Guitar

[WPKenny]

Damini just bought me an acoustic guitar!

I got a book with CD which has shown me D, G and A cords so far but my fingers are knackered already so I've had to rest. Oh and I've learnt how to tune the guitar too, which I guess is fairly important.

The guitar is a Tanglewood which as far as I can tell is a reasonably good make so when it gets tough I have the whole guilt complex about the cost to keep me going. ( to Damini)

Anyway, a big thank you to Damini. If there's any guitar players out there who can give me some tips I'd appreciate it. I'm left handed but for the sake of being able to use other people's guitars I'm learning right handed.

 

[Tom]

I want to learn the guitar one day

I'm learning the piano right now. Getting pretty good at it as well. I can play Fur Elise, Pathetique Sonata, Moonlight Sonata, Imagine (JL), Trouble (coldplay) and I'm just learning 'With a little help from my friends' (which is harder than you might think).

Stick with it Kenny, its hard and frustrating at first but you'll start to pick it up slowly, and after a year or so you'll be playing 5-10 tunes easily. Being able to play an instrument is such a rewarding experience.

A really nice tune to learn is 'Cavatina' which is the theme music to 'The Deerhunter'. Its bloody hard on the piano, so I can't imagine how easy it would be on a guitar.

Take time to learn how to easily read the music as well - its very important.

 

[throdgrain]

Ive played the acoustic guitar for years, and Im left handed too, but like you I play right handed. I like it because you can do it anywhere, no plug required or anything.
First song I ever learned was Mr Tambourine Man Bob Dylan style (oh god!!), I can still play it today

 

[Teren]

I'm gonna go on my first guitar lesson next saturday

 

[MKJ]

I took up the acoustic guitar less than a year ago. Decided to concentrate on 'finger picking blues'. Sure is hard work. For one thing the metal finger picks I have to use are a bit of a nightmare to keep on my fingers. I tape them on now. Only thing about that though is my fingers expand at times and I end up with lifeless finger tips after a while which makes guitar playing that much harder. Still gonna keep at it though cos I have improved immensely. I think though that you really have to go for it big time and apply yourself to guitar playing in a routine manner. I reckon I need to practise at least 2 hours a day minimum to improve. In other words you have to work at it. Great hobby that can lead to something else maybe if you end up good enough .

 

[Jonaldo]

Been playing guitar for about 12 & a half years now. Used to gig around London in my early 20's but never made it big now it's just a hobby and I give lessons to a couple of peopel I work with in exchange for beer.

Hard to really give any tips in a post such as this except really that you don't need that many lessons to learn a few chord shapes, barre chords and scale patterns. These can be repeated all along the fretboard easy enough, it's mostly about very boring and tiresome practise, building up the strength and agility of your fingers. Unfortunately you'll soon be going through the very frustrating phase where your brain knows exactly what you should be playing but the fingers just refuse to move fast enough.

In time it all comes good though, it's amazing how a simple arpeggiated G,D,C can impress people as they recognise the intro to Guns 'n' Roses version of Knockin' on Heavens door.. Or G,D, for Lucky Man by the Verve. So many songs use the same chords you can play a lot of things very early in a fledgling guitar career.


For the record I play a Gibson Les Paul, Epiphone SG (my first guitar) and a Turner Acoustic.

 

[Jonaldo]

Linkage to pic of my toys.. I wub my LP and Turner.. The SG is more for sentimental value, though it does play quite well it's a bit battered and beaten.

http://www.aucw36.dsl.pipex.com/WoW/Geetars.jpg

The Marshall amp here is a 70's 75w Reverb amp, although it says Marshall on it, it's actually totally pants and sounds awful. The Hughes & Kettner is a little 15w Blues series practice amp, now that is LUUUUUUUUUUUVERLY! and the panel glows neon blue when it is switched on.. how cool!

 

[Nightchill]

Still remember the day I comfortably did my first F chord (probably the first chord you'll bar across)

Use an Ibanez RG370DX here

 

[Clown]

Is that your reflection in the bottom right? Your head is a funny shape.

 

[CurryKnight]

Ive been playing guitar for years. If u get into it youll end up with 100's of them, 12 strings, acoustics, electrics. looks mint when you have 10-15 guitars hanging off the wall.

Acoustic has always bin my fave tho

 

[Nightchill]

Is that your reflection in the bottom right? Your head is a funny shape.

No, it's a ufo.

 

[Draylor]

It sounds like someone feels guilty over this

Hopefully youll find somewhere to store the guitar thats out of reach of tiny paws

 

[WPKenny]

It sounds like someone feels guilty over this

Heh, maybe it's just cos I'm lovely?

Hopefully youll find somewhere to store the guitar thats out of reach of tiny paws

Ula's already decided the guitar bag is the comfiest place in the room.

 

[Tsjiep]

If there's any guitar players out there who can give me some tips I'd appreciate it. I'm left handed but for the sake of being able to use other people's guitars I'm learning right handed.

Cough

 

[Chilly]

Heh, maybe it's just cos I'm lovely?



Ula's already decided the guitar bag is the comfiest place in the room.

will change it's mind if you zip it up and leave the cat in there overnight

 

[WPKenny]

Cough

Cheers, that looks like a pretty good site!