We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:
Question: how long does it take?
Answer: How long is a piece of string?
It depends on the person.
Someone with musical talent and experience – it’s possible to learn it to a very high technical standard within a year if you put in the effort.
Someone with musical talent – ~minimum of 4 years, if you put in the effort (to get to a high technical standard).
Someone with no musical talent – unmeasurable. Its more to do with their ability to learn skills theoretically.
To learn the basics (basic techniques, chords etc.) a couple of months if you are musically able (on avg. can take days if you are a true musician)
To master it, decades. The key word in this answer is ‘technical’. There is a difference between being able to play and making it sound good.
We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:
Question: I want to learn it on my own. How though?
I got the notes down already.
Answer: http://www.jamplay.com/
http://www.guitartricks.com/?gclid=COXTxaz0gasCFQdN4Aodo1KD4w
http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitarlessonarchive.htm
We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of guitar lessons. Let’s take a look:
Question: Looking for video lessons like Marty Swartz on YouTube. Must be free. Available on mobile devices would be wonderful.
Answer: There does not seem to be one good place. Every learner is different. Since you have decided to be your own teacher, it is going to be up to you to search through the video’s and find the one that works for you.
It is also up to you to realize when a certain set of video’s are no longer working and to start new searches.
I think the average person who uses Video changes to another at least 10 time during the first year.
What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: So, as you can read from the title I’m missing fingers on my right hand. To be more precise I only have my thumb and pinky finger, they both don’t have any joints in them besides the knuckle. My pinky is about 2 1/2 inches jutting out to the right and my thumb is about 3 inches jutting out to the left. Alright here’s the question lol, I want to learn to the guitar using my right hand as the strum hand, I have tried to just using my thumb to strum but it starts to get really soar and inconvenient. I have tried thumb picks but all they do is turn around in circles because I can’t hold it there. I have even resorted to taping a normal pick to my hand, but even that didn’t last long lol. Is there anybody out there that might be in the same situation and have resolved it, or anybody that thinks they can come up with a solution. Thanks in advance for trying to help me out 
.
Answer: You do indeed have a difficult situation and I admire your determination. A properly fitting thumb pick shouldn’t spin around…and that seems like the most feasible approach. Thumb picks come in different sizes and thickness, so I suggest that you experiment with some smaller ones. An old trick to custom fit a thumb pick is to momentarily dip it in boiling water using needle nosed pliers. Pull it out and while it’s still hot, you can manipulate the shape and fit.
Approaching this from the opposite direction, have you considered playing slide guitar (or dobro) using your left hand to pick? It wouldn’t be too difficult to find a hollow slide to fit over your right thumb or pinky. It may not feel natural at first, but it’s definitely possible to train your left hand to pick.
Best of luck to you.
Another learn guitar question has come in this week. Let’s tackle it straight away:
Question: Would You Rather Learn How to Play Guitar by Yourself Using Youtube or Get Someone to Teach You?
Answer: I’ve been playing guitar for 11 years and there is nothing like having a teacher. Youtube can only teach you basic skills. A computer cannot critique you’re technique (hey that rhymes) and fix bad habbits. If I were you, I would get a teacher. Good luck!
What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: I use both hands for various activities. I write with my left hand and throw with my right hand. I have only been able to try right handed guitars from friends, and always thought I was lefty. Recently, I tried a lefty guitar and it’s didn’t feel any more natural than my right.
Does anyone have any tips how I might be able to determine this??
Thank you kindly…
Answer: Hello there,
Contrary to what most beginners think, picking/strumming is the part that requires the most coordination. Most beginners think fretting the strings is. However, that is wrong. You want to use your dominant hand (most coordinated hand) to pick with. Fret the strings with your off hand.
For those of us who are ambidextrous, that is not easy to decide. I play the guitar right handed (over the years I have played both ways). I write with either hand (even both at the same time). I have found that I can pick the guitar as well or maybe better with my right hand. Also since it is easier to find right handed guitars than left handed ones, I play right handed. I don’t know about you, but for me each thing I do one hand feels more natural than the other. That is how I decide which hand to use for that activity. That is true with guitar also. The problem with guitar is that at first it does not feel natural no matter what hand you use. Next time you get the chance to play, focus on which hand feels most coordinated for picking strings. See if you can play one or two strings without striking the others. That sort of thing. That is about the best way I can think of to decide which way to play.
Later,
This week’s question is as follows:
Question: Hey, I’m 13 years old and have been attempting to teach myself guitar. I’ve been trying to play TABs rather than from chords, because I find TABs easier to play. Kinda frustrated at how slow my progress has been, I’m wondering if I should just take lessons. What do you guys think?
@icantgetaname tabs are easy as fuck to read
Answer: Get a teacher. "Teaching yourself" is a crock. I don’t know why so many people think it’s a good idea. In the words of Mitch Hedberg "I didn’t know how to play it, so I was a shitty teacher. I would not have went to me."
No book, website, software, or video can replace one on one tuition from a real musician. Those things are supplements, not replacements. No professional musician or educator would ever claim otherwise.
There is so much that a good teacher can help you with that you would NEVER realize on your own. They can point out little things that you would have never noticed or paid any attention to, and those "little things" are what separate a capable but unremarkable player from a great one. You will see much greater progress and develop as a whole musician.
This week’s question is as follows:
Question: I really like guitars mainly bass i was wondering would it be hard for someone without any guitar knowledge to learn?
Answer: The bass guitar can be the easiest to play. You would have to take the "Less Is More" approach and only hit the bass note of every chord that the band is playing.
It would help to learn simple "finger-style" playing on the regular guitar and to do finger-picking of songs on the regular guitar before learning to play bass. By doing this, you will learn a lot more faster of where notes are on the fretboard which will help you when learning to play bass guitar.
If you learn bass, you will need to learn to mute the bass strings while playing the bass at the same time.
The bass can be the easiest to learn how to play OR it can be the hardest to learn how to play. It all depends on the type of musical approach, technical playing method, and the type of music genres you want to play.
Example: Traditional Country Music: You need to take "Less Is More" approach in terms of playing relatively simple bass lines like playing the root note and fifth note of each chord in alternation while being in a support / rhythm role within the band.
Example: Funk Music: Songs can be centered on the bass line. The bassline is usually very prominent in the mix.
This week’s question is as follows:
Question: I know wat to teach and all that … But I have difficulty filling the whole hour… Any advice on stretching out the lesson …???
Answer: At the beginning of the hour, ask the student to play chords or do other exercises to improve her/his dexterity and technical ability.
Spend most of the hour having the student play whatever pieces you’ve assigned for that day.
Near the end of the hour, discuss what you want to have the student learn next. Demonstrate how the piece is supposed to sound.
By the way, it never hurts to ask the student how she/he likes what you’re assigning.
Also ask if there’s a particular piece of music the student really wants to learn to play. If there is and the student’s capable of playing it, allow her/him to begin learning it.
If that particular piece is beyond the student’s capability, talk about the steps the student needs to take in order to play that particular piece.
A learn guitar question that should definitely interest you all this week
Question: i have done a little bit of guitar at school and I find it really difficult, but my family friend is offering to teach me to play and I’m not sure if I should say yes or no. See, I don’t mind putting the extra effort in but I don’t want him to get frustrated if I take ages to learn things.
Answer: according to me, if anyone is offering anything u shouldn’t say no….u can alwaz try it for a while, and if u don’t feel good about it, u can explain it to ur friend and stop there……..i would say, go ahead with it……….
