Best way to learn how to play guitar?

[lhstennis12]

I've wanted to learn how to play the guitar for a long time, and have a decent acoustic, but have never gotten around to it. What's the best way to go about learning the guitar?

Just for a little information about the kind of music I'd like to play, I looooovvveeee John Mayer, and want to play his music.

 

[Xenakis]

1: Learn all the major and minor chords in first position (masses of information on how to do that in books and on the web, you only need to read chord boxes which tell you where to put your fingers, no need to learn how to read music on the stave.)

2: If you like Mayer you like blues presumably?, learn to play a major and a minor 12 bar blues, chords first then learn some single lines/licks to use over the top, again, masses of info around on how to do this.

3: Start learning the theory. Learn about the major/minor tonal system, learn to play each chord in a major and minor key and understand their functions (cadences, cycle of fourths/fifths, and so on.)

4: Make things more interesting by using altered voicings, using proper voice leading, chord substitutions, modulations and so on.

This will all take years and years to do well. You might just want to stick with steps one and two and have fun without knowing how it all works (learn some chord shapes, a few 'licks' and use your ears.)

Up to you.

 

[BullDogTennis]

heres a better idea...get a teacher! it would help you SO much, and you'll learn 100% quicker. and guitar teachers are usually no where as exspensive as tennis coaches!

 

[lhstennis12]

heres a better idea...get a teacher! it would help you SO much, and you'll learn 100% quicker. and guitar teachers are usually no where as exspensive as tennis coaches!

I would love to, but I'm only a high school sophomore and can't afford it. So I'm trying to find a way to teach myself.

 

[TBobLP]

until you can get a teacher i would just start learning open position chords and some basic scales like major, major pentatonic, minor pentatonic. then learn what songs you can with that. next start learning barre chords and learn what songs you can with that. then start learning more intricate songs that use chords youve never played (if youre learning john mayer tunes, you most certainly will be playing some chords that even 'decent' guitarists dont know of). learning tunes is your best bet without a teacher to start off.

 

[boojay]

I've been playing guitar for 12 years and a buddy of mine recently picked it up about 1 year ago and has gotten quite good without lessons.

My suggestion would be to learn tablature (tab) and find music you enjoy playing. Unless you plan on playing music professionally, you don't really need to take lessons. Music is meant to be fun and the more fun you have, the faster you'll learn.

Good luck!

 

[maddogz32]

lessons

10 char

 

[ttbrowne]

Start by buying a book which shows you finger positions for basic chords. Learn to play simple stuff...the book will show you. The steps will go something like this:
Leanring and memorizing basic chords.
Learn to change from one chord to another. Then w/o looking at chord book.
Recognize the chord when you see it.
Etc.
WARNING: Learning and playing guitar is NOTHING like Guitar Hero.

 

[ttbrowne]

heres a better idea...get a teacher! it would help you SO much, and you'll learn 100% quicker. and guitar teachers are usually no where as exspensive as tennis coaches!

Well....In 1973 I was spending $30 for a half hour drum lessons.

 

[jswinf]

Well, drummers can be taken advantage of.

There's a lot of online stuff about guitar, videos and all, worth a look. Some lucky people (not me) pick up guitar easily, some never do, and a lot are in between. Takes effort, maybe not work because it is supposed to be fun.

 

[Cruzer]

Well....In 1973 I was spending $30 for a half hour drum lessons.

In 2009 the guy I take guitar lessons with is $25.00 per half hour and he is an excellent instructor.

 

[tikkimonkey]

Learn classical guitar. If you go two years dedicated to that, strumming chords and playing solos come MUCH easier.

 

[Tempest344]

get a teacher or a friend to help you, i found it helps a lot with motivation right at the beginning

 

[Power Player]

I took 4 lessons for guitar in my life. I then studied classical guitar by buying Noads's book (the standard go to). From that I went to bass guitar and never took a lesson. I have made an income off of bass and toured professionally. My point is that you can get a lot of a few lessons if you get a good instructor and have the drive and talent to practice and really get into it.

 

[random guy]

If you can't afford lessons right now I think it would be good idea to hang out with people you know that play guitar and has the patience to show you some stuff. Books, tabs, you tube videos are great but nothing beats sitting with someone to have a hands on experience of what it's all about.

Some of John Mayer stuff is pretty hard ("Neon" comes to mind) so you'll have to be patience and know from the start that it takes time to get to play that kind of tunes.

 

[Power Player]

If you learn classical guitar you will be able to do so much with your hands and you will understand chords ands melody so much faster. It is IMO "the best" way to learn guitar because you can do anything from there.

Just make sure to take some time working with a pick also, but being able to also play fingerstyle is worth it's weight in gold.

If you like Mayer's style, he can do both, and some of his hits were done fingerstyle. He is a blues based player but also has a heavy jazz influence. You can build the foundations for all of those styles with classical music.

 

[TBobLP]

If you learn classical guitar you will be able to do so much with your hands and you will understand chords ands melody so much faster. It is IMO "the best" way to learn guitar because you can do anything from there.

Just make sure to take some time working with a pick also, but being able to also play fingerstyle is worth it's weight in gold.

If you like Mayer's style, he can do both, and some of his hits were done fingerstyle. He is a blues based player but also has a heavy jazz influence. You can build the foundations for all of those styles with classical music.

youll understand harmony and chords alot more learning jazz

 

[Z-Man]

Everyone here is right on target. Lessons are great, but learning basic chords and strum patterns is what it's all about, and you can get started on your own with a few Hal Leonard books. Make it fun--work on simple songs early on.

I'd like to add some other info that will be helpful:
-Get a tuner and use it often. You won't know when your fingers are in the right place if you're out of tune.
-Learn to stretch your strings so they'll stay in tune.
-Change your strings if they're nasty. Try Elixirs, they'll be easy on your fingers starting out.
-Make sure the action on your guitar isn't crazy high. That will make learning difficult.
-Figure out what strings work best for you. You might start with 12s (the high E). Find a brand and guage that works for you and stick to it.
-Have a friend who knows at least show you how to hold a pic and position your hands. It's just like tennis--bad technique can really hold you back.

 

[Power Player]

youll understand harmony and chords alot more learning jazz

Yeah but jazz is pretty advanced for a beginner. also, the progressions in jazz are nice, but not used as commonly in standard songs. Classical will teach you how to use chords for movement and how to set up resolution..you also learn counterpoint..just really good building blocks that you can take to any style. I went from classical to fusion jazz bass guitar for example.

 

[Don S]

You'll want to start by learning how to tune your guitar. Nothing sounds more like crap than a guitar that isn't tuned properly. Use a chromatic tuner to help you, but get used to using your ears, they're the most important tool you have. Next, you need to learn the open position major chords - A, C, D, E, & G. (The B & F chords are harder, you'll get to those later) Also learn the open position minor chords - Am, Dm, & Em. You can play hundreds of songs with these 8 chords and you'll get your fingers used to forming the chords and switching between chords.

Here's some places on the interwebs to go :

Rockhouse.com - great site for lessons and Instructional DVD's plus a great community on the forums that really like to help out.

Vanderbilly.com - If you're like me and learn songs best when someone actually shows you, go here. Lots of free videos covering hundreds of songs - All free - this place rules. example - http://www.vanderbilly.com/Guitar-Lesson-Cheap+Trick+-+Dream+Police,9686,1.html

Harmony Central - just because. Lots of characters over there and usually a lot of fun.

 

[ttbrowne]

My first guitar teacher charged me and a buddy a pint of vodka for each night of lessons. he was great. Even on the booze he was great. One night we had progressed to the F chord and I was having a helluva time trying to hold the two strings down with one finger. he got pissed when I said I couldn't do it. "If you can't hit a GD F'ing F chord then you might as well quit, dammit." HA! My buddy and I still laff about it.

 

[Don S]

My first guitar teacher charged me and a buddy a pint of vodka for each night of lessons. he was great. Even on the booze he was great. One night we had progressed to the F chord and I was having a helluva time trying to hold the two strings down with one finger. he got pissed when I said I couldn't do it. "If you can't hit a GD F'ing F chord then you might as well quit, dammit." HA! My buddy and I still laff about it.

And let me guess - He charged you a fifth of vodka when it came time to learn the E and A form Barre Chords right? lol

 

[aimr75]

A simple way would be to buy a chord book or get one of those learn to play guitar instructional book/dvd's and just learn the basic chords first. Learn the chord patterns and get used to changing between chords. Once you are able to change between chords pretty quickly, then just try focus on learning songs that are based around these simple chords

One thing to be careful of is that its easy to lose interest and not pursue it.. if you set yourself a goal to learn a particular song you love that isnt too complex, then it could help maintain your interest since youre trying to conquer playing a song you enjoy

I started off with classical and eventually moved onto electric and still do play in a band, but i started off initially just learning basic chords

 

[Vermillion]

I'm having trouble with the strumming and the picking. Maybe I just got bad rhythm

 

[aimr75]

^ youre using a pick? if so, maybe try initially using a really soft pick.. the pick would bend alot as you strum and your hand can move freely. Once you develop a free and natural strumming hand, graduate to thicker picks

 

[max]

I would love to, but I'm only a high school sophomore and can't afford it. So I'm trying to find a way to teach myself.

Lessons will get you up to speed far, far more quickly---and you'll be enjoying guitar more---than going it alone.

I know. I made that mistake.

Even if you're 14, say, why not cut lawns for your neighbors---or the guitar teacher--tell him you're willing to trade labor: do his lawn for a lesson. Most music teachers are up for swaps like that and wouldn't be put off by the offer.

Or scratch your head a bit and figure out how you might come up with $25 a month. Find an odd job.