

Alvarez DELTA00TSB Jazz & Blues Acoustic Guitar in Vintage Burst - Andertons Music Co.

Get the Alvarez Jazz & Blues DELTA00TSB Acoustic Guitar in Vintage Burst from Andertons on 0% interest-free finance with free next day delivery in the UK over £100!
www.andertons.co.uk
You've got to avoid getting gear mania though where you just want more gear for the sake of it although nowt wrong with a variety of different guitar types.
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GAS - You can never have too many guitars
 
While this thread is still going can I jump in and ask for recommendations for a good practice amp. I don’t need anything fancy or big. Just something that sounds good while I’m strumming along in the house. I’ve googled and had a read of the article below and was thinking of the Line 6 one that is at number 3 simply for the in-built tuner, metronome and drum loops. Any advice greatly appreciated.
www.musicradar.com

Best practice amps 2023: the best amps for guitar practice

Onboard effects, digital modelling, valves? Here are the best practice amps for guitar, with options from Yamaha, Power Grid, Fender, Line 6 and more
www.musicradar.com www.musicradar.com
 
Big Jeff said:
Minefield - what are you putting through it? (what type of guitar)

How loud do you want?

Do you want effects on the amp?

Budget?

@DufraisFTM
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I thought that might be the answer 🤣

First of all, I’m a learner. I can strum a few songs, but I’m at a very basic level.

I’m learning on an Epiphone Dot borrowed from my brother in law.

It doesn’t need to be loud as it is for home playing.

Not particularly fussed about effects due to my current level.

No real budget.

Basically looking for a good all rounder for a beginner. One to grow with.
 

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