Advice and resources for learning to play a Guitar

[Doc Holiday]

So I've decided to dust off my old acoustic guitar and attempt to learn how to play again. unfortunately due to an inconsistent schedule, lessons are not possible so anyone have any good tips, suggestions and learning resources.  Figured I'd try to do something more productive than just play videogames with my time off. I know crazy talk.

[Doyle]

I played everyday for 10 years and got so bored with it I just stopped one day.  I haven't picked up a guitar in about 5 years now.  All I can tell you is pick a song you want to learn and don't play anything else until you have mastered it then pick a new song.  For about the first 3-4 years I couldn't play a single (complex) song but knew the main riffs to hundreds of songs.  Pretty useless in the end.  By the time I quit I was only playing a classical guitar finger style.  It was the cheapest guitar I owned but was the only one I played.  Go figure. 

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

Youtube would have been my best friend if it were around in the 80s. I used to copy and tear out anything Steve Vai did and obsess over anything he put out. 

Do a lot of boring scales like while you watch a game or bored to build that finger strength and dexterity so they will do what you want. 

However look up a song you want to learn and add how to play..and its basically on youtube. Some good folks all over the place. 

[Kramerica]

What kinds of songs did you play before the ol' acoustic got dusty?

[woodboxer]

On Youtube, type in: A Simple Scale That Works As A "Musical Dictionary". Steve Stine breaks everything down and makes it easy. I've been playing for 30+ years and when my Son recently wanted to learn, I found this page and it really makes it easy to understand what, why and when. There is a series of lessons from him that should come up. You won't be sorry.

[Doc Holiday]

1 hour ago, woodboxer said:

On Youtube, type in: A Simple Scale That Works As A "Musical Dictionary". Steve Stine breaks everything down and makes it easy. I've been playing for 30+ years and when my Son recently wanted to learn, I found this page and it really makes it easy to understand what, why and when. There is a series of lessons from him that should come up. You won't be sorry.

Thanks! Will check this out for sure!!

[hepcat]

Step 1) Buy a guitar tuner and learn how to use it. Tune your guitar EVERY TIME before you play it.

Step 2) Pick a simple song you want to learn. The first song I ever learned was "Good Riddance" by Green Day. 

Step 3) Find a Youtube video teaching you the song. There's Youtube videos for almost every popular cover you'd want to learn.

Step 4) Learn that song, don't quit until you learned it all the way through.

Step 5) Repeat steps 1-4 a few hundred times.

Step 6) Begin to write your own songs.

Step 7) Profit.

[Kramerica]

6 hours ago, hepcat said:

Step 1) Buy a guitar tuner and learn how to use it. Tune your guitar EVERY TIME before you play it.

Step 2) Pick a simple song you want to learn. The first song I ever learned was "Good Riddance" by Green Day. 

Step 3) Find a Youtube video teaching you the song. There's Youtube videos for almost every popular cover you'd want to learn.

Step 4) Learn that song, don't quit until you learned it all the way through.

Step 5) Repeat steps 1-4 a few hundred times.

Step 6) Begin to write your own songs.

Step 7) Profit.

TITCR.

Substitute Nirvana's "Come As You Are" and YouTube with, well, some tab online and this is basically my story. Been playing for about 15 years. Start simple and work your way up. Once you feel comfortable, look into getting some lessons to take things to a different level. It also helps to play guitar with friends who share the interest, if possible.

[Doc Holiday]

21 hours ago, Lomez said:

What kinds of songs did you play before the ol' acoustic got dusty?

None, just tried a few times and got bored fast, or something happened and I needed to stop, I've literally only put 2 weeks of solid practice in.

[Moose Hoover]

Foo Fighters Big Me is great for learning the notorious F barre chord.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

I taught my wife and my 10 year old daughter to play about 50% of Nothing Else matters by Metallica and they do not play guitar....of course the opening is just open strings. 

The only use the Hello Kitty Epiphone guitar has had in 4 years..

[davos]

Man, I'd find it weird to learn from the start via youtube or tabs but can imagine they'd be helpful...maybe.  

I'd say even if you want to play acoustic, rent electric and learn off of that.  Just my personal preference.  Get some simple scales down, bar chords, etc. and build from there. 

I remember getting lessons for like a month back in like 5th grade and it turned me away.  Went back to drums then got back into it and taught myself in middle school, never dropped playing since around 03. 

 

[Pejorative Miscreant]

My son plays and we upgraded his guitar from acoustic to electric over Christmas. While doing the research I got really fascinated so I am now going thru guitar 101 also. I am being patient in trying to go off of strictly notes rather than tab until I get a solid foundation. If I get bored with it I will probably go the YouTube route but really want to get my foundation first. 

Also I decided to go electric.  Picked up two VGC and really cheap Squiers on Craig's list so I could play one and learn maintenance on the other. 

 

Hobby by is going well so far.  

Ftw. 

[Cary Kollins]

This is what I used to learn the basics:

http://www.hudsonmusic.com/product/getting-started-on-acoustic-guitar/

 

Highly recommended starting out with a DVD or in-person lessons. It takes a lot of practice. Get three chords down and play those everyday until your finger tips ache and you gain calluses.

 

I wouldn't recommended jumping right into learning songs off youtube. Baby steps. It'll make you a better player in the long run.

 

For example, that DVD will teach you the names of the strings, which fingers to use to make chords, how to strike the strings on an acoustic for the best sound, which strings should ring out on certain chords, etc.