Welcome.
If you've had that burning desire to play the guitar - for whatever reason - to pick up chicks, impress your significant other, play in a band, etc., you've come to the right place. As a guitarist with 25 years of playing experience and experience as a guitar teacher, I can help YOU learn to play the guitar.
There are a couple of things you'll need to get started:
1. An acoustic or electric guitar
2. Guitar picks
3. Guitar strings
4. Guitar cable (electric)
5. Amplifier (electric)
6. A metronome
7. A good attitude
8. A willingness to practice 30 minutes daily or more
9. String winder (for placing new strings on your guitar)
10. Wire cutters (for cutting the excess string)
CHOOSING YOUR FIRST GUITAR
So, "How do I know which guitar to purchase at the music store?" may be your first question. I would suggest you try as many axes as possible before buying. Take your time. And watch out for those sleazy guitar store sales reps that in many cases will sell you the guitar they receive the highest commission on. A couple of things you want to look for:
1. The Action - this is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. You want a guitar with LOW action, as it's easier to play. Having great action is critical.
2. Price - this is a no-brainer. Buy the guitar that you can afford. Limit your selection based on your budget.
3. The Wood - different types of wood produce a different tone. Much of this is based on personal preference. For a beginner, I wouldn't stress about it. But it's something to consider for sure.
4. Tuners - are they accessible to you? Some guitar headstocks have the tuners all placed on top, some have 3 on top, 3 on bottom, others have the tuners all on the bottom.
5. Weight - don't underestimate this. A heavy guitar will hurt your back if you're practicing for several hours. Get the lightest guitar you can find that produces a nice tone. For many, this is not an issue. For example, a Les Paul is generally a fairly heavy guitar. It's also one of the most popular guitars because of the killer tone it produces. For me personally, I prefer a Paul Reed Smith - it feels great in my hands, and it's a lighter weight guitar.
6. Construction - different guitars are manufactured in different ways. The body of an acoustic employs different bracing methods.
Check out this acoustic guitar buyers guide:
Purchasing an acoustic guitar
Check out this electric guitar buyers guide:
Purchasing an electric guitar
7. Pickups - There are humbucker pickups, single coil pickups and guitars with both humbuckers and single coils. Humbuckers are generally used for rhythm guitar playing, single coil pickups are used more for lead. The humbucker is the more quiet of the two pickups, but not necessarily better. The quality of the pickups will definitely impact the tone of your guitar.
8. Bridge - Do you need a tremolo? If so, you may want to purchase a guitar with a locking system (i.e. Floyd Rose), so that it stays in tune. A well-manufactured guitar (without tremolo) should stay in tune anyway, assuming you've properly stretched your new guitar strings.
9. Return Policy - Don't forget about this. Definitely something to consider.
Below are a few links that can help steer you in the right direction:
Top 10 Beginner Acoustic Guitars:
Top 10 Beginner Acoustic Guitars
Top 5 Beginner Electric Guitars:
Top 5 Beginner Electric Guitars
BUYING GUITAR STRINGS AND PICKS
You'll then need to purchase strings and guitar picks. I would recommend you start with .009 or .010 gauge strings for the electric, and .10 or .11 gauge strings for the acoustic. Guitar picks come in Extra-Light, Light, Medium, Heavy or Extra Heavy varieties. I would go with Medium thickness picks for now, but feel free to try out different thickness picks and use what feels best in your hands.
THE METRONOME AND WHY YOU NEED ONE
The metronome I would recommend is the Matrix MR-500, a simple, easy to use metronome that is also easy to hear. If you're wondering why you need a metronome, it's as simple as this: If you want to be able to play in time with a drummer, bassist, piano player, or other instrument, practicing with a metronome is essential. You can have the hottest licks on the block, but if you can't play in time, fu-get-about-it. Seriously. ALWAYS practice with a metronome, and you will reap the rewards.
AMPLIFICATION...FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK
As for amplification, amps come in two varieties: solid-state or tube. In the past, tube amps provided a much warmer sound, although with advances in technology, solid states have come a long way.
Click here for information on how to choose a new amp:
Amplifier Buyers Guide on Sweetwater
Buying an amplifier (About.com)
Fender amps are known for their exceptional clean sounds, as are the Roland Jazz-Chorus series. If you want a dirty sound, check out a Marshall or Peavey. There are certainly a number of other brands to choose from. Go into the store with a budget in mind, and pick out the best amp you can afford. One important consideration - will you be using this solely as a practice amp, or for band rehearsals? You'll need a more powerful amp if you plan to play with a band. Amps often come with a pedal that allows you to switch from clean to dirty channels.
POLL: Why do you want to learn to play guitar?
Check out these guitars on Amazon:
Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plain Top Electric Guitar, Ebony
Amazon Price: $374.00 (as of 10/08/2008)
Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Black
Amazon Price: $299.00 (as of 10/08/2008)
Epiphone Les Paul Special II Electric Guitar, Vintage Sunburst
Amazon Price: $169.00 (as of 10/08/2008)
Epiphone G-310 SG Electric Guitar, Ebony
Amazon Price: $249.00 (as of 10/08/2008)
Tips for beginners
1. Learn songs by EAR - listen to songs on radio or CD, pick out the bass lines, and use the bass notes to figure out the chords on guitar. Challenging at first, yes, but eventually, if you do this enough, you will be playing the guitar. This is hands down one of the BEST ways to learn. For the fast guitar solos, purchase The Amazing SlowDowner (via the internet), and use to slow down solos one octave without changing the pitch.
2. Discipline - practice daily for a minimum of 30 minutes per session. Consistency is more important than the amount of practice time per session.
3. Use a metronome - every guitarist worth their salt can play IN TIME, with a drummer and bassist. Good timing is not something to take lightly. Use a metronome every time you practice the guitar, especially for finger exercises, scales, reading, etc. Practice strumming with a metronome.
4. Learn your minor and major pentatonic scales--you'd be surprised how many guitar solos employ these scales. You can get by without learning the modes (Aeolian, Phrygian, etc). The CAGED system is a good way to learn the scales all over the neck. It helps you visualize how each scale pattern is "connected" with the pattern adjacent to it.
5. If you want to learn to read music, pick up William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar Volume 1. If you have a choice of learning to read guitar tablature or standard notation, focus on notation. Tablature is not helpful for reading rhythms, although easier.
6. Download the "Trainers & Utilities" software from musictheory.net (free; under the Downloads section), and work on ear training exercises daily.
7. Transcribe guitar solos, riffs, licks and songs as much as possible.
8. Study chord construction and learn your INTERVALS. Learning your intervals is one of the most important things you can do as a guitarist. If you know your intervals, you can construct chords on the fly.
An interval is the distance between two notes. For instance, a minor 3rd, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, major 6th, major 7th, etc. Intervals can be identified both by ear and by sight. On the guitar, look at the fretboard, and notice the patterns. ie: Place your finger on a fret on the low E string. Any note on the A string (5th) directly below your finger (anywhere on the low E), has a distance of a Perfect 4th.
Play Guitar Today!
Learn to play guitar with these books
How to Write Songs on Guitar: A Guitar-Playing and Songwriting Course by Rikky Rooksby
A killer book that teaches you everything you need to know to write your own, original songs on the guitar.1 point
Hal Leonard Guitar Method, - Complete Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3 Bound Together in One Easy-to-Use Volume! by Will Schmid
A widely used and highly regarded method for learning to play the guitar.1 point
A Modern Method for Guitar - Volumes 1, 2, 3 Complete by William Leavitt
This is the bible for learning to read music, particularly for adults. If you're a younger player, age 8-12, I would recommend something else for you.1 point
Fretboard Logic: The Reasoning Behind the Guitar's Unique Tuning by William H. Edwards
Fretboard Logic does a great job explaining the fretboard, and really shows you how the different scales fit together on the fretboard, using what is known as the C-A-G-E-D system.1 point
The "First Stage" Guitar Chord Chart - Learn How To Play The Most Commonly Played Guitar Chords by Chris Lopez
If you want to get started quickly, learning to play the basic chords and strum patterns is a great way to start. This book can help you in this regard.0 points
Guitar Fretboard Workbook
While I have not used this book in particular, it has received excellent reviews on Amazon. Check it out.0 points
A Modern Method for Guitar - Volume 2 by William Leavitt
This is a continuation of the Modern Method for Guitar series. Specifically for learning to read music. If you want to read standard notation, this is the series for you. Start with Volume 1.0 points
Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar (Book & Cd) (Complete Fingerstyle Guitar Method) by Lou Manzi
For those of you interested in acoustic and folk guitar, this is a fantastic book/CD set on fingerstyle. Well worth the money!0 points
How to Play Jazz and Improvise Volume 1 -- Includes CD by Jamey Aebersold
If you want to learn to play jazz guitar, you can do no better than to purchase Jamey Aebersold's play-a-long books. I would suggest starting with Volume 1 and Volume 21 (Gettin' It Together).0 points
More tips for beginners!
10. Memorize the notes on the guitar fretboard--quiz yourself. For example, give yourself 10 seconds to find a G note, all over the neck (up to 12th fret) on all 6 strings. Now do the same for all other notes. And don't forget, the notes repeat themselves at the 12th fret, so use your knowledge of the open strings to your advantage when finding notes in this area. Remember, "Eat A Darn Good Breakfast Everyday" (EADGBE), the notes of the 6 strings. Also realize that the guitar is a chromatic instrument, it moves in intervals of 1/2 steps. There is a 1/2 step between the 3rd & 4th intervals and 7th & 8th intervals.
11. Practice your arpeggios. Arpeggios will help you to create your own guitar solos--arpeggios are essentially chord tones, and will help your solos to sound colorful.
12. Study chord construction. Learn how to construct chords, and be able to play every chord in at least two different positions on the neck. One chord can be played many different ways, and each variation has a different tonal quality. Start with major and minor triads, work your way up to dominant chords, which all have a b7, then learn your diminished (1 b3 b5) and augmented chords (1 3 #5).
Think of chords falling in one of three groups - MAJOR, MINOR or DOMINANT. Major chords have a major 3rd interval, minor chords, a minor 3rd interval. Chords named G7, G9, G11, G13, C7#5, C9#5, etc, are ALL part of the dominant family--they all have a b7 (pronounced flat 7) interval.
13. Book recommendations:
Modern Method for Guitar - William Leavitt (reading)
Hanon for Guitar (reading)
The Encylopedia of Reading Rhythms (reading)
Fretboard Logic SE (for learning the CAGED system)
Anything by Jamey Aebersold (for learning improvisation)
The Jazz Theory Book - Mark Levine (for theory)
Beginning Fingerstyle - Lou Manzi (fingerstyle acoustic gtr)
Classic Guitar Technique - Aaron Shearer (classical)
Anything by Mickey Baker (jazz guitar)
14. Learn the Circle of 5ths--memorize it. This will help you understand how chord progressions are constructed, what key you're in when you look at a piece of sheet music, among other things.
Links that will help YOU learn to play guitar
- Guitar Noise
- Guitar Noise offers free online guitar lessons, short pithy reviews, career advice for musicians, songwriting pointers, and much more. With millions of visitors, thousands of forum members, and hundreds of exclusive lessons for all levels, Guitar Noise is one of the friendliest musician communities in the world. Everything is free and there is no need to register for anything.
- Guitar World magazine
- One of the best guitar magazines on the news stands.
- Guitar Player online edition
- Another fantastic guitar magazine, online.
- Jamey Aebersold Jazz
- Jamey Aebersold is the GOD of improvisational and jazz instruction. Whether you like jazz or not, his play-a-long book/CD sets are fabulous and will teach you a ton. Click the Aebersold Play-A-Longs link in the upper left.
- Chord Wizard software
- An incredible, affordable tool for learning guitar chords all over the neck. It even has audio, so you can hear what each chord sounds like. Very cool product.
- The Amazing Slow Downer (Roni Music)
- Get this. You hear a blistering lead guitar solo on your mp3 player, but you can't for the life of you figure out what the guitarist is playing. So you want to slow it down, right? Well the Amazing Slow Downer is the product you need for the job. This product will slow down your mp3's, and you can even keep the pitch the same. You'll need guitar tablature or notation paper to write everything down, if you intend to transcribe.
- MusicTheory.net
- This is one of the best FREE music theory / ear training websites on the net. Download the software, and use it. Click the "Downloads" link.
- EarMaster.com
- EarMaster offers incredible ear training software that will help you to play what you hear. It will help you recognize chords, scales, rhythms and melodies. Try before you buy.
- Play Guitar magazine
- www.playguitarmagazine.com is the online home of Play Guitar! magazine. Play Guitar! magazine is the only magazine dedicated to the beginning guitarist. And, like the magazine, www.playguitarmagazine.com features information, inspiration and motivation for novices of all ages and musical interests.
Play Guitar! is published by String Letter Publishing, established in 1985, and headquartered in San Rafael, California. String Letter Publishing also publishes Acoustic Guitar the leading magazine for all acoustic guitar players, from beginners to performing professionals, Strings, the magazine for players of bowed stringed instruments, Guitar Teacher, the quarterly newsletter for acoustic guitar teachers as well as instructional and reference books for musicians, Private Lesson Books and Backstage Books. - Acoustic Guitar magazine
- An informative publication for the acoustic guitar player.
- National Guitar Workshop
- Since 1984, the National Guitar Workshop, a premier music camp, has proudly educated musicians of all ages. NGW's outstanding faculty, combined with its highly developed curriculum, makes every week at the Workshop a unique and exceptional learning experience. A typical day includes more than five hours of classroom time, plus ensembles, lectures, and concerts. The Workshop keeps class size to a minimum; this results in small Major classes and lots of individual attention for each student.
- Musicians Friend
- Musician's Friend offers over 36,000 products in its mail order catalogs and on its website, musiciansfriend.com. Products offered include guitars, basses, keyboards, percussion, amps, as well as recording, mixing, lighting, and DJ gear. Hundreds of new products are added monthly as the company continues to broaden and deepen its offerings. Musician's Friend still offers money-back satisfaction and price guarantees on every purchase and prides itself on having a topflight staff of customer service people who live and breathe the products they sell. With a centralized warehouse strategically located for fast delivery, shipping time is minimized. To request a free catalog, surf to musiciansfriend.com or call 800-391-8762 Open 24/7.
Guitar Magazines on Amazon
Check out these killer guitar mags:
Guitar World (1-year)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 10/08/2008)
Acoustic Guitar
Amazon Price: $36.95 (as of 10/08/2008)
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