Guitar Playing

[eclipsedmoongoddess482]

I'm thinking about taking this guitar class next year that my school is now offering but I'm not sure I should do it. I mean, I have no experience whatsoever (unless you count watching family members playing as experience) and I haven't picked up any kind of instrument in four years! So what I want to know is...is learning how to play the guitar as hard as I think it will be? I'm not looking to be the next Slash or Jimmy Page. I just want to learn for the sake of playing music. ^_^ So does anyone think they can give me a few pointers or helpful suggestions on technique.

If it helps, the class starts with playing a classical guitar and if we want, we can bring in our own accoustic guitars to play (which I would be borrowing from a friend who already took the class.)
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[loveliesbleeding]

Well, for me it was easy, but I was coming from 4 years of violin, actually I found it much easier.

You already learned a musical instrument so you know basic notes and staffs and how it's supposed to sound ect. It should be worth it, plus it's always great to get a new skill, especially one as fun as guitar.
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[Tulips_and_Chimneys]

i'll probabaly teach myself huitar when i get the chance. but right now im doing alot of stuff with the piano and teaching myself that so im gonna stick with it for awhile. ive been playing the drums for about 5 years but thats the only intrument i wasnt self taught

[starfire100]

[quote="eclipsedmoongoddess482 (Sixx)"] I'm thinking about taking this guitar class next year that my school is now offering but I'm not sure I should do it. I mean, I have no experience whatsoever (unless you count watching family members playing as experience) and I haven't picked up any kind of instrument in four years! So what I want to know is...is learning how to play the guitar as hard as I think it will be? I'm not looking to be the next Slash or Jimmy Page. I just want to learn for the sake of playing music.  ^_^  So does anyone think they can give me a few pointers or helpful suggestions on technique.

If it helps, the class starts with playing a classical guitar and if we want, we can bring in our own accoustic guitars to play (which I would be borrowing from a friend who already took the class.) [/quote]
its not so hard to play the guitar. its really fun. its easy to pick up,and if you have thin to medium (in width) fingers its easier to put your fingers on the frets to get a note. but i say go fer it. try it and if you fail try it again cause the only true failure is when you stop trying. im not saying youer gonna fail. just giving advice here. give it a try.

[slet]

It's not hard at all but there are 2 things to keep in mind:

- you can't learn it in one day. You need to practise every day if possible (it's fun to practise, so shouldn't be a problem). In about a year you can play decent chords and rythem.

- you need to know what kind of music you want to play. If you want to play rock or something like that, there is no point in learning to read musical notes and doing classic excersizes. You should just learn chords and lear how to read tablature. I think that this is what you want, and I doubt they'll teach you that at school. At school they usually teach the classical stuff. I say you're better of with a private teacher who does exactly what you want.

[fallenangel]

(omg I agree with Slet. Someone call Ripley's!)

Typical music lessons are horrible when you know what you want to play, and if that something isn't classical. I took piano lessons for 6 years before I couldn't take it anymore. The first little warm-up type things were ok, just to learn the notes and chords and such, but after that it was all Bach and Mozart etc. I wouldn't have minded so much if I was able to play [i]anything[/i] of what I wanted, but my time was so full of rehearsing for performances and theory that I couldn't.

So I quit and have barely touched a keyboard in years. Which is sad, 'cause I used to know some pieces pretty well that I actually enjoyed (including November Rain), but the classical and theory drove it into the ground to the point I still don't enjoy playing as much as I used to. But I can still read music n' all that, so something good came of it.

More to the point, don't let lessons take all the fun out of it. Sure, there's a lot you just [i]have[/i] to learn, but it should still be fun. I enjoy teaching myself and sucking a lot more than having it ruined for me by classical lessons. I don't practice nearly as much as I should and haven't made near the amount of progress I could have in this amount of time (two years), but it's still fun, and that's the point to me. I ain't tryin' to be Eddie VH.
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[Ogrim_Doomhammer]

I started to play 3 years ago with a private teacher because my school guitar lessons sucked. After 2 years i discovered that my teacher sucked and left him too. Now I'm teaching my self, but if you learn one new song each week and play at least 1 song everyday then in 2 months you are gonna be ready. I played No rain (Blind melon) at my 3d month of playing and played it almost perfectly. You should try you will notice its not so difficult. Hope you learn!
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[Beatlechick90]

I've been going to a private teacher for about 2 years, and I can definitely recommend this rather than learning with a huge class. With a teacher, you can learn at your own pace, with the songs you want, and best of all there's no one to laugh at you when you screw up. I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure they're less pricey as well.
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[qtlilhunnibear]

good luck with that
im saving up for a bass so im going to learn too...
my friends say its easier to go on the internet and read up about it and take some private lessons..because in a class its easy to get neglected.

[little_Light_Dark_Artist]

punk rock heavymatle r my fav music types
*jams on guitar8hahahaha

[Beatlechick90]

^oh how the little newbies love to spam
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[shinto_grrl]

lol. Hoshi_star learned how to play the guitar over the summer, but then she didn't even pick it up for months and forgot everything she learned! >< She's getting classes sometime, though.
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[Tulips_and_Chimneys]

[quote]You should just learn chords and lear how to read tablature. I think that this is what you want, and I doubt they'll teach you that at school. At school they usually teach the classical stuff.[/quote]


yes this is helpful if thats what you want to do, but you should appreciate the classical courses and keep up with them because it sets a good foundation. Once you can do classical pieces like bach, you'll be flying over the cords of most modern bands like it was nothing. have you ever heard john williams? that man is sick! all classical. it really hones your skills. also if you've ever heard yngwie malmsteen you know what im talking about. he studied classical.

[fallenangel]

As did Randy Rhoads (taught classical and was quite good at it). But if you don't want to be Randy, it's not particularly needed, especially if it ruins the fun for you (as it does me).
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[Tulips_and_Chimneys]

yea thats true. but i'll stand by my opinion that it keops you open minded as far as writing is concerned because it gives you a good amount of knowledge as far a music theory.

[fallenangel]

I hate theory so much. It's killed every instrument I've ever taken lessons for. Playing tabs (badly ) works for me. No interest in playing gigs as a guitarist, so it doesn't matter.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[Tulips_and_Chimneys]

yea i mean if you just want to fool around with it its not necessary but if your serious its something to consider because it can be employed outside of classical playing