A learn guitar question that should definitely interest you all this week
Question: I want to learn how to play an acoustic guitar but is going to guitar class or taking lessons a ‘necessity’ or just a bonus? can anyone be self-taught, i’m sure theres video links on youtube i can watch to learn how to read music tabs, thats all i need to know right?
Answer: Guitar is among the easiest instruments to learn on your own. This is one reason for its popularity. Get a book, learn some chords, go from there.
Of course if you know people who play, who will come over and show you a few pointers, that would also be good. Much of guitar ‘lore’ is passed on from one guitarist to the next.
If you take lessons (I did for a while) the teacher will teach you to keep your left thumb on the middle of the back of the neck, which gives you more freedom to move your fingers over the fingerboard. But self-taught guitarists wrap their thumb over the top of the neck to get a tighter grip. Watch guitarists on TV, even famous ones, and you see most of them wrapping their thumbs! These people are self-taught.
The hardest thing in starting to learn is that you have to develop strength in your left hand to hold down the strings against the fingerboard. At first your hand gets sore after only ten minutes or so. So you can’t practice longer than 10 or 15 minutes (but you can do this several times a day). It takes a few weeks to build up strength in your hand. So be patient. If it’s a steel-string guitar you also build up callouses on your fingertips.
Well here’s a question I just had to answering straight away:
Question: I want to teach myself how to play the guitar. Are there any books that are best from step a to b…. might I add I totally forgot how to read music too. So a book on that would be awesome as well. Thanks!
Answer: I recommend you learn through the internet. There’s heaps of free online video and written lessons that will help you more than a book will. You can look for these on youtube or I recommend you look at ‘Next level guitar’. There’s a 3 day free trial – try it out. http://www.nextlevelguitar.com/
Another learn guitar question has come in this week. Let’s tackle it straight away:
Question: I’m a 15 year old girl and I was wondering if I’m too old to start? I’ve taken piano lessons since I was 7 and clarinet lessons since I was 10. I’m in band. I know how to read music, but isn’t guitar music different?
So should I ask my mom if I can take guitar lessons over the summer?
Answer: Thats actually a real good age to start. You are mature enough to stick with it and, with your previous musical background, you should do well. Lessons are a great idea. Guitar music uses the treble clef like most band instruments. There is another way of notating guitar known as TAB (short for tabulature). TAB is a simple diagram that shows what string to press at which fret. It is very easy to read (easier than standard notation) Your teacher will explain it all to you. Start with a basic steel string acoustic guitar. You can get one at your local music store. There you can check on lessons.
Another learn guitar question has come in this week. Let’s tackle it straight away:
Question: When you think of learning to play guitar, how do you approach it?
It seems many people want to be taught how to play a song, very literally. "How to play", like where to put my fingers and when, simply and only. It seems the guitar is viewed as a machine that when operated by a trained operator, makes certain noises. Is that true for most people’s views?
Do people consider that the guitar is there to use to create sound by a musician, based on music theory and notation? Like a piano. Do people wanting to play guitar con side learning how to read music and use music theory?
Like an artist with a canvas and brush. Rather than learning to replicate a Picasso, he learns the techniques of Picasso and others, and then makes his own representation of the artwork. Only with sound. Does that makes sense? And how many people do you think consider that when wanting to play guitar?
Answer: I looked at it like an oddly shaped piano when I started, since I already knew piano. It was just a matter of figuring out where the "keys" were. I already knew theory by that point, so there was no need to play by ear; or replicate as I think you’re insinuating. Although if the guitar is the persons first attempt at music, than I think they approach it mechanically and replicate other guitarists.
What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: I have been trying to teach myself guitar since I was in like 6th grade, granted I gave up several times, but now im 19 and I really want to be able to play my favorite songs and stuff.
I know a some chords, kind of how to read music, and a little bit of strumming, but it all needs work, I wouldn’t necessarily say im a beginner though
I live in a small town on the west cost of the US, I just want some rough estimates
Answer: Depends. Every place probably has a variation in price. Mine started out at $10, then moved up to $12. Usually it’s $10-15 for 30 minute lesson.
If you’re serious about learning guitar, then I would suggest lessons if your budget can allow it. Lessons really are great and help you learn your favourite songs faster and with more ease. And if you have a good guitar teacher they will keep encouraging and motivating you. They’ll give you weekly assignments and that helps a lot. It helps you reach your goals faster. Again, I would encourage this if you’re serious about learning and want to learn. If you’re learning more for personal enjoyment, then you may just want to learn on your own. And everyone is different with lessons. I’m more of a visual learner, so for me to have someone right there teaching me was better. But some people learn better on their own. Just depends on YOUR learning style. Whatever you decide, good luck 
Keep the learn guitar questions coming! I liked this one:
Question: how hard would it be for someone who knows how to read music(ive been playing alto saxophone for 5 years) to learn electric guitar?
Answer: nope but I suggest starting with the accoustic…..when you learn chords….like bar chords…….its kind of cheating….cause its easy on a electric to get the sound. But if you learn on a accoustic it will be better…..it will make you a better guitar player…trust me….I learned with accoustic and the first time I tried electric it was easy….also knowing notes won’t be too hard….cause I believe both use the trouble cliff (guitar does anyways
What’s this week’s question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: how hard would it be for someone who knows how to read music(ive been playing alto saxophone for 5 years) to learn electric guitar?
Answer: If you want to play faux-thrash metal then you can learn all you need to know in about 5 seconds assuming you have hands. I have a friend who has had trouble with the gat though, not so much with the technical side of things but more with the creative side. He reckons learning to read sheet music and learning theory for piano etc has ruined him for guitar but he’s still a damned good classically structured player in my book. A lot of the skills you use on other instruments are transferable though so it won’t be too difficult for you. The problem is most guitar music is in tablature form so you’ll want to learn to read that at some point.
I’ll tell you the strings are a pain (literally) to get used to untill you get some calluses on your fingers, also you need to develop lobster claw strength in your fret hand. Another tip I’ll give you is try to practice on an acoustic guitar, those are much more brutal to play on so it will develop your hands for bar chords etc. Practicing an hour or two a day you’ll get fairly good in about 6 months. There’s a fair few techniques and tricks you need to learn to play more complex pieces as with any instrument so don’t expect too much too soon. Just give it your all and don’t forget to explore the whole board for better ways of playing pieces.
What a great learn guitar question:
Question: I used to be pretty decent at the guitar. I know how to read music and all from years of piano, but didn’t pick up the guitar till high school. The last couple of years I didn’t play the guitar that much due to a busy university schedule. But now that is over. Have any of you had success in re-learning the guitar or is it most likely that it will be a lost cause for me?
Answer: My brother yes. He took lessons in highschool, quit for a couple years, and re-learned years later so as to start a goth band. To think in grade school he listened to Bach lol
