Keep the learn guitar questions coming! I liked this one:
Question: I can play piano and read music well and I’ve been thinking about learning guitar. If I get lessons and practice would it be difficult for me to learn a few easy songs by the end of a couple of months?
Answer: If you really WANT to play a guitar, it will not be as hard as one might think. The learning will be a "labor of love" and you should enjoy it. I had a friend show me a few simple chords and I practiced them over and over, then he showed me a couple more, and I practiced them over and over. Put them together and you have a song. There are a lot of songs you can play with 3 or 4 simple chords.You should have no problems learning a few not too difficult songs in several months. You’ll have to put yourself on you tube so we can watch your progress. Good luck, have lots of fun, and believe me….it’s worth the effort.
We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:
Question: I got told if I want to be a proper musician I have to learn to transcribe instead of learning from tab all the time? Does transcribing come naturally the more I play guitar or do I have to train my ears? And how would I go about it? thanks!
I know quite abit of theory but this transcribing thing seems hard 
Answer: No, you need to play more to get better at the guitar.
Transcribing will come more naturally the better you know the fretboard.
Still have to have a good ear. That’s your best bet.
I learned to play at a time when there were no tabs around.
Looking at tabs, I see that there are an awful lot of sloppy people out there that are content to half-ass fake their way through a song.
I think if you’re looking for a way to play sloppy inaccurate chops, tabs are a great way to go.
Other than that, a limited and selective use minimizes the damage.
Keep the guitar lessons questions coming! I liked this one:
Question: well right when i start to practice and be serious about guitar i have to quit. i can play chords and everything but i just havent really tried to be any better ive just been on the same level. now that i have to quit i want to really become serious about it, does anyone have any books/techniques/etc to teaching youself guitar. i really want to continue this but i just dont know how, some help would be apreciated.
joe thanks for the response but i dont want to go into a career i dont like id rather do music or photography
Answer: if you want to pay for something the best one but it’s pricey is ‘learn and master guitar with steve krenz’. also you can’t go wrong with Hal Leonard learning books. if you want to use free stuff just use youtube. they have all kinds of great vids on there that teach you how to play your fav songs. all you really need to get started is to learn how to go between chords. you should start with only a few chords and then build up. once you get better learn barre chords. they make playhing flats (b) and sharp (#) chords so so much easier!
also, you should learn your blues scale or a pentatonic scale. all that can be found by using google. there’s loads of websites where you can see the scales and hear them and then play them on your guitar. rememeber…learning the guitar is all about practice. you practice at home alone in your room. don’t overdo it but you should practice for 20 mins minium and an hour max a day. no teacher can make you great. only you can!! good luck.
I just love answering these learn guitar questions. Here’s another:
Question: I am 15 years old and I play flute and piano. I have a good ear for music. I’ve been playing flute for as long as I can remember and piano for not even a month and I’m already playing Yiruma music. I understand that guitar will be more challenging but I’m looking for an estimate on how long it’ll take for me to learn to play a little guitar, any info would be much appreciated.
Answer: Takes time, and depends upon how dedicated you are. To build a decent amount of fingerstrength, you should practise exercises 15-20 mins a day. I did that and i had a decent finger strength after a year and a half.
In my opinion, I wouldn’t consider there a point where you "learn guitar". obviously there is a point where you have learned so much, and you play so well that you can be considered a "master" but i believe that you will continuously get better over time.
A little bit of guitar, as a hobby, if you practise alot, you could be there in about 1 year, seeing as you already have a bit of strength from playing piano. and the fact that you already have a good ear for music is an advantage and it should take about a year if you keep practising, til you’re decent at guitar.
But practise always makes perfect, and the longer you practise and the harder you try, the quicker you’ll become very good.
What a great learn guitar question:
Question: For Guitar, How Long Can It Take Me to Learn to Read Music Really Good?
Answer: it depends, if it is musical notes it could take a little while but tabs you should learn in no time at all! however everyone learns differently and at different rates so theres no telling exactly for sure
A learn guitar question that should definitely interest you all this week
Question: Can I Learn to Play "Flamenco" and "Classical" Music on a Simple Acoustic Guitar?
Answer: You can start to learn flamenco with any decent nylon string guitar. If you decide to study flamenco seriously then you would definitely want a flamenco guitar. Yamaha makes a nice entry-level flamenco guitar. They list for around $450, but you can get one at Guitar Center for around $300. The Yamaha will play and sound as good as some flamenco guitars in the $600 to $800 range.
One word of warning — if you play flamenco on a classical guitar, you’ll need to install a clear plastic golpeador (tapping plate). They are very inexpensive, and will protect the face of the guitar when you tap on it with the fingers of your right hand. A flamenco guitar will have one already on it.
Also, if you decide to focus on flamenco, you’ll need a teacher. Flamenco involves specific techniques that are difficult to master, and the feedback from a teacher is invaluable. Otherwise you’ll end up learning everything the wrong way, and have to relearn it. It’s much easier to learn the right way the first time.
What’s this week’s learn guitar question? Let’s dive straight in…
Question: I’m learning guitar on a tele (not that that matters) and having trouble concentrating on the ‘core’ of what I should be learning. (putting it all together)
The stuff I like is usually pretty simple, rhythmic, ethereal..
I know all the major and minor (learning 7th) open chords. From what I can tell, a lot of the music is broken down between these chords played as chords and also appregios.
True?
My next step is the pentatonic scales.
Am I wrong or can a lot of music be played by having a good comfort of all of the above?
Answer: Adam is essentially right but he is getting way ahead of where you are. There are 6 basic open chords, A C D E F G. There are 4 basic open minor chords Am Dm Em Fm. There are 7th and major7th variations of all of these. The next step is to learn the basic BAR chords. There are 2 general patterns for these. The first type is what I call "root on 6th string" style chords. They are based on the familiar "E" shape chords with a bar behind them. EX;
—5—index
—5—index
—6—middle
—7—pinky
—7—ring
—5—index (bars across all 6 strings at the 5th fret)
This is the basic A major bar chord. Notice that it is an E chord shape moved up the neck with the index barring across all six strings behind it. This is a movable bar chord form. At the 1st fret it is an F chord, 3rd fret it is G, 5th fret it is A, 7th fret it is B, 8th fret it is C, 10th fret it is D.
If you use the Em shape than they all are minor chords (lift the middle finger)
If you use the E7 shape than they all are 7th chords (lift the pinky).
This is a crucial concept to learning to play rhythm guitar.
The other series of bar chords are root on 5th string and they are based around the A chord shape EX;
–(5)–index
—7—ring
—7—ring
—7—ring
—5—index
—x—mute
This is the D major bar chord (based on the A chord shape) It is a bit more difficult because it requires that you bar the ring AND index fingers. This is also a moveable shape. At the 2nd fret it is a B chord, 3rd=C, 5th=D, 7th=E, 8th=F, 10th=G.
By using the minor chord and seventh chord shapes based on A you can play all of these as major, minor, or 7th chords.
Memorize these shapes and learn to move between them. This is the foundation for rhythm guitar playing on an electric guitar.
The next step is to memorize the basic pentatonic scale EX;
–5–8–
–5–8–
–5-7—
–5-7—
–5-7—
–5–8– This is the A minor AND C major pentatonic scale.
Play it one note at a time starting on the low E string at the 5th fret than move to the next note on that string. Repeat all the way across the neck and back. Learn to use hammer ons and pulloffs on each string as well as various bends.
This will give you a solid foundation to work from.
I strongly suggest enlisting the help of a good qualified local instructor. A good teacher can get you playing this stuff in no time and help you with the stylistic and technical considerations. You can learn more in one MONTH of lessons than you can in a YEAR of trying to teach yourself. This is no joke. I have had students go farther in a month or so of lessons than they did in a year or more of trying to teach themselves! Consider it.
We’ve had a reader question come in on the subject of learn guitar. Let’s take a look:
Question: I can’t read music, and don’t really want to concentrate on that side of things. I just want to start playing some easy tunes to begin with!
TABS is about all I can deal with, so I’d like something that could teach me that way.
Answer: I have no idea but try one of these search engines as one will have the answer you are looking for:
www.google.com
www.yahoo.co.uk
www.ask.com
www.msn.com (New and improved search engine)
This week’s question is a good one. Let’s have a look:
Question: I bought myself a beautiful guitar and have no-one to teach me, and I cant afford lessons. Anyone help, Im depserate to start playing some tunes! I can already read music…
Answer: http://guitar.about.com/library/blguitarlessonarchive.htm
A electric guitar question that should definitely interest you all this week
Question: i just want to make music!!! how do i record from guitar to pc though?? can anyone recommend (links to) a basic drum synthesiser prog which isnt techno-based?? nothing complicated. Do i need a real mixer rather than a virtual one? Help please i’m not v technical.
Answer: Hi! I’ve done a bit of the recording you’re thinking of, myself. I use a program called "Acoustica Mixcraft 2.5" (www.acoustica.com). They also have a program called Beatcraft, which is surprisingly good.
Now, for the actual recording, you’re going to need a preamp for the sound to work in stereo (if not, you can just use mono settings for the sound and it’ll work just fine) then you’ll need a standard 1/4" Patch Cable, and a small 1/4" to (I think) 1/8" adapter (you can pick one up at Radio Shack). Just plug it in and you’re set to go!
Enjoy, have fun, and good luck!
