DIY Guitar Learning

So, any one know of a site that has really good guitar lessons?

I got a Fender Squire through a trade here and it's just been sitting there because I can't figure out where to start. I know how to hold the guitar and everything, I just want to learn how to do the basic notes (or chords or whatever their called).

I've looked at some sites but their lessons are mediocre or you have to pay some subscription (yeah, I'm cheap). Tabs are cool but they'll eventually get old, so I just want to learn how to play on my own.

I'd go to a local guitar store and get a book on it or order one off of Amazon or something. There is also some good software that can teach you as well.

I am learning the guitar right now too. I am about 2 months or so in. I started with estebans learning dvds. You get the guitar(acoustic-eletric), 2 dvds, a chord chart, an amp, etc. I thought it was an excellent value for $200. I am now looking to buy an affordable electric guitar. )

if you listen to the radio just buy guitar world subscriptions, and maybe guitar one or guitar world acoustic. I quit getting them a while ago as they stopped appealing to my tastes, but they are great for learning guitar. They always have easy, med, hard songs. They explain techniques in depth, and you learn style from reading the articles and lessons from the different guitarists.

If you like metal or modern rock radio it is a really great buy, because they worship metal bands of all kind, thats why I stopped subscribing.

anyways thats how I learned. You gotta check out the classic rock songs, and jazz songs they through in there too, they may seem trite and meaningless to you but you will get better.

also freeguitarvideos.com has some good beginner content to get you started moving between various chords.

I'm starting to get back into my guitar again. I searched and found this thread so I'm resurrecting it. Does anyone else know of any good guitar learning sites?

I'm gonna check out all the recommendations that have been posted so far.

Good idea bringing this thread back. I purchased an electric guitar a few years ago and it is collecting dust. I am gonna check out that free link over winter break.


It sounds silly, but your library actually has a lot of resources if you dont wanna pay $$ for dvds. And i dont know how your library system works, but in ohio you can order books and dvds from any library or university in ohio and they ship them free to your local library for you to borrow. I checked and ours has TONS of dvds, books, and learning series on guitar.


I did a search anbd this is what popped up (not sure how good they are though)
www.freeguitarvideos.com
www.guitarlessons.net
www.guitartricks.com
www.guitarnoise.com

all are free lesson. But seriously, your library might have good stuff. Or hopefully they can order stuff in from other libraries.

I checked all the links out and I def. like guitartricks the best.

Guitar Hero 1 or 2


If you want see some amazing fingering (get your mind out of the gutter) check this video out, its crazy

http//youtube.com/watch?v=GuX2QaEG_8s

If you use torrents, a program called eMedia Guitar Method is great

What type of guitar player do you wanna be?

I'd recommend getting the Mel Bay grade 1 book for guitar (it's like an ebook, but printed on paper). THis goes over basic technique, and even goes into how to read music. You could spend 3 months at least on this book and gain a lot from it. Once you are done with this book, move on to grade 2.

Use tabs sparingly. I know people who have been playing guitar for over 6 years now, and are AWESOME readers of tabs. I go to jam with them, and tell them to play an Am7, and they have no clue. I tell them to play a D on the B string, and they look at me like I just asked them to give me a handjob.

Tabs are good for fun. Also, guitar player magazine, Guitar one, and guitar world all have lesson sections in them, along with a few tabs.

There are some good online programs out there, but Mel Bay is the best. Check that out first.

[quote4d06e656b6="holyvampire32"]Guitar Hero 1 or 2


If you want see some amazing fingering (get your mind out of the gutter) check this video out, its crazy

http//youtube.com/watch?v=GuX2QaEG_8s[/quote4d06e656b6]

are you serious? That's like saying that DDR will teach you how to dance.





Oh and I forgot in my previous post. There's that poster that they sell everywhere, even at walmart of all the guitar chords. Get that and hang it in your room next to where you play. Otherwise, just print out a bunch of chords (minors, majors, sevenths, and maybe minor 7th and major 7ths and if you can fit them diminished and sus4, and get alternate fingerings for whatever you can)

Learn 5 ways to play a major scale.

Learn a basic pentatonic scale (major and relative minor).

Don't listen to that Dragon Force shit. All it is is DDR garbage sounding shit. If you want to listen to some excellent guitar check out Glenn Tipton and K.K. Dowling from Judas Priest, they play fast as shit and are my favorite metal guitarists. Although that is my opinion and every guitarist will have their own influences and styles they like. But like has been said before, it depends what kind of guitarist you want to be. When I first got into guitar I liked "poser" bands, and pop-punk, and rock. Now all I listen to is Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, etc. But I still like to jam and play Rock songs and mellow songs.

I have a book by Hal Lennard which is a good learning book. If I were you, I would go to a music store and just ask them what they suggest for a good DIY guitar book.

The best obvious way to learn is by a teacher. Although that can get expensive so that might not help. For me it did because he can teach me stuff that a book can't.

If you want to get into the tricky stuff which I am learning right now, a good site to check out is http//www.cyberfret.com/techniques/index.php .

I suggest listening to Joe Satriani, Joe Perry, Glennn Tipton, Zakk Wylde. The first two are rock guitarists with Joe Perry being from Aerosmith. Glenn and Zakk are from Judas Priest and Ozzy which are heavy and fast guitarists. I would also suggest listening to some Blues which is a great tool to learn from and you learn a lot of good stuff from Blues.

[quoted087e44ef4="JPeeper"]Don't listen to that Dragon Force shit. All it is is DDR garbage sounding shit. If you want to listen to some excellent guitar check out Glenn Tipton and K.K. Dowling from Judas Priest, they play fast as shit and are my favorite metal guitarists. Although that is my opinion and every guitarist will have their own influences and styles they like. But like has been said before, it depends what kind of guitarist you want to be. When I first got into guitar I liked "poser" bands, and pop-punk, and rock. Now all I listen to is Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, etc. But I still like to jam and play Rock songs and mellow songs.

I have a book by Hal Lennard which is a good learning book. If I were you, I would go to a music store and just ask them what they suggest for a good DIY guitar book.

The best obvious way to learn is by a teacher. Although that can get expensive so that might not help. For me it did because he can teach me stuff that a book can't.

If you want to get into the tricky stuff which I am learning right now, a good site to check out is http//www.cyberfret.com/techniques/index.php .

I suggest listening to Joe Satriani, Joe Perry, Glennn Tipton, Zakk Wylde. The first two are rock guitarists with Joe Perry being from Aerosmith. Glenn and Zakk are from Judas Priest and Ozzy which are heavy and fast guitarists. I would also suggest listening to some Blues which is a great tool to learn from and you learn a lot of good stuff from Blues.[/quoted087e44ef4]

He might be a few years away from all that...

Then go get some books. D

Awesome. Sounds good. I'll have to check it all out. Thanks for the comments guys. +karma to a few of you. D

When I first started, I checked out 'How to play guitar for Dummies' at my library a few years ago. What really made me like this book was that unlike other teaching books, it made learning not so boring. Their would be some dumb jokes about learning guitar and some 'did you know' stuff and other things about certain styles. I liked it.
It basically teaches beginner stuff easy and intermediate chords, strumming and alternate picking exercises, how to change strings, how to play different styles.

I still use it to this day, to learn chords I should of already known by now.

[quote133d04ac7d="mnx12"]If you use torrents, a program called eMedia Guitar Method is great[/quote133d04ac7d]

I've been using this for like a week now. I really like it. I'm having some real trouble with this damn 'D chord' though. Most of the time my fingers are always touching multiple chords that kill the sound, especially when moving from one chord to another. I've been practicing everyday though so I've slowly been getting better.

[quoteb092429dd4="bruman"]I've been using this for like a week now. I really like it. I'm having some real trouble with this damn 'D chord' though. Most of the time my fingers are always touching multiple chords that kill the sound, especially when moving from one chord to another. I've been practicing everyday though so I've slowly been getting better.[/quoteb092429dd4]

Just remember to practice your chord changes really slow (and I mean really slow when you're a beginner at guitar). Then when you become comfortable changing between those chords gradually speed it up a bit.

Also, try to leave as many fingers down as possible when switching from chord to chord. For example, if you're switching from C to Am the only finger you have to move is your ring finger. You can leave the other two down. When you get more experienced this will save you a lot of time.

Learn your Basic Chords and you should be able to play almost anything as far as everything else goes such as hammer ons Hammer offs different skill sets like that just require practice. Don't expect to learn a guitar fast it takes years to get really good at it I'm self taught of 8 years now and I am always learning new stuff.

http//www.allworldsoft.com/software/15-088-i-want-to-play-guitar.htm

I sent it to one of my friends a while back..
Hope it helps =D

so I'm trying to do the "caterpillar" exercise, where you move one finger down, then the next, then the next, then the next, then repeat, etc (only moving one finger at a time) ... and my ring finger doesn't like to move when my other fingers are planted. it forces my middle or pinky finger to lift up (.

I'm bumping this thread again. Anyone else find some good sites? Last time I bumped this I didn't end up getting back into guitar at all but this time I might. I haven't played much since 8th grade and I only learned a few chords then. Anyway, I was cleaning out my room and I dusted off my old electric guitar and played with it until 2 AM.

I have no idea how I did this (because I really suck right now at everything guitar related) but I actually discovered a guitar riff by Modest Mouse on my own with no outside help. It was pretty cool even though it's not a very hard riff to do or anything.

Modest Mouse - Perfect Disguise (Live)[=http//www.darkcorner.net/concerts/mm/mp3/13-Perfect%20Disguise.mp3]Modest Mouse - Perfect Disguise (Live)

dude, that is really ironic that you just bumped this thread because I was just going to make one about getting back into drums. I haven't played in two years and I'm starting to get the itch again. I asked the doctor and he said it wasn't gonorrhea, so I'm assuming this is what it is lol

Digg?

http//tinyurl.com/5rdvmg

shrug

Woah I tried playing some tabs from Tool and they are really frickin hard. Damn. I tried 46&2 and could only get one part down. x

It'd be pretty kickass to get the opening riff from Aenema down.

Hm, interesting, I've been thinking about getting a guitar (acoustic). I have an electric which I never really learned how to play....I'd like to try acoustic.

I could play 46 & 2 when I was still playing D that solo was nuts.

I always wanted to play Aenema but I didn't think I had the leg stamina for the constant 16th note triplet double bass drumming haha.

I'm thinking if you are just trying to pick up your guitar again, Tool is not a good place to start. Blink 182 is. lol

I have been playing roughly 8 or 9 years. I actually tought myself with no lessons so I know exactly what its like. I actually got a chord graph and just used that. Start by learning the basics. G, D, Em, EMaj, A, C. Start to build of that.

Youtube has some beginer videos. Really the best thing is to find someone who also plays guitar and learn simply the basics from them such as learning your initial chords, how to strum, proper possitioning.

Once you can play something like a G, C, D, Em, progression, you can play a mass amount of songs. Start to build off that, you will have the basics so you can start adding new chords, learning your scales and other things.

If anyone wants some guitar advice, feel free to PM me and I will give you what tips or tricks I can.

I should also state, that in all the lessons I have given and in all the poeple i have seen who "want" to learn guitar, but never end up playing is because the quit.... PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.

The HARDEST part of guitar is about the first 2 months. when you are learning to sturm, learning your chords and what not. ITS VERY FRUSTRATING!.... but once you get past that and can start playing basic songs it gets really fun.

You have to PRACTICE everyday at least 30 minutes... keep it fun, dont get burned out. but the more you practice, the faster you will get the hang of it and the faster you will really be enjoying it.

How do you tune the friggin thing. I have an electric I would like to learn on, but I don't know how to tune it. lol

you can buy a tuner for cheap. you basically just keep plucking the string until the tone matches the tone coming out of the contraption. It will give you a green light when you've nailed it.

otherwise you're going to go off of sound recognition, and based on the fact that you are trying to learn, you won't be good at that.

are they called tuners?

i'm pretty sure.

I'll check it out for you

yep, they are "tuners"

however, check out this link for a download i just found. it might help you out.

http//www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Home-Education/Free-Guitar-tuner.shtml

Thanks. I'll try it when I get home.

Yeah I just tuned my guitar with a guitar tuner thing. They are WAY useful since I don't know how to tune by ear.

TravMan is right, They are Tuners.. they can be purchased at most music stores. For a standard tuning, you will want your strings to be tuned to the following in order of thickest strings to thinest

E, A, D, G, B, E.

Most online tuners go by tone and you will have to use your ear to ensure they are equal. store bought tuners you plug into and they will let you know what note is being played and show whether its flat or sharp.

Most music stores will give you a tutorial on their products, check out your local store and ask them about guitar tuners and see if they could explain or even show you how to use them.

[quote27f372cb6a="J4320"]Yeah I just tuned my guitar with a guitar tuner thing. They are WAY useful since I don't know how to tune by ear.[/quote27f372cb6a]

Tuning by ear is alot trickier, you will not be tuning to the correct notes, but more so, tuning the guitar to itself. The best way is ensure that the E string is about at what you think an E should be at. Then on the thickest string (E), press on the 5th fret, this is an A which is the sound of the next string down. This goes on until the 4th string where instead of pressing the 5 fret, you press the 4th, then back to the 5th as you work your way down. The following links are for tuning by ear.

http//www.ehow.com/how_5066_tune-guitar-ear.html

or

http//www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/for_beginners/tuning_your_guitar_by_ear.html

If i dont have a tuner I will tune that way, or by Harmonics. Check this out

http//www.guitartips.addr.com/tip191.html

Thanks for the info. Does your hand/wrist ever get really sore after playing for a long period of time? I'm pretty sure I'm holding it properly for at least most of the time because I watched a video on how to properly hold it.

[quotebb51e7c814="J4320"]Thanks for the info. Does your hand/wrist ever get really sore after playing for a long period of time? I'm pretty sure I'm holding it properly for at least most of the time because I watched a video on how to properly hold it.[/quotebb51e7c814]

Actually yea, I have got times where my wrist or hand would get sore..i always say though there are "proper" positions to hold your guitar, within though feilds you need to find what's comforatable for you. if standing, try shorting or lengthening your stap and trying differant hights of the guitar or things of that nature. I know alot of younger guitarists want the whole punk rock look where there strap is terribly long and the guitar hangs at their knees. i have done it too, but its very uncomfortable.

As your hands and wrists get trained to the guitar, you will find that they can move in pretty interesting ways and the huring will go away. Grow caluses (dont pick them off) as they will help so your finger tips dont hurt.

the main thing i guess is try to be as proper with your possition and all that as you can, but ultimatily it comes down to comfort. I actually just played a show with a guy whos blind and plays with his guitar on his lap flat,,,,so just practice and time takes care of the rest.

I started playing guitar a bit over a year ago, and this thread reminds me of myself a bit over a year ago. Just keep at it, you will improve drastically and not even realize it. My personal favorite learning site is www.justinguitar.com. He is awesome and has tons of youtube lessons for free at http//www.youtube.com/profile?user=JustinSandercoe. Also check out

http//www.zentao.com/guitar/guitar-lessons.html
http//www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php
http//www.cyberfret.com/
Online tuner http//www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/tuner/
http//www.guitarlessonworld.com/lessons/index.htm
http//www.essentialguitar.com/
Online metronome http//www.metronomeonline.com/
http//www.musictheory.net/trainers/html/id81_en.html
www.ultimate-guitar.com